University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Free Wins MGA Women's Match Play Championship
6/24/2021 8:16:00 PM | Women's Golf
It was the third year in a row that a University of Minnesota golfer claimed the title
University of Minnesota golfer Joanne Free won the 2021 Minnesota Golf Association Women's Match Play Championship Thursday June 24th. Free and her new teammate Leah Herzog both competed in the three-day event at Dellwood Country Club near White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
Free and Herzog both played well in the annual tournament and faced each other in the semifinals Wednesday. Going head to head, recent graduate Free and incoming Nebraska transfer Herzog traded holes early and were all square through 15. Free won the next two holes and earned a 2 & 1 victory to advance to the finals.
In the finals, Free faced Indiana University-Purdue University freshman Shelby Busker. Free took an early lead on hole one, and she maintained a one or two hole advantage for the remainder of the round. Free carded 13 pars, one birdie, one bogey, and she claimed the championship with a 4 & 3 win.
It was the third consecutive year that a Gopher won the tournament, as Grace Curran and Grace Kellar won in 2020 and 2019, respectively.
"Overall, the four days, it was very much of a grind out there," Free said. "I had a lot of hard matches and had to play good golf. My mindset today was to keep grinding it out and never let my mind slip or take my eye off the ball."
Free and Herzog both played well in the annual tournament and faced each other in the semifinals Wednesday. Going head to head, recent graduate Free and incoming Nebraska transfer Herzog traded holes early and were all square through 15. Free won the next two holes and earned a 2 & 1 victory to advance to the finals.
In the finals, Free faced Indiana University-Purdue University freshman Shelby Busker. Free took an early lead on hole one, and she maintained a one or two hole advantage for the remainder of the round. Free carded 13 pars, one birdie, one bogey, and she claimed the championship with a 4 & 3 win.
It was the third consecutive year that a Gopher won the tournament, as Grace Curran and Grace Kellar won in 2020 and 2019, respectively.
"Overall, the four days, it was very much of a grind out there," Free said. "I had a lot of hard matches and had to play good golf. My mindset today was to keep grinding it out and never let my mind slip or take my eye off the ball."
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