LeMinh Ousts Hicks to Win MN PGA Players' Tour Girls' Match Play Championship in Brainerd

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 BRAINERD, Minn. – A birdie early on her back nine Friday gave recent Wayzata High School graduate Melanie LeMinh all the cushion she would need, going on to defeat Madi Hicks, 2 and 1, to claim the 2019 Minnesota PGA Players’ Tour Girls’ Match Play Championship at the Dutch Legacy Course at Cragun’s Resort.
 
Taking the early lead with a birdie at the second, LeMinh would give the third hole to Hicks by making bogey at the third. LeMinh took a 1-up lead following her birdie at the seventh, but again gave Hicks an opportunity to square the match with her par at the 11^th.
 
Carding birdies at the 12^th and 14^th holes, LeMinh managed a 2-up lead late and hung on to defeat Hicks, 2 and 1, with a par at the par-3 17^th hole.
 
LeMinh began the championship as the No. 5 seed Thursday, cruising to victory, 6 and 4, over Katie Foley during the opening round before edging Marah Rothgarn in 19 holes to advance to the semifinal round.
 
Facing Shelby Busker in the semifinals, LeMinh overcame an early deficit and clinched the match on the final hole following a Busker bogey to reach the final match against Hicks.
 
 
 
2019 MN PGA PLAYERS’ TOUR GIRLS’ MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
CRAGUN’S RESORT
BRAINERD, MINN.
 
DUTCH LEGACY COURSE
5,699 YARDS, PAR 72
 
BOBBY’S LEGACY COURSE
5,817 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
FRIDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Melanie LeMinh, Brooklyn Park, Minn., def. Madi Hicks, Chanhassen, Minn., 2 and 1
 
 
FRIDAY’S SEMIFINAL RESULTS
Melanie LeMinh, Brooklyn Park, Minn., def. Shelby Busker, Detroit Lakes, Minn., 1-up
Madi Hicks, Chanhassen, Minn., def. Courtney Wedin, Chanhassen, Minn., 3 and 2
 
 
THURSDAY’S QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
Shelby Busker, Detroit Lakes, Minn., def. Saachi Deshmukh, Plymouth, Minn., 6 and 5
Melanie LeMinh, Brooklyn Park, Minn., def. Marah Rothgarn, Lake City, Minn., 19 holes
Courtney Wedin, Chanhassen, Minn., def. Kyra Venne, Woodbury, Minn., 6 and 5
Madi Hicks, Chanhassen, Minn., def. Sydney Monge, Minnetonka, Minn., 3 and 2
 
 
THURSDAY’S ROUND OF 16 RESULTS
Shelby Busker, Detroit Lakes, Minn., def. Lily Bredemeier, Grand Forks, N.D., 10 and 8
Saachi Deshmukh, Plymouth, Minn., def. Olivia Salonek, Roseville, Minn., 3 and 1
Marah Rothgarn, Lake City, Minn., def. Rachel Schwarz, Marshall, Minn., 6 and 5
Melanie LeMinh, Brooklyn Park, Minn., def. Katie Foley, East Gull Lake, Minn., 6 and 4
Courtney Wedin, Chanhassen, Minn., def. Maddie Simon, Mahtomedi, Minn., 5 and 4
Kyra Venne, Woodbury, Minn., def. Courtney Dunkelberger, Chanhassen, Minn., 3 and 2
Madi Hicks, Chanhassen, Minn., def. Anna Krieger, Lake Shore, Minn., 5 and 3
Sydney Monge, Minnetonka, Minn., def. Isabelle Lynch, Bloomington, Minn., 3 and 2
 
 
For complete tournament results go to:  https://mnpgajr.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/mnpgajr19/event/mnpgajr1920/contest/25/leaderboard.htm