North Dakota’s Amy Olson wins medalist honors at Mendota Heights U.S. Open qualifier

North Dakota’s Amy Olson has quite a majors pedigree, something she’ll have a chance to add to in July at Pebble Beach.

The 30-year-old earned medalist honors at Monday’s U.S. Open qualifier event at Somerset Country Club in Mendota Heights with a 36-hole score of 6-under par.

The other qualifying spot went to Bailey Tardy, who topped Jennifer Chang in a playoff after both golfers finished with two-round scores of 4-under par. Tardy won the playoff with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole.

Olson has twice finished in a tie for second at major championships — the Evian Championship in 2018 and the 2020 U.S. Open. She was three back of a qualifying spot after her first round Monday, where she fired an even-par round of 72.

But Olson — who’s currently the 334th-ranked player in the world and has just one LPGA Tour start this season — turned in a 66 to out-pace the field in Round 2. The women’s U.S. Open is slated for July 6-9 in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Tardy is the 420th-ranked player in the world, while Chang — who’s played five LPGA events this year — is 180th.

Alexandra Schilling of Zumbrota was the top-finishing Minnesotan, recording a two-round score of 5-over. That was good for a tie for eighth. Simley junior Reese McCauley finished in a tie for 12th at 7-over.

Gophers freshman Luisamariana Mesones, who qualified for NCAA Regionals this spring, finished alone in fifth at 1-under par, three shots off the qualifying pace. Mesones was the highest-finishing amateur Monday.