David Bauer was the lone Hastings boys golfer at the MSHSL Boys AAA State Championship, held June 9 and 10 at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids. The state tournament was a two-round stroke play event, bringing together the top Class AAA golfers from across Minnesota. Bauer, a junior, represented Hastings out of Section 3 and finished tied for 32nd in the state with a two-day score of 150, six-over par.
Bauer opened the tournament with a solid first round, shooting a 74, two-over par. That first round placed him in a strong position among a deep field that included many of the best players from every section in the state. He followed with a 76 in the second round, four-over par, to finish the tournament at 150. His two-day score tied him with several other players, including Phillip Ebner of St. Thomas Academy, Matthew Heymans of Two Rivers, Miles Poole of Northfield, Owen Matthews of St. Thomas Academy, Drew Christensen of Brainerd, Elliott Stevens of St. Thomas Academy and Brennan Weckwerth of Rochester Century.
Bauer’s finish also put him near several familiar Section 3 players. Wyatt Holmes of Rosemount had the best finish among Section 3 golfers, tying for fifth with a 143, one-under par. Mason Eaton of Rosemount tied for 20th with a 147, three-over par. Bauer was part of the next major group of Section 3 finishers, tying for 32nd at six-over. St. Thomas Academy had several players in that same range, with Ebner, Matthews, Christensen and Stevens all in or near the top 40.
Bauer’s first-round 74 was one of the steadier opening rounds in the middle of the state field. He was just two strokes over par after the first day, keeping himself within reach of a top-25 finish heading into the final round. On the second day, he carded a 76, which kept him inside the top half of the final standings and completed a strong state appearance for the Hastings junior.
The individual state championship was William Roiland of Elk River, who finished at 139, five-under par. Roiland opened with a 67, five-under par, then shot an even-par 72 in the second round to hold off Chase Birdwell of Spring Lake Park by one stroke. Birdwell finished second at 140, four-under par, while Brady Oseland of Brainerd placed third at 141, three-under par. Aydan Dobis of Brainerd finished fourth at 142, two-under par.
The top five was crowded, with six players tying for fifth at 143, one-under par. That group included Easton Fiddle of White Bear Lake Area, Dylan Kringen of Orono, Oliver Theel of Lakeville South, Patrick Hastings of Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Wyatt Holmes of Rosemount and Griffin Stein of Chaska. Those scores showed the strength of the field, with Bauer’s 150 landing only seven strokes behind a top-five finish.
For Hastings, the state meet was about one player carrying the Raider name into the final tournament of the season. Bauer’s 74 and 76 gave him a consistent two-day total, and his tie for 32nd capped a season that reached the biggest stage in Minnesota high school golf. With Bauer entering his senior year next year, the state experience also gives Hastings an important returning golfer with postseason experience heading into next season.