Zeidler Named MGA Evans Scholar of the Year

University of Minnesota Evans Scholars Chapter House Vice President Lizzy Zeidler was named the Minnesota Golf Association’s 2026 Fritz Corrigan Evans Scholar of the Year at the MGA’s 125th Annual Awards Dinner Monday evening at The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis.

The MGA also recognized outstanding players, volunteers and member clubs for their contributions to amateur golf in Minnesota. Among the evening’s honorees were Bryan See, recipient of the MGA’s Giles Kobilka Award, and StoneRidge Golf Club, named the MGA’s Member Club of the Year.

The annual meeting also marked the election of a new slate of MGA officers. Jerry Rose of Alexandria will serve as president, joined by incoming Vice President Paige McCullough of Maple Grove and Secretary/Treasurer Matt Hanson of Chanhassen.

The evening also included recognition of Henry Johnson, Joel B. Johnson, Leigh Klasse, Trent Peterson, Ruby Reding and Kathryn VanArragon as the 2026 MGA Players of the Year. Read the Oct. 15 announcement of the year-end award winners.

Fritz Corrigan Evans Scholar of the Year

Lizzy Zeidler
University of Minnesota Evans Scholars

The MGA’s Fritz Corrigan Evans Scholar of the Year award recognizes a University of Minnesota Evans Scholar for outstanding achievement in academics, leadership and community service.

Zeidler, a member of the University of Minnesota’s Evans Scholars Class of 2026, studied civil engineering while remaining active in campus life. She caddied at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wis., from 2018 to 2023 and served as vice president of New Scholars for the Minnesota Evans Scholars chapter. She also spent two years as a manager for the university’s women’s gymnastics team.

Zeidler completed two internships with Minnesota-based engineering firm TKDA, contributing to airport design projects across the state. She plans to become a licensed professional engineer specializing in aviation and transportation.

The Chick Evans Scholarship is a four-year college scholarship for deserving caddies, sponsored by the Western Golf Association in association with the MGA. A record 1,310 Evans Scholars are currently attending 28 universities across the country.

In 1996, the MGA renamed its Evans Scholar of the Year award in honor of Fritz Corrigan, a longtime supporter of the Evans Scholarship program who helped establish the Evans Scholars Chapter House at the University of Minnesota.

Giles Kobilka Award

Bryan See
Eden Prairie

Bryan See, 66, of Eden Prairie, is the recipient of the MGA’s 2026 Giles Kobilka Award. The award recognizes individuals whose exceptional contributions align with the MGA’s mission and enhance amateur golf. It honors the legacy of Giles Kobilka, who died in 2020 after nearly 50 years of volunteer service to the MGA.

Highly regarded by volunteers and competitors alike for his personable nature and unwavering commitment to service, Kobilka exemplified the spirit of volunteerism the award was established to recognize.

Since retiring in 2020 after more than 30 years as a manufacturing engineer at Emerson Electric, See has devoted himself to volunteer service. His dedication to studying the Rules of Golf is reflected in his progression from spotter to MGA Senior Rules Official. Through educational opportunities, including the MGA’s one- and two-day Rules Workshops, and experience at competitions throughout Minnesota, See has steadily expanded his expertise. He typically contributes more than 20 days each year to MGA competitions, USGA qualifiers and college events.

In 2024, See earned USGA Advanced Rules Certification and plans to pursue Expert Certification in 2027.

His responsibilities have continued to grow. See began officiating the Class 2AAA high school sectional tournament in 2023 and continues to serve as its lead official. He also volunteered as a walking scorer at the 2024 U.S. Amateur and became a site captain for MGA Amateur and MGA Players’ qualifiers in 2025, serving in that role at two qualifiers that year and four in 2026.

One highlight of See’s volunteer service in 2026 was working at the Special Olympics USA Games, an experience he found especially fun and rewarding while working with the athletes.

See has also expanded his involvement in adaptive golf. Beginning in 2025, he became more involved with adaptive golfers through MGA and Courage Kenny clinics. After earning his WR4GD certification in early 2026, he competed in three adaptive golf tournaments during the year and looks forward to further expanding his involvement in the sport.

From Rules education and tournament officiating to supporting adaptive golf, See’s volunteer service reflects a commitment to continual learning and providing meaningful golf experiences for players of all abilities. His contributions embody the spirit of volunteerism celebrated by the Giles Kobilka Award and help strengthen amateur golf throughout Minnesota.

Member Club of the Year

StoneRidge Golf Club
Opened July 4, 2000

StoneRidge Golf Club, a Bobby Weed design, opened for play on July 4, 2000. Weed, a former apprentice to Pete Dye who served as lead architect for the PGA Tour’s TPC network of courses, crafted a links-style layout on former farmland just west of Stillwater.

Rolling bentgrass fairways framed by native fescue, rustic and irregular bunkering, and large, undulating greens offering a variety of challenging hole locations distinguish StoneRidge from other championship venues in the state. The course has consistently ranked among Minnesota’s top public-access facilities, including recognition from Golfweek as the best public course in the Twin Cities.

The 123rd MGA Amateur Championship marked the first time the championship was contested at StoneRidge. Playing at par 72 and just over 7,000 yards, the wind-exposed layout presented a distinctly different challenge from the tree-lined parkland courses familiar to many competitors.

Olympic Hills Golf Club’s Bryce Hanstad, the 2007 MGA Amateur champion, tied the University of Minnesota’s Torger Ohe at 5-under-par 211 before claiming his second amateur title with a two-putt par on the first playoff hole.

StoneRidge also hosted the 2019 MGA Senior Amateur, where Trent Wilcox went wire-to-wire to earn his first state title. Wilcox held off a final-round charge by 2017 champion David Haslerud, making three birdies over his final six holes to win by two strokes.

In 2022, StoneRidge hosted the MGA/PGA Cup Matches, the annual team competition between the state’s top amateurs and professionals from the Minnesota Section PGA. Dating to 1977, the competition that year saw the professionals claim a 27.5–12.5 victory, snapping a winning streak by the amateurs that dated to 2014. StoneRidge has also hosted numerous USGA qualifiers, including local qualifying for the U.S. Open and qualifying for the 2022 U.S. Amateur.

StoneRidge supports the MGA’s nonprofit mission through its MGA Associate Member program, with 150 active members using the club’s GHIN service. In recognition of its service to the game, the club received a plaque and will be featured in the spring 2027 issue of The Minnesota Golfer, the MGA’s official publication.

About The Minikahda Club

Established in 1898, The Minikahda Club was one of the Minnesota Golf Association’s original founding member clubs. Located along the shores of Lake Calhoun (Bde Maka Ska), the club’s course was designed by William Watson, Robert Foulis and Donald Ross.

The renowned club has hosted numerous national, regional and state championships, including the 1916 U.S. Open and the 1927 U.S. Amateur, won by Chick Evans and Bobby Jones, respectively. Most recently, the club hosted the 100th edition of the Minnesota State Junior Boys’ Championship, won by Henry Johnson.

About the MGA

Founded in 1901, the Minnesota Golf Association (MGA) serves as the governing body for amateur golf in Minnesota. The MGA administers the Rules of Golf, conducts major state championships and USGA qualifiers, and provides key services, including handicapping, course rating and golf news through The Minnesota Golfer magazine and mngolf.org.

Through the MGA Foundation, the association is dedicated to making golf more accessible to all Minnesotans, fostering personal growth and community through the game, and ensuring the sport’s sustainability for future generations.