GOLF: Bemidji teams place high at MGA Juniors

RAMSEY - The Bemidji Town and Country Club’s Minnesota Golf Association Juniors girls team was unable to repeat as junior champions Tuesday at Rum River Hills Golf Club.
The team of Morgan Miller, Morgan Williams and Amber Younggren took second overall with a two-day total of 328, 16 shots behind champions Rum River Hills Golf Club.
Williams led the team on day one, shooting a 79, while Miller shot an 86 to give the team a score of 165. Younggren shot a 115 but didn’t factor into the score.
Bemidji was 13 shots off the pace set by Rum River Hills, who was led by Allyson Hansen Rogers’ score of 72. Haley Tollette and Samantha Lindeen each shot an 81.
Bemidji was two shots better on the second day, as Miller led with a 79 and Williams shot an 84. Younggren also improved her score by shooting a 98.
Tollette and Hansen Rogers both shot 80s on the second day to clinch the championship.
Hansen Rogers had the best two-day total of 152, followed by her teammate Tollette with a 161. Williams was tied for third with Abigail Brinkman of Jackson Golf Club with a score of 163 while Miller was fifth with a score of 165. Miller was also tied with Emily Schimbeno of Lake City Golf.
The boys team took fifth overall at the MGA Junior Championships with a two-day score of 457, nine shots off the winners from Ridgeview Country Club.
Bemidji made a big jump from a year ago, as the boys team missed qualifying for the tournament altogether. Matt Gregg represented the team last year as the top-scoring individual from a team who didn’t qualify out of their district.
Gregg was joined by Andrew Israelson, Leo Spry and Croix Golden this year and the four made a run for the championship.
Gregg and Israelson each shot a 72 on the first day while Spry shot an 83 for a total of 227. Golden’s 92 didn’t factor into the score.
Bemidji and Detroit Country Club Pine-to-Palm were tied for second after the first day, five shots behind Ridgeview.
Israelson led Bemidji on day two with a 75 while Gregg shot a 76 and Spry shot a 79 for a day-two total of 230. Golden shot a 93 on the second day and didn’t factor into the totals.
The 230 was the fifth-best team score on day two, which caused the team to fall behind three spots.
Matt Mellin of Ridgeview shot a tournament best 141 (66-75) while Jack Richardson of StoneRidge Golf Club shot a 143 (78-65) and Alex Beversdorf of Baker National Golf Club shot a 145 (76-69).
Israelson was fourth overall with a 147, six shots behind Mellin, while Gregg was fifth overall as he shot a 148, seven shots back of Mellin.