BECKER, Minn. – Kieley Hanson was the only player to better par Monday, carding a 1-under 71 to seize a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the 2026 Minnesota State Junior Girls' Championship at Pebble Creek Golf Club.
Hanson, of Bent Creek Golf Club and a member of Team Minnesota, looked anything but a frontrunner early, climbing to 3-over through her first four holes. From there she flipped her round entirely, playing her final 14 holes in 4-under to surge atop the leaderboard and hold a two-shot cushion over the only other players within reach of red figures.
A three-way tie for second formed at 1-over 73, where Gwen Latunski and Selena Wu of YOC Minnesota were joined by Alyssa Raghuveer of The Club at Golden Valley. The trio arrived at the same number by very different paths. Latunski authored the most eventful card of the group, mixing six birdies with five bogeys and a double bogey, while Raghuveer offset four birdies with five bogeys. Wu, by contrast, kept things tidy, signing for just two birdies against three bogeys in the steadiest round of the chase pack.
YOC Minnesota continued to populate the leaderboard behind them, as Abigail Olhoff, fresh off a win at the MPGA Junior Public Links, and Aliyah Kleven each opened with a 3-over 75 to share fifth. Lucy Oberdorfer of USGA/Minnesota GC, Mila Sloan of Rush Creek Golf Club and Ruby Reding of Hazeltine National Golf Club followed a stroke back, each carding a 4-over 76 to tie for seventh.
Abigail Labrador and Rush Creek's Annika Hendrickson shared 10th at 5-over 77, one clear of a five-way tie at 6-over 78 that included Lauren Chambs (Rush Creek), Alexandra Farrell (Interlachen Country Club), Carmen Jirele and Brooke Brekke of YOC Minnesota, and Taylor Thor (USGA/Minnesota GC).
Tatum Gatheridge of Detroit Country Club and Briana Simek of Southview CC headed the next group at 7-over 79, with Clara Heinen of Interlachen Country Club leading a deep pack at 8-over 80.
With the opening round complete and only one player in red figures, Hanson carries the outright lead into Day 2 at Pebble Creek, where a tightly bunched field — just two strokes covering the top four — sets out in pursuit of the championship.