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May 26—ROCHESTER — Flora Bolster has trained herself to never look too far into the future.
It's a mindset she's worked to build up for years on the golf course, and it's served her well as a senior leader for the Mayo High School girls golf team.
"I pretty much always have the attitude of, I let myself celebrate good shots and good holes, but just not getting too upset over bad stuff, because it's going to happen," Bolster, a fifth-year varsity regular, said. "The biggest thing I've learned is just not to worry about the outcome. Adding up scores during a round isn't really going to do you any favors. Don't get too far ahead."
Though Bolster and the Spartans are amid the biggest meets of the high school season, the senior can be forgiven if she's peeking ahead on the calendar just a bit.
Her immediate goal is a strong showing at the Section 1, Class 3A meet — she sits in third place individually going into Thursday's final round after shooting an opening-round 79 Tuesday at Cannon Golf Club in Cannon Falls. The winning team and the top five individuals not on the winning team qualify for the state meet, set for June 9-10 at Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids.
Just beyond that meet, though, is the next biggest golf meet of Bolster's life. Just three days after the state meet — and her high school career — ends, she'll board a plane with 23 other high school golfers from across the country. That group of two dozen top young players — which also includes Rochester Century junior Boston Collins — will comprise the Team USA roster for the 2026 Scotland Junior Golf Invitational co-ed Tour.
"It's an incredible opportunity for her," Mayo head coach Karen Kolbet said. "I think most golfers dream of even just visiting those courses. For her to have the opportunity to go there to play is incredible.
"She's an excellent representative of Mayo High School, Mayo golf, and Rochester, so it's going to be really cool to see her in that limelight."
The U.S. team will face Team Scotland in a Ryder Cup-style tournament that features six rounds, all at historic Scottish courses.
Among those is North Berwick, which has played host to the Scottish Open and has been a site for final qualifying for the Open Championship.
They'll also play three rounds at St. Andrews courses, which are adjacent to the Old Course, a legendary track that has hosted the Women's Open Championship three times and the Open Championship 30 times. One of the courses that Bolster and Collins will play, the Eden Course at St. Andrews, runs alongside the 13th and 14th holes of the Old Course.
"North Berwick is one of the best courses in the world," Bolster said. "And just getting to see St. Andrews, knowing so much about it and watching so much professional golf, and just thinking 'wow, I can go there and see that.' It'll be really cool."
That's enough looking ahead for Bolster's liking. She has a mission to complete at home first.
After getting her first taste of the state meet last year — she finished 36th, shooting an excellent 4-over-par 76 in the final round — she wants to go back and she wants a better finish.
"She has a lot of experience in high-pressure situations," Kolbet said. "We have a lot of good competition, especially in our section this year There are four pretty good teams at the top and they only take the top five individuals to the state tournament.
"I think having that knowledge or even just that muscle memory of what it feels like to play under pressure makes it easier for her to stay calm and play her game."
To finish her high school career at Bunker Hills — no slouch in its own right, having hosted a PGA Tour Champions event from 1993-2000, as well as a USGA Public Links National Championship, and multiple Minnesota State Open Championships — Bolster will just need to hold her ground in the final round of the Section 1-3A meet on Thursday. She's in a good spot at 7-over, but only three shots separate her from a group of talented golfers at 10-over, who are just outside the cut line after Tuesday's first round.
"I know it's going to take two days of really good golf," Bolster said last week as she fine-tuned her game for the postseason at the Eastwood Golf Course practice range. "Last year, I had a good first day, but the second day was just OK. This year it's going to probably take two days in the low 80s, at least."
Defending section champion Owatonna holds a narrow two-shot lead going into Thursday's final round. The Huskies shot a 325 on Tuesday, while Lakeville North shot 327.
North's Olivia Hanson leads the individuals, at even-par 72. Owatonna's Carmen Jirele is second, at 76, followed by Bolster, Owatonna's Paige Thompson and Farmington's Chloe Friesz in a three-way tie for third, at 79.
SECTION 1, CLASS 3A RESULTS
First Round, Tuesday
(At Cannon Golf Club, Cannon Falls; par 72)
TEAM TOTALS
1. Owatonna 325, 2. Lakeville North 327, 3. Farmington 340, 4. Northfield 350, 5. Mayo 351, 6. Austin 370, 7. Lakeville South 380, 8. Albert Lea 383, 9. Century 386, 10. John Marshall 391, 11. Faribault 403.
INDIVIDUALS
(Top 10, local scorers)
1. Olivia Hanson (LN) 72, 2. Carmen Jirele (Owt) 76, 3t. Flora Bolster (Mayo) 79, 3t. Paige Thompson (Owt) 79, 3t. Chloe Friesz (Farm) 79, 6t. Olivia Streefland (Far) 80, 6t. Karina Johnson (Nfld) 80, 8t. Cindy Kraus (LN) 82, 8t. Ailani Thiravong (Aust) 82, 8t. Annika Johnson (Nfld) 82.
Mayo (351): Flora Bolster 79, Dylan Raukar 87, Sloane Bolster 89, Aubrey Evenson 96, Josie Meyer 99, Molly Landherr 116.
Austin (370): Ailani Thiravong 82, Lucy Annis 93, Gracie Greenman 96, Reagan Harty 99, Adalyn Coyle 101, Ali Muzik 105.
Century (386): Charlotte Perry 90, Cora Erickson 94, Stella Link 99, Kate Weckwerth 103, Athena Homb 104, Alexis Pronk 119.
John Marshall (391): Ashtyn Krenke 86, Kaleigh Risser 96, Cate Bogenrief 102, Mia Webb 107, Esmae Miller 107, Adalyn Krenke 125.
