Alexandria golfers well represented at 118th MGA Amateur Championship

Hanstad 0082.jpg — Alexandria native Bryce Hanstad watches his shot on the 9th tee during the US Mid-Amateur Sectional Qualifier at Stoneridge Golf Club on Aug. 14, 2018. Hanstad qualified for the Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship this summer and finished tied for eighth at that three-day event after shooting a 5-under par 211 at the Rush Creek Golf Club. (Photo by Mark Brettingen/Courtesy MGA)

By Eric Morken

July 25, 2021 at 11:14 PM

Golfers with Alexandria ties were well represented at the 118th Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship that wrapped up on July 21.

This year’s MGA Amateur Championship ran from July 19-21 at the Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove, and Alexandria native Bryce Hanstad led local players by finishing tied for eighth over the three rounds. Hanstad, now a member of the Olympic Hills Golf Club near his home in Edina, shot rounds of 73, 66 and 72 for a 5-under par total of 211. That round of 66 included birdies on Nos. 2, 5, 7, 8, 17 and 18 as he finished without a single bogey on his card on July 20.

Derek Hitchner of the Minikahda Club won the 2021 championship by shooting 15-under (201). That included rounds of 64, 69 and 68, and was just enough to hold off Caleb VanArragon of the Bunker Hills Golf Club. VanArragon shot a 14-under 202 (66, 68, 68).

Five members of the Alexandria Golf Club competed in the amateur championship. Noah Boraas led that group as he tied for 29th with a three-day score of 219 (76, 73, 70). Sean Lehman and Jerry Rose also made the cut after two rounds. Lehman tied for 43rd (77, 70, 77 -- 224) and Rose tied for 51st (77, 71, 79 -- 227).

Brothers Lukas and Joseph Bigger also qualified for the championship by shooting well at the Alexandria Golf Club earlier this summer. Lukas shot rounds of 82 and 75 at Rush Creek for a 13-over par 157, and Joseph shot two rounds of 78 and 84 for a 162.

Geneva Golf Club members Hunter Rebrovich and Andrew Olson added to the large contingency of local golfers at the championship. Rebrovich made the cut and shot a 9-over par 225 with rounds of 74, 74 and 77 to tie for 47th. Olson shot rounds of 79 and 80 to finish at a 15-over par 159.

Andrew Israelson of The Vintage at Staples and Nate Adams of the Rush Creek Golf Club, both contenders in recent years at the Resorters Tournament in Alexandria, also had big days at the MGA Amateur Championship. Israelson tied for third with a 9-under 207 (70, 70, 67) and Adams was fifth with an 8-under 208 (66, 76, 66).

Full results of the entire tournament can be seen at the Minnesota Golf Association website .

By Eric Morken

Eric Morken is a sports and outdoor editor at the Echo Press Newspaper in Alexandria, Minnesota, a property of the Forum News Service. Morken covers a variety of stories throughout the Douglas County area, as well as statewide outdoor issues.

Alexandria golfers well represented at 118th MGA Amateur Championship

Bryce Hanstad, Noah Boraas both finish in the top 30 against many of the top amateur golfers in Minnesota.