Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2018 - 32

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MGA AM RECAP
2018 MG A WOMEN' S AMA TE UR
Ledwein Overtakes Roth to Win the MGA
Women's Amateur at WBYC
* BY NICK HUNTER *
* PHOTOS BY MARK BRETTINGEN *
A
fter fi nishing the second round two shots
out of the lead July 23 at White Bear Yacht
Club, Taylor Ledwein said her goal for the
fi nal day was to shoot even par-and if her effort
wasn't good enough, then it wasn't meant to be.
Helped by a string of birdies to begin her back
nine, Ledwein did two better by shooting 2-underpar
72 to claim the 2018 MGA Women's Amateur
Championship and a four-stroke victory over Natalie
Roth, Sophia Yoemans and Grace Kellar, notching
her third state title and second major championship
of the season.
" We talked about hitting fairways and greens today
and how when putts drop, they'll drop, " Ledwein
said after her win. " Another big thing that my coach
has taught us is to embrace bogeys. I used to not be
able to, but if it happens now, I just want to go get
one back. On 10, 11 and 12 I got three back, so you
never know what can happen.
" This [win] means more because everyone is
here. It's just a great fi eld-from Leigh [Klasse] and
Brenda [Williams] to Claudia [Pilot], Olivia [Herrick],
Natalie and the younger players. To come out
on top really shows that my game is at its top point. "
Ledwein defeated Herrick to claim the MGA
Women's State Match Play, 2 and 1, at Faribault Golf
Club in late June, her fi rst victory since winning the
2016 Minnesota State Junior Girls' Championship at
Chaska Town Course.
Entering Wednesday's round two shots behind
Roth, Ledwein birdied the opening hole, but was unable
to make up ground as Roth rolled in a two-putt
birdie as well.
Ledwein would secure the lead after an errant tee
shot at the par-3 third proved fatal for Roth, who
took triple-bogey to
fall behind Ledwein by
one stroke. Both players
carded bogey at the long,
par-3 eighth hole and Ledwein
maintained a slim
lead to the fi nal nine.
After rolling in a 6-foot
putt for birdie at the 10th,
Ledwein took control of the
match by nearly sinking her
tee shot at the par-3 11th, leaving
her ball hanging on the edge of
the cup for a kick-in birdie to make it
to 7-under. A third straight birdie at the
par-4 12th gave Ledwein her biggest lead
of the tournament at four, but Roth managed
to claw her way back to within
one late.
Roth cut Ledwein's lead in half
by sinking a 12-foot bender at the
14th, while Ledwein three-putted for
bogey before Roth rolled in another birdie
from 10 feet at the 15th to pull within one.
But Roth, who fl ourished on the greens
during the second round by sinking six
straight birdies, struggled to manage her
speed on the putting surface in the fi nal.
Making a crucial par putt on 15 from
eight feet-while Roth was already in for
birdie-Ledwein said was a big momentum
boost, despite watching her lead get
trimmed to just one with only three holes
to go.
" That pin was tough and I put myself in a
>> FIELD FACTS Field: 90 | A v g Score: 84 . 4 16 | R ound 1: 82.12 | R ound 2: 85. 7 3 | R ound 3: 80.88 |
32
MINNESOTAGOLFER Fall 2018
mngolf.org
TAYLOR LEDWEIN
2018 MGA WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPION

http://www.mngolf.org

Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2018

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