Stevens Medals as Five Minnesotans Headed to U.S. Junior Amateur

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  MAPLE PLAIN, Minn. – Last month at the Minnesota State Boys’ Class AAA Championship at Bunker Hills Golf Club, Nate Stevens showcased why he’s ranked as the state’s top high school golfer, shooting a final-round 66 to earn a two-stroke victory to complete his junior season at Northfield High School.
 
On Wednesday, Stevens carded five birdies and an eagle over his final eight holes to shoot a 7-under 65 at Pioneer Creek Golf Club, earning medalist honors at the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifying.
 
Stevens earns a spot in the national championship, which will be played July 19-24 at The Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst, N.C., along with four other Minnesotans: Mason Roloff, Parker Sands, Braeden Sladek and Sam Baker—all of whom will be making their first appearance at a USGA championship.
 
“I’m really looking forward to going to a USGA event. I just wanted to qualify. I didn’t think the number was going to be as low as it was,” Stevens said Wednesday. “I’ve had friends and know other players who have made it and they just loved it.
 
“I’m excited to experience it first-hand. If I play well, it’ll be icing on the cake. I’d like to take it pretty low and make it to match play. If not, I’m going to soak it all in and use it as another experience to learn from and get better.”
 
Playing his first eight holes in even par Wednesday, Stevens got to work on the putting surface shortly after by carding three birdies over his next four holes. He took a step back with a bogey at the par-3 13^th to drop to 2-under for the round, but a pair of two-putt birdies at the 14^th and 16^th quickly moved him to 4-under.
 
Stevens rolled in his birdie chance from 30 feet at the 17^th and would finish the day by sinking a 10-foot bender at the par-5 18^th for eagle to finish on top of the leaderboard at 7-under 65.
 
“The front nine was pretty rough to be honest—I didn’t play very good,” Stevens said. “My last 10 holes was where I really made some hay. I kept grinding and made more putts.”
 
Coming off a fifth-place finish at the Western Junior Amateur at the Onwentsia Club in Lake Forest, Ill., last week, Stevens said he's eager to once again put his game up against the top juniors in the country.
 
“It’s always fun to play against southern guys when you’re a northern guy—you just want to beat them so bad. It’s always fun to see how your game stacks up.”
 
A University of Notre Dame commit, Stevens is currently ranked No. 21 in the Rolex American Junior Golf Association Rankings, claiming two wins on the national stage last season.
 
Locally, Stevens notched top-10 finishes at three of the state’s biggest championships in 2020—the Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship, the Minnesota State Open and the Minnesota Golf Champions, where he finished runner-up.
 
Despite three three-putt bogeys Wednesday, Roloff carded two eagles and four birdies during his round, including one final birdie at the 18^th to finish two shots behind Stevens at 5-under 67.
 
“You’ve got to go as low as possible in events like these because there are so many good players here,” Roloff said Wednesday. “I was trying to give myself as many birdie looks as possible, roll in a few putts and I was able to do that today.
 
“I hit the ball really well and I feel like I have a couple kinks I need to work out with the putter,” Roloff said. “It will be an awesome experience to play in the [U.S. Junior Amateur] and I’m looking forward to it. I feel like it can only boost your confidence.”
 
Roloff, who will begin his senior year at Spring Lake Park High School this fall, began his summer with a fourth-place finish at the Class AAA Championship at Bunker Hills. On Tuesday, Roloff placed second at the 2021 Minnesota Boys’ Junior PGA Championship.
 
Starting strong with three birdies over his first four holes and finishing with four birdies over his last seven helped Sands to a round of 5-under 67 Wednesday to clinch his spot in the national championship next month.
 
“Today I had my putter rolling from the start, so I just had to close it out. It was pretty smooth sailing,” Sands said following his round Wednesday. “Every time I have my putter going, it’s easy for me to score. My ball-striking is the best part of my game and my putting is on and off.
 
“This is huge—I don’t really know what to say. I’m really excited because I’ve been to the Pinehurst area with U.S. Kids. I’m ready to go out there and get after it.”
 
Sands, who spends time in Minnesota during the summer and winters in Edmond, Okla., is currently ranked No. 514 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and is coming off a 10^th-place finish at the Minnesota Boys’ Junior PGA Championship Tuesday at The Royal Club.
 
Alexandria, Minn., native Braeden Sladek entered Wednesday’s qualifier riding a wave of momentum following his win at the Minnesota Boys’ Junior PGA Championship, shooting a final-round 66 to better his third-place finish from a year ago.
 
“I struck the ball well today and made a few putts—I was on cruise control,” said Sladek, who played his opening 10 holes in 4-under. “I gave myself a lot of looks; I could’ve made a few more putts, but I was happy.
 
“I’m looking forward to Pinehurst. I’ve been close but haven’t gotten through. It means a lot to come in and play well. I have high expectations heading in there and hope to play well in qualifying and moving on to match play. It should be a fun experience and atmosphere.”
 
Ranked No. 164 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, Sladek began his summer season by finishing tied for fourth at the AJGA Memorial Junior Championship before he tied for 15^th at the Class AAA Championship.  
 
At the national level, the soon-to-be junior at Alexandria High School claimed the 2020 Wincraft/McArthur Towel and Sports Future Legends Championship last July.
 
His only state win came at the 2019 MGA Junior Team Championships, but in seven appearances at state championships since 2018, Sladek has never finished worse than 15^th.
 
Over the final green in two Wednesday, Baker hit a crucial pitch inside of two feet and tapped in for birdie to claim the final qualifying spot with his round of 4-under 68.
 
Baker, who wrapped up his senior season at Cloquet High School by winning the Class AA individual title, finished tied for third Tuesday at the Minnesota Boys’ Junior PGA Championship after claiming medalist honors at last year’s event.
 
Notching six top-10 finishes at state events since 2019, Baker advanced to the quarterfinal round of the MGA Players’ Championship at The Quarry at Giants Ridge.
 
Andrew Ramos, of Blaine, Minn., and Davis Johnson, from Chaska, Minn., finished as first and second alternates, respectively.