Extended Season Boosts Golf Rounds in Minnesota in 2024
December 23, 2024
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. – In what could be considered the best two weeks in the history of Minnesota golf, Caleb VanArragon began by winning the Minnesota State Open by nine strokes at Oak Ridge Country Club seven days ago.
He then claimed the lowest round in Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship history Tuesday—a 10-under 62 to take an eight-stroke lead into the final round, and finished by carding a 7-under 65 to earn a record-breaking 12-stroke victory Wednesday at Minneapolis Golf Club.
VanArragon becomes the fourth player in state history to win both championships during the same season, while setting tournament bests for 54-hole aggregate record at 193, and score in relation to par at 23-under.
“I’m very excited to have done this, and it definitely hasn’t sunken in yet,” VanArragon said after his third victory of the season Wednesday. “I think it could be dangerous for my expectation level going forward. I need to make sure I’m not going into future tournaments expecting to do something like this. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime stretch of golf.
“I hit the ball very well, but what prevented me from making bogeys was that I didn’t short-side myself. I was comfortable hitting into the middle of the green, and confident that I would make enough putts to shoot a decent score. That was the number one takeaway from this tournament.”
Among a myriad of records to fall this week, VanArragon broke the course record with his second-round 62, as well as Bill Israelson’s margin of victory from 1977, when he won by eight strokes at Interlachen Country Club.
“I didn’t see this coming at all,” VanArragon said, “I’ve been working hard on my putting the last month or two, and believed that the changes I’ve been making were going to pay off. My hope is that I get to the point where I can reach this level consistently, and have the confidence that I have this in me.”
VanArragon rolled in three consecutive birdies early Wednesday, including a 20-footer at the par-4 fifth to reach 19-under for the championship.
Just short of the ninth green with his tee shot, VanArragon chipped inside of three feet and converted his fourth birdie of the front nine to take a 12-stroke lead to his back nine.
VanArragon, who will begin his fifth season at Valparaiso University this fall, carded three consecutive birdies beginning at the 12th, all of which coming from inside of 10 feet, to move to 23-under.
He would par his final four holes to finish at 23-under 193 for his sixth career victory.
“I got off to a bit of a nervy start,” VanArragon said. “My lead was already cut by one shot on the first hole, and I didn’t want to start pressing to get the lead back. I felt what I needed to do was stay patient, let birdies happen naturally and be okay with pars.
“I had a lot working this week, but I’m glad I had an attitude where I didn’t get in my own way. I started off with a three-putt from 30 feet on my first hole [Monday], but I didn’t allow myself to get impatient. That’s what switched for me—I was playing smart.”
During his first four seasons at Valparaiso, VanArragon has collected three collegiate wins, more than 15 top-5 finishes and nearly 30 top-10s.
As a freshman he shattered the single-season scoring record and has since beaten it twice.
The former Blaine High School standout will return for a fifth season this fall.
VanArragon’s first state victory came at the 2017 Minnesota Boys’ Junior PGA Championship at Chaska Town Course, and he would win the Minnesota State Junior Boys’ Championship the following season at The Bridges.
A two-time MGA Player of the Year, VanArragon won the 2021 Twin Cities Championship by seven strokes at Hastings Golf Club before he teamed with younger sister, Kathryn, to win the MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club in late June.
VanArragon entered the final round of last week’s Minnesota State Open in a share of the lead with former Gopher Jon DuToit, and posted a final-round 64 to claim his fifth state title.
“I’ve never been in this position before, that’s for sure,” said VanArragon, entering the final round Wednesday with a substantial lead. “I felt pretty good walking off the course yesterday, but once you have some time away from the golf course, the nerves start to get to you a little bit.
“I was nervous this morning. When you’re tied for the lead, I feel like I have nothing to lose, but today I had everything to lose. I don’t want to be the dude who blows an eight-shot lead.”
Jim Johnston was the first to win both the Minnesota State Open and the State Amateur in 1927 before Gene Hansen did it in back-to-back seasons (1961-62). Former Gopher James McLean most recently accomplished the feat in 1998, winning the NCAA individual championship before winning the State Open at Bunker Hills Golf Club and the MGA Amateur at Rochester Golf and Country Club.
Hanstad, the 2007 MGA Amateur champion, who won his second consecutive MGA Mid-Players’ Championship in June at Alexandria Golf Club, opened the championship with a 3-under 69 Monday, and followed it with a 5-under 67 during Tuesday’s second round.
Playing his first 12 holes in even par Wednesday, Hanstad holed out for eagle at the par-4 13th, moving to 10-under for the championship.
A two-putt birdie at the par-5 15th would help Hanstad to a final-round 69, to finish alone in second at 11-under 205.
“It took a while to get going today, but it was tough conditions with the wind blowing like it was,” Hanstad said Wednesday. “I was in between clubs and just wasn’t committing to things, but was fortunate to get a couple on the back.
“I felt like I was potentially in the mix yesterday until I saw Caleb’s round. That lightened today’s round a little bit. It was unbelievable golf and fun to be able to watch him today.”
University of Notre Dame golfer Nate Stevens, who recently finished runner-up to Brock Winter at St. Cloud Country Club last month, opened the championship with a 2-over 74 Monday, but battled back with rounds of 67 and 66, respectively, to finish in a tie for third with the University of Minnesota’s Ben Warian at 9-under 207.
The 121st MGA Amateur Championship will be contested at Minnesota Valley Country Club in Bloomington, Minn.
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