Bearpath to Host MGA Women's Amateur Championship

  EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – For the first time in its 30-year history, Bearpath Golf and Country Club will play host to the Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Championship. Beginning Tuesday, a field of 89 of the state’s best amateur players will look to hoist the Patty Berg Trophy when the 54-hole championship concludes at week’s end.

Last season, University of St. Thomas golfer Emma Davies rolled in four birdies over a six-hole span on her way to a final-round 70 to claim a three-stroke victory over college teammate Kathryn VanArragon and Furman University’s Ava Hanneman, finishing at 2-over 218.

“It’s still sinking in—I’m in shock and don’t really have the words for it,” Davies said following her win last season. “I’m definitely happy to come away with a trophy.

“I’m going into my senior year of college, so the past summer I’ve been learning how to play fun golf and enjoy it. Just trying to soak everything in.”

This year’s field features a trio of past winners—Emma Welch, who won the championship in 2024 at Minnewaska Golf Club, two-time winner Olivia Herrick (2009-2010) and VanArragon, who became the youngest player to win the event in 2019 at Town and Country Club at the age of 14.

VanArragon added a second title in 2023 during her memorable season when she won four times, including the MGA Women’s Amateur and Minnesota Women’s State Open. She enters this year’s event with one victory to her credit already, winning the MGA Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship at Olympic Hills Golf Club.

More players to watch this week include Betsy Kelly, a former professional who regained her amateur status prior to the start of the 2025 season. Kelly won back-to-back Minnesota Women’s State Open titles in 2021 and 2022.

Ava Hanneman finished runner-up a year ago at Medina Golf in the midst of a remarkable 2025 season, which saw her win the Class AAA individual title, Ms. Minnesota Golf honors, the Minnesota State Junior Girls Championship and topped it off by earning a spot in the U.S. Junior Girls’ Amateur. For her efforts, Hanneman was tabbed as 2025 MGA Junior Girls’ Player of the Year.

Former Xavier University golfer Emma Welch will look to contend this week, searching for a second win at the championship over the last three seasons.

Along with her MGA Women’s Amateur title, Welch claimed the 2025 MGA Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship with partner VanArragon at Pebble Creek Golf Club. Welch also has victories at the MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship (2021) and the Minnesota Junior PGA Match Play Championship (2018).

Notching her first career victory at the Class AA championship in 2023, James Madison University’s Grace Petzold enters the week riding momentum following an impressive eight-stroke win at the MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship Tuesday at Oak Glen Golf Course.

Petzold finished sixth at the championship last season but tallied three top-5 finishes at state events during the year.

Finishing runner-up each of the past two seasons at the MGA Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship, University of Northern Colorado golfer Olivia Salonek will look for her first state title since 2023 when she claimed her second win at the Minnesota State Junior Girls’ Championship.

Salonek collected her first state victory in 2020 when she won the Minnesota PGA ‘Sota Series Players Tour Tournament of Champions at Keller Golf Course.

Tee times for the 2026 MGA Women’s Amateur Championship begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Bearpath Golf and Country Club.