In their first scramble event of the season, the Eagles sent two teams of two players each to the links to compete in the Mankato Girls Golf Neon Invite. Eagles seniors Maddy Wellmann and Brogan Thordson teamed up to finish 11th out of 21 teams, while seniors Lilly Kral and Chloe Kelley finished 15th.

The 18-hole invite encouraged golfers to wear neon colors and was split into three unique parts.

The first six holes saw the teams alternate shots to complete each hole.

Holes 7 through 12 was a common scramble format. The scramble format saw each team member hit from the same spot on each shot, with the team selecting the best ball for their next shot. This continued until the hole was completed.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm’s Brogan Thordson watches a tee shot of hers on the eighth hole at North Links Golf Course on Saturday afternoon in North Mankato.

The final six holes were best ball rules, with each team member taking their own shots and going with the lowest score.

Temperatures topped out around 80 degrees with a slight breeze during the meet, making for a perfect day of golf.

The Rock Ridge team of Erin Hughes and Emma Berg finished first at the event with a 1-under-par 71.

Wellmann and Thordson finished with a score of 101, with Wellmann sinking her first-ever birdie on the par-4 11th hole from the fringe.

“That was my first birdie ever,” Wellmann said. “I’ve never had one. … I couldn’t line up the ball because I wasn’t on the green technically yet, so I just kind of winged it. I looked at the green, I saw the little angle down, but I just had to go with my gut.”

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm’s Maddy Wellmann watches a pitch shot of hers find the green during the Mankato Girls Golf Neon Invite at North Links Golf Course on Saturday in North Mankato.

While some tee shots on the back nine weren’t pretty for the duo, they were able to save some holes with improved putting, including the birdie on the 11th and pars on Holes 10 and 16.

“I think us working as a team during the scramble and the alternate was the best,” Wellmann said. “We work so well together, I’ve known [Brogan] since we were little kids. If someone shoots a bad shot, the other can pick the other one back up. As you can tell, the best ball was not our favorite.”

Despite getting a par during the final six holes, the two were unable to gain much ground as they had two double bogeys, two triple bogeys and a quadruple bogey during that time.

“We got in our heads immediately,” Thordson said. “We already had low confidence going into the best ball because we were like, ‘Oh, we’re gonna be by ourselves, not working together.’ And there you go.”

Thordson said she liked the overall invite, however, and had fun. She also said it was a good reminder heading into the section tournament Wednesday to be more relaxed.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm’s Lilly Kral watches a shot of hers during the Mankato Girls Golf Neon Invite at North Links Golf Course on Saturday in North Mankato.

“Being relaxed in general,” Thordson said. “We all do better when we’re relaxed and I think having Maddy by my side definitely made me realize that I was much more relaxed. So going forward when I’m by myself, I think I just need to lighten up a little bit.”

Kral and Kelley, who shot a 103 together, enjoyed the invite also. After a rough start the two laughed about and in many ways probably wanted to forget, they carded a 60 on the par-36 front nine.

“We were going back and forth [the first six holes] and you’re kind of icing each other out because it just took so long for both of us to hit the other person’s ball,” Kral said.

Kelley also thought the first six holes were the toughest due to the format.

“With golf, it’s normally a shot by shot, not a shot, wait, shot, so it’s harder to change your mindset quick with alternating,” Kelley said.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm’s Chloe Kelley taps the ball onto the green during the Mankato Girls Golf Neon Invite at North Links Golf Course on Saturday in North Mankato.

On Hole 7, the first of the scramble format, the two finished with a par in what was a sign of things to come. The duo ended up turning in a 43 on the par-36 back nine.

“We parred four holes [on the back nine],” Kral said before being high-fived by Kelley.

Both Kral and Kelley enjoyed the neon invite despite its challenges. Kelley said she liked it despite the tee times, which didn’t quite start on time due to sharing the course with the public.

Kral called the invite different but fun.

“Very different from what we’re used to,” Kral said. “I think it was fun, especially doing it with people that we enjoy hanging out with. We had great girls with us, so I think it was fun.”

With the first round of the Section 3AA Girls Golf Tournament beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Oakdale Golf Club in Buffalo Lake, the neon invite gave four Eagles a chance to get in extra work despite the different course.

“I know what clubs I can hit straight,” Kral said. “I can definitely work on some clubs that I know weren’t going my way today.”

For Kelley, North Links was a great challenge to help prepare her for the week ahead.

“This course definitely had me pick out what is my weaknesses and what’s not, so then I can kind of work on it for sections and hopefully do well,” Kelley said.

If the Eagles can do well in the first round of the section tournament, they can play for a chance at the state meet by finishing strong in the second round on May 27 back at Oakdale Golf Club. Kral advanced to the second round of the section tournament last year.