GLENWOOD, Minn. – Overcoming a pair of early bogeys to begin her back nine Wednesday, Xavier University golfer Emma Welch rolled in a late birdie to pull away from the field at the 2024 Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Championship to claim a three-stroke victory over defending champion Kathryn VanArragon at Minnewaska Golf Club.
Welch tallied her fourth state victory, but more importantly, earned an exemption to the 124th U.S. Women’s Amateur next month at Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma—her first appearance at a USGA championship.
“It’s a big deal, but I’m trying to keep it like any other tournament,” Welch said following her round Wednesday. "No expectations, I’m just going to see what happens and have fun—I’m excited.
“I’ve been working hard the past couple of years at school and during the summer. I’ve been close, so it feels good to get it done.”
A steady Welch carded just 10 bogeys over 54 holes this week, beginning with a 1-over 73 to open the championship Monday.
Getting off to a strong start Tuesday helped Welch to a second-round 75 to sit one shot back of the lead with one round to play.
Following a pair of par saves early in the final round Wednesday, Welch carded her first bogey of the round, missing the fourth green with her approach.
She stepped up and dropped her birdie putt from 30 feet on the ensuing hole, turning in 4-over for the championship and a hold of the outright lead.
Despite back-to-back bogeys at the 10th and 11th, Welch managed a two-stroke lead and would cruise over her final seven holes, helped by a 20-foot putt for par at the 12th and a short birdie at the 16th to post a final round 74, claiming a three-stroke victory at 6-over 222.
“My thought process was hitting greens as much as I could and making par,” she said. “Par was going to be a good score, especially with where I knew the pins were going to be. Hit middle of green and try to keep my short game smooth.
“I kept my mental game and attitude pretty even keel throughout the round. Today especially, I didn’t let a bad shot get me down. I was okay with making bogeys because I knew the field would be making some bogeys as well, so I think my mental game really kept me in it.”
Welch’s first state victory came in 2017 when she claimed the Minnesota Junior PGA Tournament of Champions, and claimed her second win a year later at the Minnesota Junior PGA Match Play Championship.
Most recently, Welch teamed up with former North Dakota State University golfer Jack Johnson to win the MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship at Pebble Creek Golf Course in 2021.
Last season, Welch advanced to the quarterfinal round of the MGA Women’s Amateur Match Play at St. Cloud Country Club before turning in a pair of top-3 finishes at the MGA Women’s Amateur at Baker National Golf Course and the Minnesota Women’s State Open at StoneRidge Golf Club.
During her first two seasons at Xavier, Welch played a combined four events before a banner junior season in 2023-24.
With a top-10 finish to her credit, she fired a second-round 66 to set the mark for the lowest round in the history of the Big East Conference Championship, helping the Musketeers to a fifth straight conference title, while claiming her first collegiate victory.
She would then go on to finish 58th at the NCAA Regional Championship in South Carolina.
Playing 44 rounds in 15 collegiate events, the former Lakeville North High School standout holds a career scoring average of 76.2.
A close call for the defending champion Kathryn VanArragon Wednesday, as the University of St. Thomas sophomore has now claimed five runner-up finishes over the past four seasons.
VanArragon notched four victories during the 2023 season, including the MGA Women’s Amateur and the Minnesota Women’s State Open, leading to both MGA Women’s and Junior Girls’ Player of the Year honors.
During her final round Wednesday, VanArragon was plagued by her putter down the stretch, carding a four-putt double-bogey at the seventh before failing to capitalize on birdie chances over her final five holes. She posted a final-round 77 to tally a 54-hole score of 9-over 225.
“It’s hard to defend, as I’ve learned in past years,” VanArragon said Wednesday. “I’m happy that I put myself in a position to win again. I haven’t played that well this summer, so this week was encouraging heading into the [Minnesota Women’s State Open] and the college season.
“It’s a long three days, so I’m happy with the way I stayed in it—it was a challenge mentally.”
Entering the final round as the 36-hole leader one shot clear of Welch and VanArragon, North Dakota State University junior Madi Hicks stumbled early with three bogeys over her first five holes.
The former Chanhassen High School star rolled in her only birdie chance of the round from eight feet at the par-4 fourth, but a pair of late bogeys would remove Hicks from contention as she carded a final-round 80 to finish in third place at 11-over 227.
Posting a 6-over 78 during her opening round Monday, Orono High School senior Ava Hanneman followed it by shooting a 79 during her second round, and would begin the final round Wednesday 10 shots off the lead.
Hanneman carded five birdies during her back nine to post the tournament’s second score below par this week, a 1-under 71 to finish in fourth place at 12-over 228.
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