Owatonna sophomore Carmen Jirele shot a 142 on the second day of the Class 3A state championships held at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids and was forced to sweat Maple Grove senior Amelia Morton’s final few holes.
Owatonna’s Carmen Jirele ekes out one-stroke victory in Class 3A girls golf tournament
Second-place Amelia Morton won second consecutive team title with Maple Grove.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
June 13, 2024 at 2:43AM
Not to worry. Morton finished one stroke back.
”I wasn’t really watching the other scores,” Jirele said. “It’s kind of crazy; surreal. I wasn’t thinking I would win it. Maybe top-seven.”
Scoring 34th last season made Wednesday’s result all the more satisfying. ”My overall game improved so much over the summer,” Jirele said. “And I came into state this year having won the Big 9 conference tournament and played so well at sections. I just tried to take it one shot at a time,” Jirele said. “Golf is such a long game.”
Simley senior Reese McCauley wrapped her decorated career with a third-place finish. ”Humility is something I have learned,” said McCauley, who won the Class 3A title a year ago. She will join her sister Isabella with the Gophers next season. “I feel that I have learned a lot on and off the course. You have to stay patient with it.”
Morton and Maple Grove did win their second consecutive Class 3A team title, which helped ease the senior’s frustration with missing out on the individual title. “I feel like I stayed pretty steady out there,” said Morton, crediting her mental game with at least putting her in contention. “I also felt like I made a lot more putts than I used to, and I kind of just try to knock it a little bit closer and try to make a couple more.”
Players receiving another blue ribbon included freshmen Payton Anderson and Annika Hendrickson, plus seniors McKenna Hogan and Morton. The Crimson defeated Wayzata 611-626.
Class 2A
Lake City senior Jordana Windhorst Knudsen used her experience to rally from a four-stroke deficit and win the individual championship by one stroke with a 6-over-par 114 at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan. She shot a final-round even-par 36. The last round was reduced to nine holes, because of inclement weather throughout the day.
First-round leaders International Falls senior Kelby Anderson and Holy Angels eighth-grader Elizabeth Fong tied for second at 115. They both closed with 41s.
Detroit Lakes easily won the team crown with a 486, 12 strokes ahead of runner-up Lake City’s 499.
Class 1A
Dawson-Boyd junior Lindsey Lund registered a 10-over-par 147 to earn medalist honors as the field struggled to solve Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker. Lund finished one stroke ahead of BOLD senior Kenna Henriksen at 148. Inclement weather shortened the final round to 16 holes.
Opening-round leader Border West junior Paige Beyer finished in a three-way tie for third at 153. She had a two-stroke lead after an opening round 76.
Fillmore Central and Dawson-Boyd shared the team title with score of 652. Fillmore Central held a five-stroke lead going into the second round.
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.
