Red Wing senior Stephanie Herzog reeled in the top honor for a Minnesota high school golfer Monday, taking home the Minnesota Ms. Golf Award.
Herzog, who will play for Iowa in the fall, demonstrated that she's got the right stuff for the Big Ten Conference, compiling the lowest scoring average among all girls golfers this season, at 71.5. Herzog was also a consistent winner. She finished either first or tied for it in 11 of the 13 tournaments she played in this year.
Herzog wasn't at all sure that she would be named Minnesota Ms. Golf, which is in its second year as an award.
"I was honored just to be a finalist," Herzog said. "It was really surprising for me to win it."
The only golfers to finish ahead of Herzog in tournaments this season were two of her teammates. One was her sophomore sister Leah Herzog, the other sophomore Sophia Yoemans.
Stephanie Herzog is ranked No. 1 in the Minnesota Golf Association individual high school rankings, as is her team in Class AAA. Edina is No. 2.
Red Wing won the Section 1AAA tournament and begins play in the state tournament today at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids. The event ends Wednesday.
Herzog finished 11th in the Class AAA meet last year and was fourth in Class AA as a sophomore.
Earlier this season, Herzog had consecutive rounds of 66 and 67, with a hole-in-one mixed in.
The Wingers golf team is coached by Herzog's father, Mark Herzog. Red Wing was third in the Class AAA tournament last year and second in Class AA the year before that.
The Minnesota Mr. Golf Award went to Minnetonka's Ben Sigel. Like Herzog, he is the No. 1-ranked golfer in Class AAA and also compiled the lowest score average among boys this season — 70.8.
Sigel, the state's defending champion, will play at Kansas in the fall.
