McCauley, Boraas, VanArragon and Ledwein Among Winners to Open MGA Women's Match Play

  WAYZATA, Minn. – Claiming her most recent state victories at the Class AAA championship in 2021 and 2023, University of Minnesota golfer Reese McCauley took a step towards her third state championship title Tuesday, winning her opening match of the 2025 Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship at Spring Hill Golf Club.

 

McCauley posted a round of 2-over 74 during qualifying Monday to earn the tournament’s top seed before earning a victory over Payton Anderson, 5 and 3, to advance to Wednesday’s quarterfinal round.

 

“For a little while early on my mindset was just beating someone, but then I thought, ‘Reese, just play your game and focus on playing good golf,’ and that helped a lot,” McCauley said after advancing Wednesday. “I was a little timid with putting and I wasn’t making many putts, but my ball-striking was working really well today, and then on a few holes the putts went in.”

 

The soon-to-be Gopher sophomore said she’ll lean on her match play experience after reaching the quarterfinals of the 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior and the Round of 16 the following season.

 

“The [U.S. Girls’ Junior] really prepared me for match play because the players are so good and you have to play one hole at a time,” McCauley said. “A lot more of an aggressive mindset in match play—I was going for things a lot more with my approach shots today.

 

“I love match play, but literally anything can happen. I’ve beaten people I thought were much better than me in match play and vice versa. I’m focused on playing my best and seeing how far I can get.”

 

During her Round of 16 match Tuesday, McCauley jumped out to an early lead over Anderson by winning three of the first five holes, helped by a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-3 fourth.

 

Anderson cut into McCauley’s lead with a birdie at the ninth to pull within two, but McCauley struck back by winning the 12th before sinking another 12-footer for birdie at the 13th to lead by four.

 

The 2024 Ms. Minnesota Golf recipient closed out her match with a par at the 15th to capture the victory, 5 and 3.

 

“I tried to keep more of a stroke-play mindset in playing well and not worrying about what your opponent is doing,” she said. “But sometimes it is a little easier thinking about playing against one person rather than an entire field.”

 

McCauley will face North Dakota State University golfer Cora Larson during the quarterfinal round when the championship resumes Wednesday.

 

Hannah Boraas, winner of the 2023 championship at St. Cloud Country Club, grabbed the early lead and never looked back during her match against Minnesota State University, Mankato golfer Victoria Woytassek, earning the victory, 6 and 5.

 

“I was a little upset at how I finished [during qualifying] but we finished and made the cut and pretty pleased that I was on the upper side of the bracket,” Boraas said Tuesday. “Hit it much better today and felt way more comfortable on the course seeing where each shot went.

 

“I hit a lot of fairways and greens. Knowing this is such a hard course, you’ve got to give yourself some grace when you do have mishits—they’re inevitable. There are so many good players in this field and I want to take it hole-by-hole and have an attitude of gratitude.”

 

Boraas, a junior at Montana State University, won six of the first seven holes during her match against Woytassek Tuesday, extending her lead to seven after winning the 11th.

Woytassek took advantage of a Boraas bogey at the 12th, but Boraas would seal the match with a par at the 13th to win, 6 and 5.

 

“I love match play—the ability to attack more and hit firmer on your putts to try and make it, it’s not as cautious,” she said. “I love that freewheel playing.”

 

Boraas defeated North Dakota State University golfer Madi Hicks at the 2023 championship to claim the first state title of her career.

 

Last season, Boraas teamed with Sean Lehman to win the MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship at Stillwater Country Club before both Lehman and Boraas went on to win the Resorters Tournament the following month.

 

Taylor Ledwein, a two-time match play champion, pulled away late during her match against Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Emerson Garlie, 4 and 2. She will face off against five-time MGA Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Jasi Acharya during the quarterfinal round Wednesday.

 

Following her runner-up finish in 2023, Hicks missed the cut for the Round of 16 at last year’s championship at Hastings Golf Club.

 

She took a step in the right direction Wednesday by defeating University of South Dakota’s Avery O’Donnell, 2 and 1, to reach the semifinals against Northern Colorado University’s Olivia Salonek.

 

The quarterfinal round of the 2025 MGA Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Wednesday at Spring Hill Golf Club.