Welch and Johnson Go Wire-to-wire at MGA Mixed Team

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 BECKER, Minn. – Entering Wednesday’s final round of the 31^st Minnesota Golf Association Mixed Amateur Team Championship with a one-stroke lead, the twosome of Emma Welch and Jack Johnson posted a bogey-free 8-under 64 to cruise to a four-stroke victory at Pebble Creek Golf Club.
 
Welch and Johnson opened the championship with a one-stroke lead over 2019 champions Sophia Yoemans and Trey Fessler by carding a 9-under 63 Tuesday and followed it up with a flawless final round, helped by a string of birdies early on the back nine to cruise to a wire-to-wire victory.
 
Wednesday’s victory is the third state win for Welch, who previously claimed the 2017 Minnesota PGA Players’ Tour Tournament of Champions and the 2018 Minnesota PGA Girls’ Players’ Tour Match Play Championship, while Johnson notches his first win in the state.
 
Switching from Tuesday’s standard four-ball format, Wednesday’s final round was played as a Modified Chapman, and Welch and Johnson quickly went to work with a birdie at the second hole.
 
Welch and Johnson would birdie three of their final five holes during the front nine to extend their lead to two over Yoemans and Fessler before Welch and Johnson rolled in three consecutive birdie chances beginning at the 13^th. Cruising over the final five holes, the twosome would add one final birdie at the 18^th to fire a 36-hole tally of 17-under 127 for a four-stroke victory.
 
Yoemans and Fessler began the final round one shot of the lead and would scatter three birdies over their opening nine to turn in 11-under. The two would roll in birdies at the 12^th and 14^th, but a bogey at the 15^th proved costly as the two mustered one final birdie over their final three holes to finish second at 13-under 131.
 
Maddie Herzog and Nate Deziel, both golfers at North Dakota State University, combined for a 5-under 67 Wednesday to finish in third place at 12-under 132.
 
A final-round 64 helped Kyla and Troy Nygaard to a three-stroke victory in the Net Division, shooting 13-under 131, while MGA Executive Director Tom Ryan and Brenda Williams won a playoff over Betsy Aldrich and Mark Knutson to claim the Senior Division.
 
Linda Holzemer and Terry O’Donnell fired a 7-under 65 to open the championship in the Senior Net Division and claimed a one-stroke victory following a final-round 70.