Gophers' Free to Face Busker in Finals of MGA Women's Match Play

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 DELLWOOD, Minn. – University of Minnesota golfer Joanne Free tallied three birdies over her final five holes Wednesday at Dellwood Country Club to defeat Gopher teammate Leah Herzog to reach the championship match at the 2021 Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship.
 
Free, who completed her senior season for the Gophers this spring, will look to become the second straight Gopher golfer to win the championship after Grace Curran defeated Kathryn VanArragon last season at The Wilds Golf Club.
 
Detroit Lakes, Minn., native Shelby Busker cruised during her semifinal match against Lauren Contreras, 6 and 4, Wednesday and will square off against Free when the championship match gets underway early Thursday.
 
Free took a 2-up lead over Herzog through five holes during her semifinal match before a string of bogeys sent her to the final nine holes of the semifinal round trailing Herzog by one. Herzog won the 12^th with a birdie at the 141-yard, par-3, but Free would win the 13^th with a birdie and draw even at the 14^th with par.
 
Free took her second lead of the match at the 16^th with a birdie and closed out her semifinal match with a birdie at the 17^th to beat Herzog, 2 and 1.
 
Free, originally from Gullane, Scotland, got past Mallory Belka, 4 and 2, to begin the championship Tuesday before ousting former Gopher golfer Paige McCullough, 1-up, during the Round of 16. Free cruised through the quarterfinal round with a win over Maggie Veenendall, 7 and 6, to reach the final match.
 
Busker edged both Isabelle Lynch and fellow Laker Maddie Herzog by the same tally of 1-up during the opening day of competition Tuesday. Busker eliminated 2018 champion Taylor Ledwein, 3 and 1, early Wednesday to face Contreras in the semifinal round.
 
Carding back-to-back birdies on the first two holes, Busker jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, building a 5-up lead after nine holes. A birdie at the par-4 14^th sent Busker to the championship match with a victory over Contreras, 6 and 4.
 
The final match of the 2021 MGA Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship begins at 7:30 a.m. at Dellwood Country Club.