Welch and VanArragon Lead, Hicks in the Mix at MGA Women's Amateur

• 2023 MGA Women's Amateur Championship Round 3
• 2023 MGA Women's Amateur Championship Round 2
• 2023 MGA Women's Amateur Championship Round 1

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  MEDINA, Minn. – Moving a step closer to her fourth state victory Tuesday, Xavier University golfer Emma Welch posted a round of even par 73 for the second consecutive day to earn a share of the lead at the 2023 Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Championship at Baker National Golf Club.

Standing in the way of Welch’s first win since the 2021 season, however, is former champion Kathryn VanArragon, who carded a 2-under 71 amid the hot and humid conditions during the second round to sit tied with Welch on top of the leaderboard at even par 146.

“It was tough out there with the heat today,” Welch said Tuesday. “I tried to keep my composure, especially on the back nine, and not get too tired. Just trying to make putts and make pars coming in.

“My putting was really good today. Some of the hole locations were pretty tricky because some of these greens are really sloped. I think my putting really kept me in it—I made a couple of 5-footers for par, which helped a lot.”

Welch started the scoring Tuesday by hitting her tee shot at the par-3 second to eight feet and rolled in her birdie chance to move to 1-under for the championship.

From 100 yards at the third, she hit her approach inside of three feet and took advantage of a second birdie chance to move to 2-under for the round.

Welch would get to 3-under after her approach stopped six feet from the hole at the par-5 10th, rolling in her third birdie of the round, but would stumble down the stretch with bogeys at the 11th and 14th, slipping to 1-under on the day.

Unable to get up-and-down after going long at the 18th, the former Lakeville North High School product carded her third bogey of the round to finish with a second round of 73.

“I’m going to try my best not to let it get to my head,” Welch said of beginning the final round with a share of the 36-hole lead. “I need to remind myself that all I have to do on the first tee is hit the fairway.”

Welch’s first state victory came at the Minnesota Junior PGA Players’ Tour Tournament of Champions at Deacon’s Lodge, and she edged Ayushi Sarkar to win the Minnesota Junior PGA Match Play Championship at The Dutch Legacy at Cragun’s Resort the following season.

Her most recent victory came two seasons ago at the MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship, pairing with Jack Johnson to claim a four-stroke victory at Pebble Creek Golf Club. Welch will begin her junior season at Xavier this fall.

VanArragon, who became the youngest winner of the MGA Women’s Amateur in 2019 with her five-stroke victory at Town and Country Club a month after her 14th birthday, bounced back from an opening-round 75 Monday, by carding the low score of the second round, a 2-under 71.

“My putting was good today, but not many putts were dropping,” VanArragon said following her second round Tuesday. “I felt like my ball-striking was better and I started well with a couple of birdies.

“I’m not thinking quite as much out there. Getting better about thinking through the shot instead of getting caught up in mechanics.”

The soon-to-be freshman at the University of St. Thomas chipped inside of six feet on the opening hole Tuesday and converted her birdie chance to quickly move into red figures for the day.

On the ensuing hole, she stuffed a 9-iron to a foot for a tap-in birdie to put her at even par for the championship.

A steady VanArragon carded 11 consecutive pars into her back nine before hitting her approach to five feet at the 14th, converting her last birdie of the round. A bogey at the par-3 15th put her into the clubhouse at even par 146.

“Tomorrow I’ll have to stay steady and consistent. Take advantage of the shorter holes—one is a great scoring opportunity, and there are others out here,” VanArragon said, looking ahead to Wednesday’s final round. “The goal is to keep it in play off the tee and make par on some of the tougher holes.”

VanArragon carded a 6-over 219 last season at Rochester Golf and Country Club to finish tied for second with Leah Skaar, three shots back of Ledwein.

Owner of eight state championship victories, Madi Hicks sits just one shot back of Welch and VanArragon entering Wednesday’s final round, looking for her first win of the 2023 season.

Hicks opened with a 2-over 75 Monday, and followed it with a 1-under 72 during the second round Tuesday. The North Dakota State University sophomore carded three birdies over her first seven holes, but back-to-back bogeys at the 14th and 15th put the former Chanhassen High School standout at 1-over 147 through two rounds of play.

Olivia Herrick, a two-time Minnesota State Women’s Amateur champion, fired a 1-under 72 Tuesday to sit tied with University of St. Thomas golfer Isabelle Lynch at 2-over 148.

The final round of the 2023 MGA Women’s Amateur Championship is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at Baker National Golf Course.