Fessler Rallies Late at Minnesota Golf Champions to Earn Second Win in Two Weeks

  ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. – Riding momentum from his victory two weeks ago at the Minnesota Assistant PGA Championship, professional Trey Fessler returned to the winner’s circle once again Saturday by carding a final-round 4-under 68 at Minneapolis Golf Club to claim a one-stroke victory at the 51st Minnesota Golf Champions.

The 25-year-old Fessler edged fellow professionals Andrew McCain and Jeff Sorenson, as well as former University of St. Thomas golfer Matthew Armstrong to collect his fifth with of the 2025 season.

Fessler opened the championship with a 3-under 69 Friday before moving into contention with a pair of early birdies to begin his final round Saturday.

Unable to save par at the fourth, Fessler answered by converting his birdie look at the ninth to turn in 5-under.

Taking advantage of the par-5 12th with a birdie, Fessler then carded an eagle at the par-5 15th to reach 8-under for the championship, shrugging off a bogey at the last to earn a one-stroke victory at 7-under 137.

Fessler held off Andrew Israelson in a one-hole playoff at Bunker Hills Golf Club earlier this month for his fourth win of the season.

McCain, a two-time Minnesota State Open champion, carded a final-round 66 Saturday to move up 14 spots on the leaderboard to finish in a share of second with Armstrong at 6-under 138.

Opening with an even par 72 during Friday’s first round, McCain quickly went to work during the final round Saturday by carding three consecutive birdies to start his day, eventually turning in 2-under for the championship.

A birdie at the 11th followed by an eagle at the 12th moved McCain to 5-under for the championship before he’d card his sixth birdie of the round at the par-5 15th.

Giving back a stroke with a bogey at the 16th, McCain finished with a birdie at the last to come up one stroke short of Fessler by carding a 6-under 66 on the final day.

Armstrong earned low-amateur honors Saturday by carding a final-round 4-under 68 to complement his opening-round 70 and claim a runner-up finish.

Tallying two birdies on the front side Saturday, Armstrong converted three birdie chances over the first six holes of his inward nine to reach 7-under for the tournament before taking his only bogey of the final round at the 16th to finish one shot back in a share of second at 6-under 138.

Sorenson, winner of the 2006 championship, started hot Saturday with an eagle at the first before back-to-back birdies at the second and third holes before stumbling with bogeys at the fifth and seventh to turn in 8-under for the championship.

Following a bogey at the 10th, Sorenson bounced back with a string of three birdies over a four-hole span during his back nine to reach 8-under once again, but he was foiled by a pair of late bogeys to card a 2-under 70 to earn a share of second.

University of St. Thomas golfer and 18-hole co-leader Owen Rexing fired a 1-over during Saturday’s final round to place fifth at 5-under 139.