May 28—LAKE CITY — To say Isaac Ahn is dialed in might be an understatement.
The Rochester Mayo senior has been on his game all spring, but he took it to a different level in the final round of the Section 1, Class 3A boys golf meet on Wednesday at The Jewel.
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Ahn fired a bogey-free round of 5-under-par 66 to finish the two-round meet at 8-under-par 134, good for a six-stroke advantage over runner-up Elias Ekern of Northfield.
Northfield won the team title, ending Mayo’s two-year run atop the section, but Rochester golfers took all five individual state-meet qualifying spots out of the section.
The Class 3A state meet is set for June 10-11 at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids.
Rochester players dominated the individual side of the section tournament, and five of them are headed to state, led by the medalist Ahn. He’ll be joined by Mayo teammate and 2024 section medalist Tim Sexton, as well as three Century standouts — junior Brennan Weckwerth, sophomore Boston Collins and senior Ryker Hansen.
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Ahn had the most impressive display this week, shooting 68-66—134 to win by six shots. He had eight birdies, one eagle and 25 pars in 36 holes, while making just two bogeys (one on a par-3 and one on a 434-yard par-4). This will be his second trip to state; he finished third in the section and 17th in the state as a sophomore in 2023.
Sexton will make his third trip to state; he tied Ahn for 17th place in 2023, then placed 63rd last year after winning the individual section title. Sexton again will enter with some momentum, after shooting even-par 142 to place third in the section; he is one of just three golfers to finish the 36-hole meet at or below par. Sexton made a strong push down the stretch Wednesday. He was 4-over through 11 holes, but birdied three of the final six holes to shoot 72.
Weckwerth placed fourth in the section at 1-over-par for the meet. He followed an even-par 71 on Tuesday with a 1-over 72 on Wednesday, a round that included four birdies. He’ll close an excellent junior season at the state meet, the second straight season he has qualfiied for state. Weckwerth narrowly missed a trip as a freshman, finishing one shot out of the last state-meet spot in 2023.
He’ll bring two teammates with him this time, as Collins finished the meet in eighth place, at 3-over-par 145 for 36 holes, and Hansen placed ninth at 6-over-par 148 for the tournament. They claimed the last two individual spots out of the section into the state tournament. Collins shot a 4-over 75 on Wednesday, including a birdie and 13 pars. Hansen shot a final-round 78, including a pair of birdies.
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Northfield pulled away on Wednesday, with five golfers finishing in the 70s — four of them below par or within a stroke of par — for a second straight day, to win the 36-hole meet with a score of 570, 18 shots clear of runner-up Century (588). Lakeville South placed third (609) and two-time defending champion Mayo placed fourth (610).
SECTION 1, CLASS 3A BOYS
Final Round, Wednesday
(At The Jewel, Lake City; par 71)
TEAM TOTALS
1. Northfield 286-284 — 570, 2. Century 289-299 — 588, 3. Lakeville South 307-302 — 609, 4. Mayo 304-306 — 610, 5. Farmington 312-299 — 611, 6. Lakeville North 312-302 — 614, 7. Owatonna 325-336 — 361.
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INDIVIDUALS
(Top 10, state qualifiers, local golfers)
*1. Isaac Ahn (RM) 68-66 — 134, *2. Elias Ekern (Nfld) 70-70 — 140, *3. Tim Sexton (RM) 70-72 — 142, *4. Darren Steward (Nfld) 71-72 — 143, *4. Brennan Weckwerth (RC) 71-72 — 143, *4. Miles Poole (Nfld) 72-71 — 143, *7. Will Cashin (Nfld) 73-71 — 144, *8. Boston Collins (RC) 70-75 — 145, *9. Ryker Hansen (RC) 70-78 — 148, 10. Jaden Kelly (Farm) 77-72 — 149, 10. Cale Tupy (Aust) 75-74 — 149,
15. Kaine Severson (RC) 78-74 — 152, *17. Maxwell Munoz (Nfld) 77-76 — 153, 22. Drew Glandon (JM) 80-75 — 155, *22. Griffin Kennelly (Nfld) 75-80 — 155, 28. Will Gyarmaty (RM) 81-80 — 161, 29. Vance Hansen (RC) 80-82 — 162, 33. Carter Hovelsrud (Aust) 79-84 — 163, 38. Brock Clarey (JM) 83-82 — 165, 38. Elijah Krueger (Aust) 83-82 — 165, 44. Landon Eckhoff (JM) 83-89 — 172, 44. Evan Chestolowski (RC) 81-91 — 172, 46. Colton Huseth (RM) 85-89 — 174, 47. Ethan Nelson (RM) 88-88 — 176, 48. Brayden Mallan (RM) 89-88 — 177.
* — state-meet qualifier
