JORDAN — Genevieve Birkeland could not have started much hotter.
A birdie on the par-5 10th hole, her first, kick-started the recent Pequot Lakes graduate’s final round of the Class 2A State Tournament Wednesday, June 11, at Ridges at Sand Creek.
Birkeland birdied two more holes on her opening nine to go out in 35. The first-round leader then managed six pars, two bogeys and a double to close out with a 40 on the second nine and shoot a 75 to capture the state title by four strokes over Hawley’s Sophie Cook.
“That felt really nice to hit a few good shots and just get that putt to fall,” Birkeland said about her opening hole. “It was definitely a good start. It was a nice way to ease into the round.”
Pequot Lakes’ Genevieve Birkeland points to her first-place score on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, after the final round of the Class 2A State Golf Tournament at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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Birkeland was green side in two shots and chipped it close for a short birdie putt. Her opening birdie set the tone, but birdies on the 15th and 16th were key.
“Those were nice birdies,” Birkeland said. “The par 3 at 15 was a longer putt, so that was really nice to see fall. On 16, I just hit a nice wedge shot and was able to make the putt. Those were helpful going into my second nine.”
The game plan before the final round between Brirkeland and her coach, Savannah Nelson, was not to look at the leaderboard. The poor cell reception at the course helped, but Birkeland did break down on the final hole.
“She just asked me, ‘Can I two-putt this?’ I just replied ‘Yep,’” Nelson said. “She knew that she had it walking up to the green on the last hole. That was pretty great. She played incredibly.”
Pequot Lakes’ Genevieve Birkeland watches her approach shot during the final round of the Class 2A State Girls Golf Tournament on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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Birkeland never looks at the leaderboard during any other rounds. She figured why change, despite having 87 players chasing her.
“I told myself I’ll let (Savannah)look at the leaderboard for the last hole to see if I could two-putt or not,” Birkeland said. “I don’t know why I said that. I wanted to look a little bit, obviously, but I knew if I was on the green, little damage would occur. It was nice to hear I could two-putt.”
The Ms. Minnesota golfer finalist and future University of St. Thomas player said the key was getting a grasp of the speed of the greens, which is something she said she struggles with.
Pequot Lakes’ Genevieve Birkeland chips onto the green during the final round of the Class 2A State Girls Golf Tournament on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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“She set herself up for so much success,” Nelson said. “We just made those few adjustments from yesterday. We learned a few things about how she is hitting the ball. She’s hitting it super pure right now, so we had to club down on a couple of holes to be in a better position. She executed and that 35 on her first nine just calmed the nerves.”
When asked if she was able to sleep with the first-round lead, she laughed and said she slept really well.
“I was tired,” Birkeland. “It was nerve-wracking, but I knew I could do this if I was just able to play my game and I was able to do that today. I’ve been working on just committing to every shot and I was able to do that. I had Savannah there for a lot of holes and she knows me very well. It’s always really fun to talk to her to calm the nerves.”
Pequot Lakes’ Mia Trumpold visualizes her tee shot to start the final round of the Class 2A State Girls’ Golf Tournament on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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Before the tournament, Nelson said she liked how the rest of her Pequot Lakes Patriots were tightly bunched with their scores. She wasn’t lying as Alexa Pietig, Claire Oseland, Mia Trumpold, Addison Headley and Maria Neva finished within 10 strokes of each other after 36 holes. Pietig and Oseland tied with 190s after both shot 95s for both rounds.
Trumpold shot a 98 after opening with a 93 to fire a 191. Headley shaved eight strokes off her opening round to shoot 94 and finish with a 196 and Neva shaved six strokes to fire an even 200.
Pequot Lakes’ Alexa Pietig sends her drive down the fairway during the final round of the Class 2A State Girls’ Golf Tournament on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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Pequot finished seventh overall with a 715.
“Looking into the future, this is exactly what you need in a team,” Nelson said. “Especially looking at team scores heading into the state tournament. You don’t necessarily win with your first player; it’s more about what your No. 4 and 5 players shoot. I think that is huge and this gives us momentum to challenge each other in the future and start to push each other to keep setting the bar higher.”
Little Falls Imagine Hines pitches onto the green on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, for the final round of the Class 2A State Golf Tournament at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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Little Falls’ Imagine Hines followed her 84 from Tuesday with an 83 in the final round for a 167 that landed her in 25th and earned her All-State honors.
Hines started on hole 10 and shot 44 on the back nine with three pars, four bogeys and two doubles. She doubled the first hole of the front nine before knocking in five pars on the next six holes. A birdie on the par-4 eighth hole helped her fire a 39 on her second nine for her 83.
