Ledwein Eyeing Third MGA Women's Match Play Win; Hicks, Boraas and Lynch Among Quarterfinalists

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  ST. CLOUD, Minn. – A pair of victories last season secured a second Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Player of the Year award for former Bradley University golfer Taylor Ledwein.

Ledwein took one step closer to her first win of the 2023 season and third win at the MGA Women’s Match Play Championship Tuesday at St. Cloud Country Club, defeating Caroline Monty, 4 and 3, to advance to the quarterfinal round.

The defending champion Ledwein enters the week as the tournament’s No. 1 seed to earn a first-round bye.

“It’s nice to get a bye, but it’s also a little intimidating for myself being that I’m 25-years-old and these girls are a lot younger than me,” Ledwein said. “One of the disadvantages is not being able to see the pins, knowing where they are and what’s around them. 

“I came in with some expectations to play well, but not as much as when I was in college and playing all the time. I don’t practice that much anymore. I’m old now and I can’t really do that."

Trailing Monty by two after six holes Tuesday, Ledwein won two of the next three holes to draw even heading to the back nine.

Gaining some momentum with a birdie at the 10th, a steady Ledwein won four consecutive holes beginning at the 11th to take a commanding 4-up lead before closing out the match at the 15th, 4 and 3, to advance to the quarterfinal round.

“I didn’t play great—my speed on the back nine kind of went away. I had to make some three to 5-foot putts to win the hole,” said Ledwein, “that was the difference between winning holes and still be out there playing right now.

“I struggled with my approach shots, so it’s a matter of dialing those in. Off the tee has been good, so hopefully I can get those approaches a little closer to the pin and get the speed down to roll in some putts.”

A former New Prague High School standout, Ledwein nabbed her first win at the championship with a victory over Olivia Herrick at Faribault Golf Club in 2018.

Last season, Ledwein held off a late push by North Dakota State University golfer Leah Skaar to win, 1-up, at Burl Oaks Golf Club.

Ledwein’s second win of the 2022 season came at Rochester Golf and Country Club where she carded a final-round 68 to claim a three-stroke victory at the MGA Women’s Amateur Championship.

She will face another Monty early Wednesday, Caroline’s older sister Catherine, during the quarterfinal round. The two met during the semifinal round of last year’s championship, with Ledwein getting the better of Monty, 2 and 1.

Madi Hicks, a two-time winner in 2022, picked up a pair of victories Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinal round to face St. Catherine University’s Kyra Venne.

“My game was a little slow and a little off today,” Hicks said after advancing Tuesday. “I thought I did a good job of getting the ball in the fairway, which is huge on this course. If you’re in the fairway, you’ve got a huge advantage if your opponent isn’t.

“I stayed patient—it could’ve been easy to get a little rattled by some of the shots I was hitting. Match play is so unique and can change instantly.”

After defeating Lauren Sutcliffe, 4 and 3, to open the championship, Hicks fell behind Class AA individual champion Grace Petzold by three after just four holes.

Hicks would win two of the next three and tied the match with a par at the ninth.

Taking her first lead of the match with a birdie at the 10th, Hicks then extended her advantage to two with a birdie at the 13th.

Winning the ensuing hole with a par, Hicks held on for the victory and closed out the match at the 16th, 3 and 2.

“The bogeys I had today weren’t necessarily bad bogeys,” Hicks said. “I got a bad break here and there, so I knew things would turn my way.

“I’ve been putting really well and I made some big putts to tie the hole, so that’s kept me in it. I’d like to improve my iron game a little bit more for tomorrow and be more confident in the swing.”

Last season, Hicks won the Minnesota Public Golf Association Junior Public Links Championship at Goodrich Golf Course.

Her biggest win to date came at the Minnesota State Junior Girls' Championship at Fox Hollow, shooting 74-73 to earn a one-stroke victory over Ava Hanneman and Emma Davies.

She fell in a playoff to Samantha Youngquist at the Twin Cities Junior Championship at Goodrich Golf Course.

Coming off a 10th-place finish at the Class AAA championship last week, Hannah Boraas edged Katie Foley to open the tournament before downing Becca Tschetter, 3 and 2, to reach the quarterfinals.

“I was little upset after state last week—I could’ve performed a little better,” said Boraas, a Montana State University commit, “but I was happy to be there and got to play with a great player in Kathryn VanArragon.

“My second round was much better today. I put myself in better position and made more putts. There are a lot of good players and I just want to play relaxed this week, because that’s a game-changer for me.”

Boraas will now face Xavier University golfer Emma Welch during the quarterfinal round Wednesday.

University of St. Thomas golfer Isabella Lynch earned a first-round bye by earning medalist honors during qualifying Monday before defeating Tommie teammate Davies, 5 and 3.

Lynch will square off against Bethel University’s Greta McArthur when the tournament resumes early Wednesday.

The quarterfinal round of the 2023 MGA Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship is scheduled to begin at 7:46 a.m. Wednesday at St. Cloud Country Club.