Ledwein Cruises on Final Day to Claim First MGA Women's Mid-Amateur

  COTTAGE GROVE, Minn. – Not long after qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Bunker Hills Golf Club last month, Taylor Ledwein began her preparation for her third appearance at the national championship in October.

In an attempt to alleviate the pressure of playing in a state championship this week at the 29th Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at River Oaks Golf Course, Ledwein said she maintained a practice mentality, working on aspects where she needs to improve in order to not get too far ahead of herself.

Her tactic proved effective during Sunday’s opening round as the 27-year-old carded a bogey-free opening round of 4-under 67 to take a two-stroke lead to the final round of play.

Posting an even par 71 Monday, Ledwein cruised to a four-stroke victory for the 12th state victory of her career and first win at the 25-and-over championship.

“I wanted to stay in the same mindset as yesterday—just going out to get practice. Coming down to it in the clutch, sometimes I’ve crumbled when I’ve put too much pressure on myself,” Ledwein said Monday. “Going out there, swinging free and not worrying about what was going to happen in the end.

“A win means a lot and that I can still play competitively even though I’m not practicing as much during the year. Staying in that competitive mindset, that’s the one biggest drawback once you get to the age where you’re having to work full-time. When I am practicing, to make them purposeful and focus on what I need to.”

Entering Monday’s final round with a two-stroke cushion over two-time Minnesota State Open champion Betsy Kelly, Ledwein traded an early birdie for a bogey at the sixth as Kelly made a charge to share the lead with Ledwein at 4-under for the championship.

Missing the 12th green led to a second bogey of the round for Ledwein, but she’d bounce back by sinking an 8-footer for birdie at the 13th before pulling away by dropping her birdie chance from the front edge of the 14th green from 15 feet to reach 5-under with a three-stroke advantage.

She’d bogey the par-3 16th but maintained a sizeable lead by rolling in her par putt from 10 feet at the 17th before a two-putt par at the last gave her a four-stroke victory over Kelly, shooting 4-under 138.

“My putter really saved me and kept me in it,” Ledwein said after her victory Monday. “Being confident in my game more so than I did earlier this summer. I hit my driver a lot better and didn’t have as many misses. Playing within myself and not expecting myself to do more than I need to.

“Fairways, greens, birdies are going to come—I don’t know that I’ve even played a 36-hole tournament when I had three bogeys. You’re going to make bogeys, but not letting it spiral to doubles, triples or the big numbers.”

Ledwein’s first state title came in 2015 at the Class AAA championship at Bunker Hills during her junior season at New Prague High School. She’d add a victory at the Twin Cities Junior Championship before successfully defending her Class AAA individual title the following year.

The former Bradley University standout also went on to claim the 2016 Minnesota State Junior Girls’ Championship. She teamed up with college teammate Megan Welch to win three MGA Women’s Amateur Four-Ball titles in 2018, 2020 and 2021.
She won both the MGA Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship and the MGA Women’s Amateur in 2018 and won them both again in 2022.

The 2025 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship will be played Oct. 4-9 at Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Pebble Beach, Calif.

A tale of two nines for Kelly Monday, tallying five birdies against two bogeys during her opening nine to join Ledwein at 4-under before a pair of costly double-bogeys over a four-hole span derailed any momentum for the 33-year-old.

She’d play her final six holes in 4-over par to card a final round 73 to place second at even par 142.

“Way too up-and-down. I definitely had the most colorful scorecard, especially today,” Kelly said after her round Monday. “I’m frustrated because I know I can play better if I eliminate some of the mistakes.

“It really just wasn’t my year. I felt like I was playing good but seemed to miss everything by one shot. I missed the [U.S. Women’s Amateur] by one, I missed the [U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur] by one and came up short here. Hopefully, this is my foundation year—I have bigger goals.”

Defending champion and four-time winner Olivia Herrick posted a 3-over 74 Monday to finish in third place at 4-over 146, while Jasi Somrock, winner of five straight at the event, placed fourth at 5-over 147.