Coahran and Persons Share Medalist Honors at U.S. Open Local Qualifying; Three More Minnesotans Advance

MAPLE PLAIN, Minn. – Wrapping up his junior season at Winona State University with a 27th-place finish at the NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Regional in Missouri Saturday, Peyton Coahran admitted that he wasn’t sure he’d break 80 during his practice round for U.S. Open Local Qualifying Sunday at Windsong Farm.

“It was a little windier than today and I just came off of three days at regionals, so I was pretty exhausted,” Coahran said. “But it was also a tough golf course and I think it helped me get into the right mindset.”

Coahran rolled in three early birdies during his front nine Monday to help him into a share of medalist honors with a round of 2-under 69 to advance from the first stage of qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Open.

“Definitely going to take a break tomorrow,” Coahran joked following his round. “Really solid ball-striking today. My game plan coming in was to make a bunch of pars because I knew it was going to play tough. Really wasn’t trying to make a lot of birdies—I gave myself a lot of 10 to 30-foot birdie putts and happened to make a couple of them and a lot of good two-putts.”

The former New London-Spicer High School standout began his day on the 10th tee Monday, carding back-to-back birdies at the 13th and 14th before a tap-in birdie at the 18th put him at 3-under with nine holes to play.

Following a bogey at the fourth, Coahran’s putt from 30 feet at the par-3 seventh dropped in for birdie to put him back at 2-under before he carded bogey on the final hole to finish with a share of the lead at 2-under 69.

“I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. I’m going to continue to practice and try to get better every day,” Coahran said. “Staying in the moment is something I’m trying to get better at. Not worrying about how I’m going to finish at tournaments and being the best player I can be.”

Advancing for the third time over the past four seasons, former University of Minnesota golfer Josh Persons earned a share of co-medalist honors with a round of 2-under 69 Monday, hoping to return to the national championship since his first and only appearance in 2015.

Beginning on the 10th hole Monday, Persons, a native of Fargo, N.D., bounced back from a bogey at the 10th by carding three birdies over his next five holes.

Turning in 2-under for the round, Persons carded consecutive pars during his final nine holes to finish in a share of the lead, punching his ticket to the second stage.

Kickstarted by an eagle on his ninth hole of the day Monday, Cretin-Derham Hall senior Sam Udovich played his final nine holes in even par to finish in third place to advance for the second time in as many seasons.

“It was a really good day—super consistent day,” Udovich said. “I never really put myself in any trouble off the tee and my putting was really good. A couple of good comeback putts that saved me.”

Playing his first eight holes in 1-over, Udovich’s second shot at the par-5 18th stopped 25 feet from the hole and he’d convert his eagle chance to quickly climb the leaderboard to 1-under.

Sinking his second birdie of the day at the par-3 fourth, Udovich stumbled with a double-bogey at the seventh before rallying to make one last birdie at the par-4 eighth, capitalizing on his chance from inside of eight feet to take sole possession of third place at 1-under 70.

“I qualified last year, so my goal today was to qualify again. The course was really tough, but I knew if I put in the mental preparation that I’d give myself a good chance, and I think I did that,” said Udovich, a Texas Christian University commit. “Having the experience from last year will be great, but my expectation in the next round is to make the U.S. Open. It’d be silly to not have that goal, in my opinion.”

Winner of five Minnesota PGA section events in 2024, 28-year-old Jack Hiemenz, of Blaine, Minn., rallied with three birdies over his final seven holes Monday to finish in a tie for fourth to advance to the second stage of qualifying for the second time in five seasons.

Carding a pair of birdies on each of his final two holes Monday, 2024 Twin Cities champion Ralph Baxley posted a round of even par 71 to advance to the second stage for the first time since 2002.

Baxley, from Minnetonka, Minn., previously qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2017 at the Capital City Club in Atlanta, missing the cut for match play by three strokes.

Jesse Larson, of Shakopee, Minn., posted a 1-over 72 to claim first alternate honors, while University of St. Thomas golfer Zach Rouleau, a native of Farmington, Minn., finished as second alternate.

Final qualifying begins on May 19 and will conclude with “The Longest Day in Golf” on June 2 to determine the final field for this year’s national championship.

The 2025 U.S. Open is set to be played June 12-15 at historic Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa.

Hosting for the 10th time next month, Oakmont has contested more U.S. Open championships than any other club in the country.