By Nick Hunter

BREEZY POINT, Minn. – Converting three birdie chances over his final 12 holes Sunday helped Lucas Johnson grab a share of the early lead with Eddie Wynne to begin the 2026 Minnesota Assistant PGA Championship.

A steady back nine for Johnson propelled him to the top of the leaderboard after the opening round, while Wynne used a string of three birdies over his final four holes to close out his opening nine to push him to the front of the pack.

Johnson and Wynne will open Monday’s final round one shot clear of Nate Adams, who posted a 2-under 70 Sunday, and by defending champion Trey Fessler and Connor Schubring, who each opened the championship with rounds of 1-under 71.

With one top-5 finish to his credit this season, the 27-year-old Johnson is looking for his first section victory since he claimed the 2025 Dakota Chapter Championship at Oxbow Country Club in Fargo, N.D.

Up and down through his first six holes Sunday, Johnson found his stride after a birdie at the par-4 seventh before taking advantage of the par-5 ninth to turn in 2-under for his round.

Steady over his next eight holes, Johnson carded consecutive pars before a birdie at the par-5 18th sent him into a share of the opening-round lead with Wynne at 3-under 69.

After a pair of victories during the 2025 season, Wynne is still searching for his first win of the 2026 season, posting seven top-5 finishes across 18 events this year.

Starting with an early bogey Sunday, Wynne, 49, came surging back by carding three birdies over his final nine holes of his front side to turn in 2-under for the day.

He’d open the back with a third consecutive birdie but would trade a birdie with a bogey at Nos. 13 and 14, and again at the 17th and 18th holes to finish the day in a tie for the lead at 3-under 69.

The final round of the 2026 Minnesota Assistant PGA Championship gets underway with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Monday at Deacon’s Lodge.

 

THE 2026 MINNESOTA ASSISTANT PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

DEACON’S LODGE

BREEZY POINT, MINN.

6,943 YARDS, PAR 72

 

SUNDAY’S FIRST ROUND RESULTS

T1. Eddie Wynne, North Oaks GC, 34-35—69

T1. Lucas Johnson, Suite Shots, 34-35—69

3. Nate Adams, Eagle Lake Youth Golf Center, 36-34—70

T4. Trey Fessler, Albany Golf Course, 35-36—71

T4. Conor Schubring, Bethel Univ., 38-33—71

T6. Brennan Hockman, Sanford Power Golf Academy, 35-37—72

T6. Zach Sklebar, TaylorMade Golf Co., 35-37—72

T6. Jonah Dohrer, Sanford Power Golf Academy, 36-36—72

T9. Michael Elsen, Minneapolis GC, 38-36—74

T9. Kyle Berg, Interlachen CC, 36-38—74

T9. Caleb Christensen, New Ulm CC, 34-40—74

 

For complete tournament results go to: MN PGA Assistants’ Championship – Overall Leaderboard | Minnesota PGA