Ohe Holds Off Ford to Win Minnesota State Junior Boys’ Title

  ALEXANDRIA, Minn. – Battling cold and wet conditions at Alexandria Golf Club Wednesday, soon-to-be University of Minnesota freshman Torger Ohe carded a final-round 73 to earn a three-stroke victory over Jadan Ford at the 99th Minnesota State Junior Boys’ Championship.

Ohe’s wire-to-wire victory is the recent Edina High School graduate’s first state championship win since claiming the 2024 Class AAA individual title at Bunker Hills Golf Club.

“It feels nice. I’ve been in a little rut recently and I’ve gotten some playful chirps that I’ve regressed a bit from teammates, but it’s nice to get one back and remind myself that I belong here and I’m able to compete,” Ohe said Wednesday.

“There was a little bit of a swing flaw that [coach Brent Snyder] and I noticed right after state, and it was kind of an issue all spring. But we’re tackling it and moving in the right direction.”

Ohe began the week with a 6-under 65 before switching venues to Geneva Golf Club for the second round Tuesday, where a pair of late birdies helped him extend his lead to four over Ford heading into Wednesday’s final round.

“I tried to take it as slow as possible and make sure I played one shot at a time because we didn’t know if it was going to get called,” Ohe said facing challenging conditions on the final day. “Just had to stay ready and be prepared for a long day.

“Scores were going to fluctuate, so the biggest thing was just trying to stay in it. Expectations definitely go out the window. I got down there for a little bit in the middle, and it was frustrating, but I’m glad I got myself out of that.”

Getting off to a rocky start, Ohe carded double-bogey on the opening hole, but would draw even with birdies at the second and fourth holes to get back to 10-under for the championship.

Seemingly running away with the championship, Ohe chipped in for eagle at the par-5 sixth but would finish his opening nine with a bogey at the eighth before a triple-bogey at the ninth to drop to 8-under for the week.

A bogey at the 11th saw Ohe’s lead cut to one before his best shot of the day at the 15th, stopping his approach inside of two feet for a tap-in birdie to regain a three-stroke advantage.

Both Ohe and Ford struggled from the bunker at the 17th, but with a two-shot lead, Ohe’s tee shot came to rest on the front edge of the 18th green and he’d go on to sink his birdie putt from eight feet to seal his second state tournament victory, shooting 8-under 207.

“It was nice to have a one-way miss going the whole week,” said Ohe, a Mr. Minnesota Golf finalist earlier this season. “I was able to pick my spots accordingly and I was able to get the putter going from five to 10 feet, so that’s always nice to have.”

A strong performance by the University of Sioux Falls commit Ford this week, coming up shy of his first state victory.

"Weather-wise, it was brutal,” Ford said of Wednesday’s awful playing conditions. “Putting up an even par or 1-over I thought would be a really good day. But it was a great battle between the guys in our group.

“Most proud of my mental game this week. I hit some bad shots here and there, but overall, I felt like I kept it pretty high on my end and didn’t let myself get down too much. I’ve only got one more tournament this season before I go play college golf, so I’m hoping to play well in that. Then relax and play some fun rounds here and there.”

Ford, a recent graduate of Waconia High School who placed tied for 10th at the Class AAA season finale earlier this month, opened with a bogey-free 66 during the opening round Monday before a 1-under 72 put him four shots out of the lead with one round to play.

Opening the final round with a birdie, Ford pulled within a shot of the lead with the early stumble by Ohe, but Ford would take back-to-back bogeys at the second and third holes.

Ford carded back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh holes to get back to 7-under for the championship before turning in 6-under with a bogey at the ninth.

Steady over his final nine holes, Ford pulled within two shots of the lead with his birdie at the 12th, but a pair of late bogeys proved costly as Ford would post a final-round 72 to finish three shots back at 5-under 210.

Totino-Grace High School senior Collin Ramos carded a 2-over 73 during the final round Wednesday to place third at 3-under 212, while recent Chanhassen High School graduate and Mr. Minnesota Golf finalist Lucas Arntsen finished fourth at 1-under 214.

The 100th Minnesota State Junior Boys’ Championship will return to its inaugural site at The Minikahda Club.