Easton Fiddle plays in the Minnesota PGA Junior Golf ’Sota Series. Photo: Jeff Lawler
Easton Fiddle is named to Minnesota’s inaugural junior golf team.
Aspiring young golfers in the state have a new opportunity for training and competition. As part of the United States National Development Program (USNDP), Team Minnesota is the state’s first junior golf team, created to identify and provide critical development to elite high school golfers.
Sixteen-year-old Easton Fiddle of Hugo is one of 24 athletes on the inaugural roster. A rising junior and varsity golf team captain at White Bear Lake Area High School (WBLAHS), Easton was the top point earner among 12 high school boys in the selection process, following a winning season that saw Easton place second at the Minnesota Boys Junior PGA Championship and qualify for two national tournaments. “Easton showed incredible resilience. He really knows his game well,” says Holly Noble, captain of Team Minnesota and Minnesota Golf Association women’s golf manager, of the golfer’s 2025 season.
As an athlete on Team Minnesota, Easton has already received equipment fittings and participated in regular team training and a multiday performance summit following the USNDP’s elite training framework. “It’s not like a traditional team … where you’re practicing every day together. It’s a little bit more elevated, higher-level resource providing and making sure that these athletes have all of the tools that they need to elevate their game and perform at the highest level,” Noble says.
WBLAHS head golf coach Craig Nasvik has come to know Easton as a grounded athlete, leader and teammate with significant growth potential. As a seventh-grade varsity contender, Easton progressed to the state tournament, an achievement that Nasvik says “is practically unheard of.” Easton has returned each year with greater success, and he served as a team captain in his sophomore season. “The kid has checked all the boxes as far as amateur play in the state … It’s no surprise that he’s on [Team Minnesota]. He’s a great representation of the state for golf,” Nasvik says.
When the high school golf season begins each March, it can be all-consuming. Amid a packed schedule of tournaments and varsity practices, Easton does additional training with swing coach Craig Brischke at Tanners Brook Golf Club (where he also works part time) and athletic coach Curt Carbaugh at Acceleration North Sports Training.
One of Easton’s greatest strengths on the green is his mental fortitude under pressure. The soft-spoken golfer exudes a steady calm in every competition. “He knows where he wants to get. He knows what it’s going to take to get there,” Nasvik says.
“You can see the hard work that he puts into it … he’s so passionate about it and just takes it with great stride,” says Jesse Fiddle, Easton’s father. Jesse shares that golf may be Easton’s “third passion,” after fishing and hunting, and Easton has become adept at balancing his hobbies with golf and schoolwork.
As Easton navigates his first season on Team Minnesota, he’s grateful for the recognition and the opportunity to compete at a higher level. “It means a lot to me and my family,” he says.
Team Minnesota
Instagram: @teammngolf
