Coahran Bounces Back with Late Birdies to Win Minnesota State Junior Boys' Championship

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  SPICER, Minn. – After carding back-to-back birdies prior to inclement weather suspending the final round of the 96th Minnesota State Junior Boys’ Championship Tuesday at Little Crow Country Club, Peyton Coahran tallied two more birdies early Wednesday when play resumed to post a final-round 69 to claim a two-stroke victory over Rylin Petry.

“This win means a lot because I had the support from everyone at the club along with my friends and family," Coahran said Wednesday. "I haven’t been playing my best golf this summer so to find a way to win at my home course is special.

“The biggest key for me was definitely the way I handled the adversity I faced throughout the two days, and specifically the way I handled going three over on my first four holes on Day Two, finishing six under on my final 14 holes."

Coahran began Tuesday’s final round in a four-way share of the lead at 2-under, but struggled early during his round by carding three bogeys over his first four holes. Getting back on track with an eagle at the par-5 fifth holes, Coahran quickly climbed back into contention at 1-under.

“My first four holes were just sloppy bogeys because of bad approach shots,” Coahran said. “My eagle on number 5 was a big momentum shift for me and I just kind of settled down from there and played really solid golf the rest of the round.”

Following a weather delay of an hour and 20 minutes earlier during the final round, Coahran had carded a pair of birdies at the 12th and 13th holes to join Kyler Schwamb for the lead at 3-under before a second stoppage due to heavy rains.

“The weather delay was a little frustrating because I was feeling really good about the way I was playing," Coahran said.

Coahran resumed his final round at the 14th with back-to-back pars before chipping in for birdie at the16th and added a final birdie at the17th to reach 5-under for the championship. A par at the last would give the former New London-Spicer High School golfer a two-stroke lead over Petry, finishing at 5-under 139.

"The birdie on 16 is the point when I knew I had a good chance at winning the tournament and was probably the biggest shot for me coming down the stretch, he said. "The birdie on 17 was nice just to separate myself a little bit and to calm the nerves coming down 18.

“I just felt comfortable on the course and on the greens in particular, which was definitely an advantage having that knowledge of the greens.”

Petry, the 2021 Class A individual medalist to cap off his junior season at Fertile-Beltrami High School, played his opening nine in 1-over Tuesday to turn in 1-under for the championship. He birdied his 12th prior to the weather suspension.

Resuming his round with a bogey at the 14th put Petry back at 1-under for the tournament, but would card an eagle at the 17th to jump back to 3-under, where he’d finish alone in second at 141.

Schwamb carded a bogey at his 17th hole to fall to 2-under for the tournament to finish tied for third with Ryan Stendahl at 142. Stendahl tallied a bogey-free, 7-under 65 during the final round.

The 2023 Minnesota State Junior Boys' Championship returns to Little Crow Country Club in Spicer, Minn.