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It's a mindset she's worked to build up for years on the golf course, and it's served her well as a senior leader for the Mayo High School girls golf team.
"I pretty much always have the attitude of, I let myself celebrate good shots and good holes, but just not getting too upset over bad stuff, because it's going to happen," Bolster, a fifth-year varsity regular, said. "The biggest thing I've learned is just not to worry about the outcome. Adding up scores during a round isn't really going to do you any favors. Don't get too far ahead."
Though Bolster and the Spartans are amid the biggest meets of the high school season, the senior can be forgiven if she's peeking ahead on the calendar just a bit.
Her immediate goal is a strong showing at the Section 1, Class 3A meet — she sits in third place individually going into Thursday's final round after shooting an opening-round 79 Tuesday at Cannon Golf Club in Cannon Falls. The winning team and the top five individuals not on the winning team qualify for the state meet, set for June 9-10 at Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids.
Just beyond that meet, though, is the next biggest golf meet of Bolster's life. Just three days after the state meet — and her high school career — ends, she'll board a plane with 23 other high school golfers from across the country. That group of two dozen top young players — which also includes Rochester Century junior Boston Collins — will comprise the Team USA roster for the 2026 Scotland Junior Golf Invitational co-ed Tour.
"It's an incredible opportunity for her," Mayo head coach Karen Kolbet said. "I think most golfers dream of even just visiting those courses. For her to have the opportunity to go there to play is incredible.
"She's an excellent representative of Mayo High School, Mayo golf, and Rochester, so it's going to be really cool to see her in that limelight."
The U.S. team will face Team Scotland in a Ryder Cup-style tournament that features six rounds, all at historic Scottish courses.
Among those is North Berwick, which has played host to the Scottish Open and has been a site for final qualifying for the Open Championship.
They'll also play three rounds at St. Andrews courses, which are adjacent to the Old Course, a legendary track that has hosted the Women's Open Championship three times and the Open Championship 30 times. One of the courses that Bolster and Collins will play, the Eden Course at St. Andrews, runs alongside the 13th and 14th holes of the Old Course.
"North Berwick is one of the best courses in the world," Bolster said. "And just getting to see St. Andrews, knowing so much about it and watching so much professional golf, and just thinking 'wow, I can go there and see that.' It'll be really cool."
That's enough looking ahead for Bolster's liking. She has a mission to complete at home first.
After getting her first taste of the state meet last year — she finished 36th, shooting an excellent 4-over-par 76 in the final round — she wants to go back and she wants a better finish.
"She has a lot of experience in high-pressure situations," Kolbet said. "We have a lot of good competition, especially in our section this year There are four pretty good teams at the top and they only take the top five individuals to the state tournament.
"I think having that knowledge or even just that muscle memory of what it feels like to play under pressure makes it easier for her to stay calm and play her game."
To finish her high school career at Bunker Hills — no slouch in its own right, having hosted a PGA Tour Champions event from 1993-2000, as well as a USGA Public Links National Championship, and multiple Minnesota State Open Championships — Bolster will just need to hold her ground in the final round of the Section 1-3A meet on Thursday. She's in a good spot at 7-over, but only three shots separate her from a group of talented golfers at 10-over, who are just outside the cut line after Tuesday's first round.
"I know it's going to take two days of really good golf," Bolster said last week as she fine-tuned her game for the postseason at the Eastwood Golf Course practice range. "Last year, I had a good first day, but the second day was just OK. This year it's going to probably take two days in the low 80s, at least."
Defending section champion Owatonna holds a narrow two-shot lead going into Thursday's final round. The Huskies shot a 325 on Tuesday, while Lakeville North shot 327.
North's Olivia Hanson leads the individuals, at even-par 72. Owatonna's Carmen Jirele is second, at 76, followed by Bolster, Owatonna's Paige Thompson and Farmington's Chloe Friesz in a three-way tie for third, at 79.
SECTION 1, CLASS 3A RESULTS
First Round, Tuesday
(At Cannon Golf Club, Cannon Falls; par 72)
TEAM TOTALS
1. Owatonna 325, 2. Lakeville North 327, 3. Farmington 340, 4. Northfield 350, 5. Mayo 351, 6. Austin 370, 7. Lakeville South 380, 8. Albert Lea 383, 9. Century 386, 10. John Marshall 391, 11. Faribault 403.
INDIVIDUALS
(Top 10, local scorers)
1. Olivia Hanson (LN) 72, 2. Carmen Jirele (Owt) 76, 3t. Flora Bolster (Mayo) 79, 3t. Paige Thompson (Owt) 79, 3t. Chloe Friesz (Farm) 79, 6t. Olivia Streefland (Far) 80, 6t. Karina Johnson (Nfld) 80, 8t. Cindy Kraus (LN) 82, 8t. Ailani Thiravong (Aust) 82, 8t. Annika Johnson (Nfld) 82.
Mayo (351): Flora Bolster 79, Dylan Raukar 87, Sloane Bolster 89, Aubrey Evenson 96, Josie Meyer 99, Molly Landherr 116.
Austin (370): Ailani Thiravong 82, Lucy Annis 93, Gracie Greenman 96, Reagan Harty 99, Adalyn Coyle 101, Ali Muzik 105.
Century (386): Charlotte Perry 90, Cora Erickson 94, Stella Link 99, Kate Weckwerth 103, Athena Homb 104, Alexis Pronk 119.
John Marshall (391): Ashtyn Krenke 86, Kaleigh Risser 96, Cate Bogenrief 102, Mia Webb 107, Esmae Miller 107, Adalyn Krenke 125.
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