Centennial sophom*ore Cooper Daikawa was the last golfer to clinch a state qualification slot at the Section 5 tournament in May. On Tuesday, he shot his best round of the season and finished round one third in an 88-golfer field in the Class 3A boys golf state tournament at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids.
"I didn't really play how I wanted to (at sectionals), but I got my chance. I made it," Daikawa said. "I wasn't really expecting to be where I am right now, but I'm happy."
In his first trip to the state tournament, Daikawa teed off in a rainy, gray start and shot 3-under-par 69. He enters Wednesday's second and final round behind two top-seeded golfers: first-place Gophers commit and Edina junior Torger Ohe (-5) and Cretin-Derham Hall junior Sam Udovich (-4), who is committed to Texas Christian University.
Ohe had six birdies and bogeyed only once Tuesday. The Edina junior already has helped the Hornets take the 2022 and 2023 state team titles. But this year, Benilde-St. Margaret's eliminated Edina from the team competition in the 6A sectional.
"Obviously, I'd rather have the team here, and it's more fun with them. I'm still really happy with how things went today," Ohe said about his own performance, feeling "all the little things" clicked.
Maple Grove leads the team standings after round one, with its top four golfers shooting a collective 294. Rosemount sits three strokes back, followed by Waconia (298) and Alexandria Area (299).
Seven golfers shot under par. Top-seeded golfers Ryan Stendahl (+2), a Maple Grove senior and Gophers commit, and Spring Lake Park senior Jake Birdwell (+2), the defending individual champion, will look to join that group in Wednesday's final round. More rain showers are predicted for the morning, followed by thunderstorms.
Udovich, only one stroke behind the leader Ohe, carded an eagle on the front nine and four birdies in a row on the back nine, building his confidence and momentum, he said.
"I'm just going to keep the same mindset coming in [Wednesday]," Udovich said. "I'm only one back, so I'm right there. Anything could happen. It's golf."
Class 3A girls: Owatonna sophom*ore 3-under
There is a surprising leader on the girls side. Owatonna sophom*ore Carmen Jirele fired a 3-under-par 69 to open a two-shot advantage. She is ranked 19th in the state by the Minnesota Golf Association.
There is a three-way tie for second between seniors Saachi Deshmukh of Wayzata, Amelia Morton of Maple Grove and Jovie Ordal of Lakeville South. Two-time champion Simley senior Reese McCauley, a Gophers recruit, is tied for sixth after shooting a 2-over-par 74.
Maple Grove owns a one-stroke lead over Wayzata, 305-306, in the team competition.
Class 2A boys: A crowded leaderboard
It will be an interesting final round Wednesday to determine the boys medalist. The top 10 golfers are within three strokes of each other.
Hawley senior Jack Justesen and Rochester Lourdes junior Colton Rich share the top spot after shooting 2-under-par 70s at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan. Rich tied for 10th place while Justesen tied for 24th in the state tournament last year.
Holy Family senior P.J. Herron is third, one stroke back of the leaders. His round helped the Fire record a 297, seven strokes ahead of runner-up Detroit Lakes, to lead the team competition.
Class 2A girls: A tie at the top
International Falls senior Kelby Anderson and Holy Angels eighth-grader Elizabeth Fong share the first-round lead with 2-over-par 74s. Hawley junior Sophie King is third, three shots back with a 77. Detroit Lakes leads the team competition with a 327, 11 shots ahead of second-place Lake City (338).
Class 1A boys: Lakeview's Boe opens well
Lakeview junior Carson Boe showed he is ready to continue his ascent to the top.
Boe fired a 4-under-par 68, opening up a three-stroke advantage over Walker-Hackensack-Akeley junior Parker Brock, in the opening round of the Class 1A tournament at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker. Boe finished tied for third and Brock fifth in the state tournament a year ago. In the final Minnesota Golf Association rankings, Brock was ranked 12th in the state and Boe was 15th.
Martin County West senior Hunter Schmidt is third, one stroke back of Brock. He tied Boe for third place in 2023. The big surprise came in the race for the team title. Fertile-Beltrami shot a 320 to garner the top spot. Park Christian (322), Legacy Christian (324) and Walker-Hackensack-Akeley (326) follow closely behind. Defending state champion Lakeview wound up with a 354 and is tied for seventh place.
Class 1A girls: Beyer has two-stroke lead
Border West junior Paige Beyer shot a 4-over-par 76, taking a two-stroke lead over Fillmore Central junior Myleigh Scheevel.Fillmore Central heads the team field with a 345, five strokes ahead of Dawson-Boyd.
