Baxley and Conn Winners at MPGA Combo

September 17, 2023 | 2 min.
By Nick Hunter

  BECKER, Minn. – Combining for four birdies over their final five holes Sunday at Pebble Creek Golf Club, Ralph Baxley and Ryan Conn posted a 27-hole tally of 13-under 95 to earn a three-stroke victory over Tony Krogen and Jesse Larson at the 38th Minnesota Public Golf Association Combination Championship.

Baxley and Conn improved on a fifth-place finish from a year ago, each earning the second state victory of their respective careers.

Carding a 3-under 33 to open the championship during the alternate shot format, Baxley and Conn found their stride during the scramble portion of the tournament, carding five birdies to move to 8-under with nine holes of best ball to play.

Baxley tallied an early birdie to help his team move to 9-under before the two converted four birdies over their final five holes to finish on top of the leaderboard by three shots at 13-under 95.

Winner of the 2006 Twin Cities Championship at Edinburgh USA, Baxley puts an end to a string of 12 top-3 finishes over the past four seasons, including six runner-up finishes.

Conn, who teamed with Hunter Rebrovich to win the 2019 Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Four-Ball Championship at The Classic at Madden’s Resort, has also earned multiple close calls in recent years, notching 22 top-10 finishes since 2016.

Falling to Cecil Belisle in 2020 and 2022 at the MGA Players’ Championship, Conn also advanced to the final round of the MGA Mid-Players’ Championship each of the past two seasons, falling to Bryce Hanstad on both occasions.

Krogen and Larson carded a 1-under 35 during the alternate shot portion of the championship before sinking seven birdies during their second nine scramble to sit at 10-under with nine holes to play.

A pair of birdies at their 23rd and 25th holes is all the closer Krogen and Larson would get, finishing three shots back in second place at 10-under 98.

The father and son combo of Aden and Andy Jacobson posted a 9-under 99 Sunday to finish in a tie for third with the team of Jacob Herdine and Connor Herman.



THE 38TH MPGA COMBINATION CHAMPIONSHIP
PEBBLE CREEK GOLF CLUB
BECKER, MINN.
6,696 YARDS, PAR 72


SUNDAY’S FINAL RESULTS

1. Baxely/Conn, 33-31-31—95
2. Krogen/Larson, 35-29-34—98
T3. Jacobson/Jacobson, 34-31-34—99
T3. Herman/Herdine, 34-30-35—99
T3. Hafdal/Quesnel, 34-30-35—99
6. Burleson/Strusz, 36-33-31—100
T7. Brown/Strauman, 35-31-35—101
T7. Holt/Whittaker, 35-31-35—101
T7. Pakkala/Passolt, 34-32-35—101
10. Lloyd/Neuroth, 36-32-34—102


For complete tournament results go to: www.golfgenius.com/pages/9840278244358642097

 

Nick Hunter

Nick Hunter got his start covering sports for the Mankato Free Press while attending Minnesota State University, Mankato. 

He then contributed to several online outlets, including Bleacher Report, prior to turning his focus to golf.

Hunter enters his 12th season covering golf in Minnesota as news editor for the MGA website. He resides in New Prague with his wife and two sons.

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