13-Year-Old Parker Reddig Is Medalist in U.S. Junior Qualifying

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OWATONNA -- Golf's prodigies just keep getting younger. Last week, a 14-year-old played in the U.S. Open, and a 17-year-old was still in contention to win it as late as Sunday afternoon.

A U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifying isn't the same thing as the U.S. Open, but the pattern is the same. On Thursday, Parker Reddig, a 13-year-old from Minneapolis, shot a 2-under-par 69 in the second round at Owatonna Country Club. It was the only sub-par round of the day, and it gave him a 36-hole total of 145, which earned him medalist honors. 

So Reddig got the first of the two available spots in the Junior Am, which will be played July 16-21 at The Golf Club of New England in Stratham, N.H.

With five holes remaining in his second round, it appeared that 12-year-old Frankie Capan of St. Paul would be joining Reddig. But Capan bogeyed all five the holes on the way in and wound up with a 76, which put him at 151. That was three strokes too many.

The second spot went to Conrad Hahne, who played for Elk River High School until the end of his sophomore year, and then transferred to a school in Florida. He followed a first-round 76 with a 72 (the second-lowest 18-hole score of the qualifier), and the resulting 148 got him a trip to New Hampshire. 

Max Kelly, who won the Class AAA championship at the 2011 state high school tournament, finished third at 149 (75-74) and is the first alternate. Karter Smith, who concluded his junior season at Detroit Lakes by tying or second in Class AA at the high school tournament for the second straight year, is the second alternate. He tied Dillon John of Mounds View at 150 and won a playoff. 

In the U.S. Girls Junior Qualifying, which was 18 holes rather than 36, Gabrielle Curtis was the medalist, with a 5-over 79. Curtis is from Altoona, Wis., where they don't have a girls high school team. So she went out for the boys team as a ninth-grader in 2011 and made it.

McKenzie Neisen, who was second in Class AAA at the Minnesota girls high school tournament last week, was second again on Thursday, but that was good enough to earn her a place in the Girls Junior at Lake Merced Golf in Daly City, Calif. The Girls Junior will be played the same week as the Boys Junior. 

Finishing third and claiming first alternate status was Detroit Lakes freshman-to-be Kate Smith, the reigning state Class AA champion. She shot 81.

Right behind her with an 82 was two-time AAA high school champ Celia Kuenster, who just finished her sophomore year at Cretin-Derham Hall. She is the second alternate. 

UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION

65th U.S. Junior Amateur (Boys) Sectional Qualifying

At Owatonna Country Club

Par 71

Final results 

1. Parker Reddig, Minneapolis                 76-69--145

2. Conrad Hahne, Elk River                       76-72--148

3. Max Kelly, Forest Lake                           75-74--149

T4. Karter Smith, Detroit Lakes                  75-75--150

T4. Dillon John, Mounds View                   75-75--150

T6. Frankie Capan, St. Paul                        75-76--151

T6. Andrew Kiesow, Chanhassen             74-77--151

8. Sam Foust, Edina                                     75-77--152

T9. Michael Oberg, Lakeville North           79-74--153

T9. Jordan Peters, Delano                          76-77--153

U.S. Girls Junior Amateur Sectional Qualifying 

At Owatonna Country Club

Par 74

Final results 

1. Gabrielle Curtis, Altoona, Wis.                 79

2. McKenzie Neisen, New Prague               80

3. Kate Smith, Detroit Lakes                          81

4. Celia Kuenster, Cretin-Derham Hall       82

T5. Alexis Guggisberg, Minnewaska           84

T5. Halle Hauer, Hudson                               84

7. Brenna Lervick, Chanhassen                   85 

8. Jessica Staed, Green Bay                         88

T9. Ashley Bixby, West Fargo                       91

T9. Sierra Langlie, Andover                          91