Herzog and Deziel third at MGA Mixed Am

LEAD PHOTO (1).jpg — Incoming NDSU junior Maddie Herzog tees off during the Stampede at the Creek at Indian Creek Golf Course in Elkhorn Nebraska, Tuesday, April 13, 2021. Ryan Workman / NDSU Athletics

By Robert Williams

July 01, 2021 at 5:34 PM

Entering Wednesday’s final round of the 31st Minnesota Golf Association Mixed Amateur Team Championship with a one-stroke lead, the pairing of Emma Welch (Xavier, Lakeville) and Jack Johnson (NDSU, Chaska) posted a bogey-free 8-under 64 to cruise to a four-stroke victory at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker.

NDSU teammates Nate Deziel (East Grand Forks) and Maddie Herzog (Detroit Lakes) combined for a 5-under 67 Wednesday to finish in third place at 12-under 132.

Maddie Herzog and Nate Deziel on the 5th green during the 2nd round of the 2021 MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship at Pebble Lake GC on Wednesday, June 30th. Herzog and Deziel finished in 3rd place with a 2 round total of 132, 12 under par. Mark Brettingen / MGA

Tuesday was a standard four-ball format; Wednesday’s final round was played as a Modified Chapman (Both players on a team hit tee shots, and then play second shots using their partner's tee shot location).

Welch and Johnson opened the championship with a one-stroke lead over 2019 champions Sophia Yoemans (Missouri, Lake City) and Trey Fessler (U of Tampa, Hanover) by carding a 9-under 63 Tuesday and followed it up with a flawless final round, helped by a string of birdies early on the back nine to cruise to a wire-to-wire victory.

Yoemans and Fessler began the final round one shot off the lead and scattered three birdies over their opening nine to turn in 11-under. The two rolled in birdies at the 12th and 14th, but a bogey at the 15th proved costly as the two mustered one final birdie over their final three holes to finish second at 13-under 131.

Herzog and Deziel bogeyed their opening hole Tuesday, but recorded four birdies over the front nine to turn at 3-under. Another four birdies during the inward nine put them into the clubhouse in third place, two shots back.

The duo improved on a fifth-place finish from a year ago where they posted back-to-back rounds of 4-under 68, four shots off the lead.

Former Lakers Shelby Busker (IUPUI) and Wyatt Blomseth (M State)tied for 10th place at 8-under 136.

The Perham sibling pairing of Mallory and Marcus Belka finished in a tie for 21st place at +2.

MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship

Pebble Creek Golf Club, Becker, June 29-30.

Championship Division Cumulative

Top 10 of 30 teams

1 Emma Welch + Jack Johnson -17 (63-64 127)

Bracketts Crossing C.C., Chaska Town Course

2 Sophia Yoemans + Trey Fessler -13 (64-67 131)

Mississippi Natl Golf Links, Sundance Golf Course

3 Maddie Herzog + Nate Deziel -12 (65-67 132)