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The golfers played in a two-day, 36-hole tournament at Koronis Hills sponsored by the Minnesota Women's Public Golf Association.

Koronis Hills has hosted state qualfiers before, but this is believed to be the first state championship held at the course. The event not only brought some of the best amateur female golfers to Paynesville, but it provided statewide exposure to Koronis Hills.

Heather Fuchs watches her tee shot fly to the #17 green on Sunday. Fuchs placed third in the First Flight, carding rounds of 82 and 86.

The Minnesota Women's Public Golf Association is open to all female golfers that belong to a public golf course, defined as a course that allows public play. The organization estimates its statewide membership at 6,500 female golfers.

The 57th Annual State Publinks Championship had 83 golfers divided into seven flights.

All golfers played the course at 5,533 yards, which is longer than the course normally plays from the red women's tees (5,040 yards). To add length to the course, the golfers played some holes from the white or blue tees. (For comparison, Koronis Hills plays 6,060 yards from the white tees, meaning the course set-up for the tournament was roughly halfway between the normal red and white tees.

The golfers also played #14 as a par-5, making the course play as a par-72 for the tournament.

Claudia Pilot of Ramsey Golf Club, along with a small gallery, watch her drive on #15 at Koronis Hills on Sunday. The 57th Annual Women's Publinks Championship was held at Koronis Hills over the weekend. Pilot won the championship flight by one stroke, shooting 75-76=151.

Winning the 14-golfer championship flight was Claudia Pilot of Ramsey Golf Club, shooting 75-76=151 to beat Maria Sera (75-77=152) of the University Golf Club by one stroke. Also in the top flight was Jackie Best of Sauk Centre, who finished fifth at 158.

Eight local golfers - seven current members of Koronis Hills and one former member - also played in the two-day tournament.

Heather Fuchs, who competed in the state high school golf tourney this spring and is the current women's champion at Koronis Hills, finished third in the first flight, shooting 82-86=168.

Five-time club champion ReNae Martinson finished third in the second flight, shooting 92-84=176. Sally Deyak, a former Koronis Hills member who was the club champion in 2002, finished fifth in the second flight. Deyak, who is a board member on the Minnesota Women's Public Golf Association, shot 95-88=183.

In the sixth flight, Sue Biedler finished second, and Dorothy Martinson tied for fifth. And in the seventh flight, Steph Malingen finished second, Deb Nehowig finished fourth, and Maurine Pederson finished eighth.