Pierz’s Whitney LeBlanc tees off on her opening tee during the final round of the Class 2A State Girls’ Golf Tournament on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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Pierz’s Whitney Leblanc shaved 10 strokes off her opening 93 to shoot 83 and finish with a 176. That placed her 40th. LeBlanc’s round was kicked off with a birdie on the 302-yard, par-4 fourth hole, which helped her to a 43 on the front nine.
She shot 40 on the back thanks to a birdie on the par-5 18th hole to close out her sophomore season.
Staples-Motley’s Walker Johnson tracks her ball as it rolls to the green on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, during the final round of the Class 2A State Girls Golf Tournament at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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Staples-Motley’s Walker Johnson posted a 93 Wednesday for a 182. Johnson’s round was highlighted by five pars, two of which came on her last two holes. She shot 45-48 for her nines to place 52nd.
“Yesterday’s round of 89 was a personal best for her,” S-M head coach Glen Hasselberg said. “Coming back with a 93 today is still impressive. It’s hard to say how first-year players at this type of event hold up to the pressure.”
On the boys’ side, Carter White birdied his 17th hole to climb into a tie for eighth and earn his third medal at the state tournament. The former state champion fired a 73 Wednesday after starting with three bogeys through five holes. He then rattled off three birdies on his final four holes of his first nine to get back to even par.
Staples-Motley’s Carter White lines up a putt on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, during the first round of the Class 2A State Golf Tournament at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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White doubled the first hole, his 10th. He recovered with a birdie on the 101-yard, par-3 third hole, but gave it right back with a bogey on four.
“He had a pretty polished career,” Hasselberg said. “There’s no possible way to judge among the players who have come through our program on which is the best of the bunch. They’re all good.
“Carter never really had a bad round. (Tuesday) would fit the category of one of his higher rounds this season. (White shot 74 Tuesday). We are certainly going to have, what I would define as a rebuilding year next year.”
The senior then tallied pars on four of the last five holes, with the other being a birdie three on the eighth. White, a future North Dakota State University player, tied for ninth with a two-day 147. He was six shots out of first, which went to Southwest Christian’s Ryder Rose at 143.
Staples-Motley’s Carter White watches his tee shot off the 17th tee box on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, during the first round of the Class 2A State Golf Tournament at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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“Carter’s career has been fantastic,” Hasselberg said. “This season, excluding not winning the state like he did as a sophomore, should not be a benchmark for how good it was.”
Pequot’s Michael Oseland couldn’t match his first-round magic as he fired an 85 for a two-day 162 to place 64th
The senior went out in 43 with four pars, three bogeys and two doubles. He came back with a 42 on his second nine with three pars and six bogeys.
Pequot Lakes’ Michael Oseland hits his drive on the opening tee box on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, for the final round of the Class 2A State Golf Tournament at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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Team scores: 1-Detroit Lakes 288-298 — 586, 2-Blake 299-295 — 594, 3-Southwest Christian 299-298 — 597, 4-Totino-Grace 302-296 — 598, 5-Cloquet 313-307 — 620, 6-Albert Lea 319-302 — 621, 7-New London-Spicer 307-331 — 638, 8-St. Cloud Cathedral 318-322 — 640
Individual state champion: Ryder Rose (Southwest Christian) 73-70 — 143
Pequot Lakes results: 64-Michael Oseland 77-85 — 162
Staples-Motley results: 8-Carter White 74-73 — 147
Team scores: 1-Detroit Lakes 320-326 — 646, 2-Minnewaska 328-327 — 655, 3-Tatino-Grace 349-332 — 681, 3-Holy Family Catholic 353-328 — 681, 5-Hill-Murray 347-342 — 689, 6-Lake City 349-350 — 699 7-Pequot Lakes 356-359 — 715, 8-Rock Ridge 380-376 — 756
Individual state champion: Genevieve Birkeland (Pequot Lakes) 73-75 — 148
Little Falls results: Imagine 25-Hines 84-83 — 167
Pequot Lakes results: 1-Genevieve Birkeland 73-75 — 148, 65-Alexa Pietig 95-95 — 190, 65-Claire Oseland 95-95 — 190, 70-Mia Trumpold 93-98 — 191, 75-Addison Headley 102-94 — 196, 77-Maria Neva 103-97 — 200
Pierz results: 40-Whitney LeBlanc 93-83 — 176
Staples-Motley results: 52-Walker Johnson 89-93 — 182
JEREMY MILLSOP may be reached at 218-855-5856 or jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at
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Pequot Lakes’ Mia Trumpold smashes her opening drive during the final round of the Class 2A State Girls’ Golf Tournament on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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Little Falls’ Imagine Hines watches her opening tee shot during the final round of the Class 2A State Girls’ Golf Tournament on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.
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