Centennial sophomore Cooper Daikawa was the last golfer to clinch a state qualification slot at the Section 5 tournament in May. On Tuesday, he shot his best round of the season and finished round one third in an 88-golfer field in the Class 3A boys golf state tournament at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids.
“I didn’t really play how I wanted to (at sectionals), but I got my chance. I made it,” Daikawa said. “I wasn’t really expecting to be where I am right now, but I’m happy.”
In his first trip to the state tournament, Daikawa teed off in a rainy, gray start and shot 3-under-par 69. He enters Wednesday’s second and final round behind two top-seeded golfers: first-place Gophers commit and Edina junior Torger Ohe (-5) and Cretin-Derham Hall junior Sam Udovich (-4), who is committed to Texas Christian University.
Ohe had six birdies and bogeyed only once Tuesday. The Edina junior already has helped the Hornets take the 2022 and 2023 state team titles. But this year, Benilde-St. Margaret’s eliminated Edina from the team competition in the 6A sectional.
“Obviously, I’d rather have the team here, and it’s more fun with them. I’m still really happy with how things went today,” Ohe said about his own performance, feeling “all the little things” clicked.
Maple Grove leads the team standings after round one, with its top four golfers shooting a collective 294. Rosemount sits three strokes back, followed by Waconia (298) and Alexandria Area (299).
Seven golfers shot under par. Top-seeded golfers Ryan Stendahl (+2), a Maple Grove senior and Gophers commit, and Spring Lake Park senior Jake Birdwell (+2), the defending individual champion, will look to join that group in Wednesday’s final round. More rain showers are predicted for the morning, followed by thunderstorms.
Udovich, only one stroke behind the leader Ohe, carded an eagle on the front nine and four birdies in a row on the back nine, building his confidence and momentum, he said.
