Hicks to Face Boraas for MGA Women's Match Play Title

View full size image

  ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Collecting a pair of victories at the 2023 Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship Wednesday at St. Cloud Country Club, North Dakota State University golfer Madi Hicks is closing in on her ninth state championship victory.

Hicks needed extra holes to get past St. Catherine’s University golfer Kyra Venne early Wednesday before defeating Bison teammate Catherine Monty during the afternoon session to reach the final match.

But standing in Hicks’ way is Hannah Boraas, a soon-to-be freshman at Montana State University, who knocked Hicks out of last year’s championship during the quarterfinal round.

Boraas notched wins over Xavier University’s Emma Welch and St. Thomas University’s Isabelle Lynch to earn her spot in the championship match.

“The biggest thing for me this week has been staying patient,” Hicks said Wednesday. “Match play is so different and it’s easier to get frustrated if you’re a little bit off. I was probably too focused on match play or the other person instead of going out and playing.

“I’m looking forward to the final match tomorrow—this is such a great event, and it should be a good match because Hannah is a great player. I need to stick with what I’ve been doing, and I hope my putter is good for the next round, too.”

Deadlocked through nine holes during her semifinal match Wednesday, Hicks took the first lead of the match with a birdie at the 10th, but Monty countered with a birdie at the 11th to draw even.

But Hicks would regain momentum by sinking a 40-footer for birdie at the 12th to take the lead for good, extending her lead two by winning the 13th.

Monty birdied the par-3 16th to pull within one, but Hicks closed the door on the match by winning at the 17th, 2 and 1, to reach the finals for the first time.

“I definitely had a better day as far as my swing goes today,” Hicks said. “The first match today was a fight; nobody went more than 1-up and it ended up going 20 holes.

“With the heat, I’ve really tried to slow down walking between shots and reading putts—doing it with a purpose, but the heat has a huge effect.”

Boraas fell behind her semifinal match against Lynch with a bogey at the third, but swung momentum in her favor by winning the seventh and eighth holes with par.

Lynch answered by birdying the ninth to even the match heading the inward nine.

Taking advantage of a Boraas bogey at the 12th, Lynch regained a slim lead before Boraas tied the match at the par-4 14th, but a par at the last gave Boraas the victory, 1-up, and a spot in the championship match.

“The morning match today was some really solid golf for me,” Boraas said, “the putter was working, and I was getting off the tee great. This afternoon wasn't the best golf, but we were happy to come away with a win. I know all these girls on any given day could win this, so playing relaxed and composed really helps me a lot.

"Tomorrow, I need to keep the ball in play and focus on making good contact. I had good pace with the putter, but hopefully more will drop.”

Boraas entered the week coming off a 10th-place finish at the Class AAA championship at Bunker Hills Golf Club to close out her high school career at Alexandria High School, helping the Cardinals to back-to-back team titles in 2021 and 2022.

Over the past four seasons, Boraas has earned five top-10 finishes, with her career-best coming at last season’s MGA Women’s Amateur Championship, where she carded a final-round 71 to place fifth at Rochester Golf and Country Club.

The championship match of the 2023 MGA Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. at St. Cloud Country Club.