Hicks and Larson Tied with VanArragon and Welch to Begin MGA Women's Four-Ball

  BECKER, Minn. – Coming off a victory at the MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship earlier this month, North Dakota State University senior Madi Hicks is looking for her second consecutive state win this week, partnering with fellow Bison golfer Cora Larson to post an opening-round 68 at Pebble Creek Golf Club to share the early lead at the Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship.

Hicks and Larson will enter Tuesday’s final round tied with University of St. Thomas junior Kathryn VanArragon and recent Xavier University graduate Emma Welch, hoping to become the first Bison teammates to win the event.

“We had a great day—it was really fun,” Hicks said following the opening round Monday. “[We played together] really well, especially in the middle of the round. We kept it light and fun when it was really hot in tough conditions.”

“We’re roommates, so we both know how to calm each other down,” Larson said. “We know when we didn’t hit a good shot there’s going to be some frustration, but we just change the subject.”

Posting a final-round 68 two weeks ago at Hastings Golf Club, Hicks combined with older brother, Ben, to collect the 10th state victory of her career, earning a two-stroke victory over her Larson and her younger brother Carver.

On Monday, Hicks and Larson tallied a pair of birdies during their opening nine before Hicks rolled in her birdie chance from eight feet to help put her team at 3-under for the championship.

The two would card their only bogey of the day at the par-4 11th, but would rally late when Larson sank a 10-footer at the 16th and followed it by chipping in for birdie at the 17th to help earn a share of the lead at 4-under 68.

“We had a lot more birdie looks out there today,” Hicks claimed. “We had some good putts that just missed on about four holes, so I think we just do the same tomorrow. The greens were bouncy and that took us a little bit to learn.”

VanArragon and Welch combined for five birdies during their front nine Monday, including four over a five-hole span, to turn in 5-under for the championship.
However, a bogey at the 10th slowed momentum and the two would finish at 68 following consecutive pars to close out their final eight holes.

“The back nine was a little rough, but overall, we played pretty well,” Welch said following Monday’s opening round. “The front nine we showed what we can do, but on the back the putts just weren’t dropping. I think the bogey on 10 got in our heads a little bit.”

“We had a lot of pars on the back, which generally isn’t a bad thing,” VanArragon added. “Didn’t have as many good birdie looks on the back as we did on the front. Didn’t make the chances we did have. Tomorrow we have to take advantage of the shorter holes when we have wedges—getting those closer.”

VanArragon is searching for her first state victory since her memorable 2023 season during which she won four times, earning both MGA Women’s Player of the Year and MGA Junior Girls’ Player of the Year honors.

Welch collected the fourth state win of her career last season at the MGA Women’s Amateur at Minnewaska Golf Club.

Minnesota State University-Mankato teammates Samantha Youngquist and Victoria Woytassek posted a 2-under 70 Monday and will begin the final round two shots behind the leaders.

Last season, the team of Isabelle Lynch and Nicole Reineke became the second consecutive Tommie twosome to win the event, earning a three-stroke victory at Le Sueur Golf Club after teammates Emma Davies and Katie Foley won in 2023 at Faribault Golf Club.

The final round of the 2025 MGA Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship gets underway at 8 a.m. Tuesday at Pebble Creek Golf Club.