COON RAPIDS — Of the eight area golfers who participated in Wednesday’s Minnesota High School Girls Senior Showcase, Rachel Halvorson performed the best.
Shooting an 18-hole total of 80, the two-time defending Class A state medalist and Lac qui Parle Valley senior finished in a five-way tie for ninth at Bunker Hills Golf Club.
“I played OK,” said Halvorson, who will join the Augustana University (S.D.) women’s golf team in the fall.. “It could’ve been a lot better, obviously, but for the most part, I was happy with it.”
Halvorson’s score was eight strokes behind Eastview senior Jaycee Rhodes, who topped the leaderboard of the 69-player field. As the only girl who didn’t collect a score over par, Rhodes collected a one-shot victory with a mark of 72.
Bogeying her first two holes, Halvorson posted a par on six of her next eight holes, including an up-and-down ending in an eight-foot putt on the 10th. Her roughest stretch followed, as she bogeyed five of the next six.
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“I thought my irons were really good,” she said. “I hit the greens a lot of times, but would just have two putts. What got me in trouble was my driver, it would get me into a lot of wooded areas. So sometimes I would have to punch out and take my medicine in a few holes.”
The LQPV senior closed her round out strong with a pair of par. After knocking down her putt to end her day, Halvorson had another Eagle waiting for her: Izabella Stender.
Teeing after 20 minutes before her teammate, Stender finished in a four-way tie for 21st place after posting an 84.
“It was nice to finish (the round) well,” Halvorson said. “My teammate ‘Bella was there with me, so it was a really nice end to it. It was fun.”
Elsewhere, Lanie Mages topped the foursome of girls representing BOLD. Completing the front nine with a 46, Mages sliced five strokes off on the back nine for a mark of 87. Olivia Hanson (90), Ashley Trongard (95) and Makayla Snow (100) finished tied for 36th, 47th and 55th, respectively.
Minnewaska/Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa senior Jacqueline Gossen claimed a tie for 42nd place with a score of 91. Willmar senior Abigail Mathiasen finished her high school career by shooting a 110, good for a tie for 62nd place.
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Girls Senior Showcase
