Mann Overcomes Early Deficit to Claim first State Win at Minnesota Junior Boys' Championship

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – Following an admirable 3-under 68 Monday to open the 93^rd Minnesota State Junior Boys’ Championship at Detroit Country Club, Dayne Mann’s game plan was to resist the urge to get caught up in leaderboard watching. It didn’t last long as curiosity got the better of him Monday night, but he was pleasantly surprised to see he stood in third place after the first day of competition.
 
“I’ve never been in contention at a two-day tournament—it’s only the second two-day event I’ve ever played in,” said Mann, who picked up the game as a seventh-grader.
 
Mann erased four-stroke deficit Tuesday and, despite a late string of bogeys, carded a birdie on his final hole to card a final-round 70 claim a two-stroke victory over Andrew Ramos to collect his first state championship victory.
 
“Everything peaked for me—the right time, right place. My misses were in the right areas, my driver was solid when I hit it, but the 4-iron was the biggest part of my game this week because of how short and how narrow the course was. Putting was a big asset to my game the last two days,” Mann said.
 
“This is huge—I haven’t been very successful in summer tournaments and this still hasn’t really hit me. But it’s amazing to get a win. It’s been a grind and a long road for sure.”
 
Despite being in an unfamiliar spot early Tuesday, Mann composed himself on the opening hole by reaching the par-5 first hole in two and two-putting from 15 feet for an important birdie to start the final round.
 
“It definitely helped the stress and anxiety. Without a doubt helped settle the nerves. I tried to keep my mind calm and stick to my game plan and hit the shots on the tee box that I knew would be rewarding.”
 
Mann carded a second birdie at the par-4 sixth before rolling in a 10-footer at the ninth to turn in 6-under and in outright possession of the lead. Stumbling early on his back nine, Mann bogeyed the 10^th and 12^th to fall back to 4-under before he carded a third bogey at the par-3 17^th.
 
Managing a one-shot advantage heading to the 36^th hole Tuesday, Mann hit his approach to eight feet and curled in his right-to-left breaker to capture his first victory in the state at 4-under 138, two shots better than Ramos.
 
“This is only my second tournament of the summer and going into the [back nine] I think I lost a little bit of focus—I ended up making three bogeys, but it’s always nice to bounce back with a birdie.”
 
A 2020 graduate of St. Francis High School, Mann will begin his collegiate golf career at Concordia University-St. Paul this fall.
 
Ramos, who will begin his freshman year at Blaine High School later this year, entered the final round six shots back of the lead following his round of 70 Monday. Ramos carded three consecutive birdies beginning at the fifth hole, but gave back a stroke with a bogey at the seventh to turn at 2-under for the day.
 
He would play his first seven holes of the final nine at even par before a bogey at the 17 dropped his two shots off the lead late to finish second at 2-under 140.
 
Defending champion and first-round leader Ian Simonich entered the final 18 holes with a three-shot lead, but struggled on the final day Tuesday, posting a 6-over 77 to finish tied for third with Leo Gellert, Braeden Sladek and Samuel Baker at 1-under 141.