of last year’s Women’s semi-finalists are back

By Al Edenloff

Alexandria Echo Press

McKenzee Sullivan, a 17-year-old from Florida playing in her third Resorters, led the Women’s Championship Division in qualifying with an even-par round Monday.

Sullivan, a 10th-grader, has earned many golfing accolades, including 28 first-place finishes on the Manatee Junior Golf Tour; 2023 full-year exemption status in the Florida State Golf Association Junior Golf Tour; second place in the 2022 Florida High School PCAC Championship (shooting a 75); first place in the 2022 Florida District 2A High School Championship (shooting a 74. She was also named the 2022 Pinellas County, Florida Player of the Year.

This year’s championship bracket is packed with familiar names as 10 of the 16 qualifiers are returnees from 2022 – including last year’s champion, Hannah Boraas of Alexandria. She graduated this past spring and plans to attend Montana State.

Boraas is hoping for her third Resorters trophy this year, adding to her 2022 Women’s Division title and her 2020 Junior 13-15 trophy. As the defending champ, Boraas automatically qualified for this year’s championship division.

Three of last year’s semi-finalists are back – Boraas, Leah Skaar, and Caroline Monty.

Lauren Contreras grabbed the third seed of the tournament, putting together a 1-overpar round in qualifying.

Cora Larson of Alexandria carded the fourth-best qualifying round with 2-over-par.

Larson, a freshman at North Dakota State University, is playing in her eighth Resorters. She’s a two-time Minnesota State High School League champion (2021 and 2022).

Two golfers tied for the fifth seed with rounds of 3-over par – Caroline Monty and Madi Hicks.

Monty Hicks, a freshman at NDSU, is playing her first Resorters. She’s a six-year varsity letter winner at Chanhassen High School and a five- time first team All-Conference in the Minnesota Metro West.

The seventh seed is Skaar, a graduate of Minnewaska High School. This is her fourth time in the Resorters. She’s a junior at NDSU and racked up many awards last year – winner of the Red River Amateur, All-Conference at NDSU, runner-up at the MGA Match Play tournament, runner-up at the Minnesota State Women’s State Amateur, winner of the Jackrabbit Invitational and is WGCA All American Scholar.

Madison Herzog and Catherine Monty tied for the eighth-best score in qualifying, shooting 5-over-par. Herzog, a recent graduate of NDSU, is playing in her ninth Resorters. A couple of highlights of her golfing prowess –she shot a 67 during the second round of the Red

Rocks Invitational, tying for the third-best round in NDSU history, and she shot a 69 in the first round of that same invitational, tying for 12th in the school’s history. This is Catherine Monty’s second entry into the Resorters. She plays Division 1 golf at NDSU and had the best finish in both the Minnesota State Am and Minnesota State Open last year. She also made it into the semifinals of the MGA women’s match play in 2022.

Samantha Sommers and Avery O’Donnell claimed the 10th and 11th seeds with 6-overpar rounds. This is Sommers’ third appearance in the Resorters. She was the Women’s Division runner-up in 2021. She’s also a sixtime state girls participant and is a three-time state champion (2005, 2006, and 2007).

O’Donnell

Lexi O’Donnell and Lauren Klick are seeded 12th and 13th. They were both 7-over-par. O’Donnell, a 15-yearold at Elk River High School, is playing in her second Resorters tournament. She placed third individually at the 7AAA Section tournament last year and placed 31st individually at the AAA State Tournament. She consistently played as the number-two golfer at Elk River.

MacKenzie Olsen is the 14th seed with an 8-over-par round.

Amanda Woodhull, Mackayla Olsen, and Aisling O’Conner all shot a 9-over-par qualifying round, so a playoff took place to determine the final two spots. Woodhill and Mackayla survived. Woodhull is a very familiar name at the Resorters – Amanda has entered it 19 years in a row. “We’ve been coming to the Resorters for years and years,” she said on her entry form. “We’ve brought lots of other families up as well.” Woodhull was a consolation winner in the Resorters and a runner-up, as well as being a first-flight finalist many times.

Mackayla Olsen is making her debut entry in the Resorters. “This tournament is one I’ve always wanted to participate in,” she noted on her entry form. “I love the course and have a lot of great connections in the area.” She graduated from Upper Iowa University. Some of her highlights – a 2021 medalist at the NSIC Women’s Golf Championship, participating in the 2021 NCAA Super Regional Tournament, the 2021-2022 first team all-conference at NSIC, and the 2022 NSIC women’s golf championship.

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT QUALIFYING SCORES (par 73) - 1. McKenzee Sullivan - 73; 2. Hannah Boraas - defending champion; 3. Lauren Contreras - 74; 4. Cora Larson - 75; 5. Caroline Monty - 76; 6. Madi Hicks - 76; 7. Leah Skaar - 77; 8. Madison Herzog - 78; 9. Catherine Monty - 78; 10. Samantha Sommers - 79; 11. Avery O’Donnell - 79; 12. Lexi O’Donnell - 80; 13. Lauren Klick - 80; 14. MacKenzie Olsen - 81; 15. Amanda Woodhull - 82; 16. Mackayla Olsen - 82. WEDNESDAY PAIRINGS - 1ST TEE

12:25 p.m. - Mckenzee Sullivan vs. Mackayla Olsen; Madison Herzog vs. Catherine Monty.

12:34 p.m. - Cora Larson vs. Lauren Klick; Caroline Monty vs. Lexi O’Donnell.

12:43 p.m. - Hannah Boraas vs. Amanda Woodhill; Leah Skaar vs. Samantha Sommers.

12:52 p.m. - Lauren Contreras vs. MacKenzie Olsen; Madi Hicks vs. Avery O’Donnell.