Terry O'Loughlin and John Harris each shot 2-under-par 69 on the final day, giving Minnesota the USGA Men's State Team Championship title by six strokes over California at SunRidge Canyon Golf Club, in Fountain Hills, Ariz. Minnesota had held a two-stroke lead heading into the final round.

Minnesota finished at 10-under-par 416, while California was six strokes back at 422, with Indiana and Tennessee another stroke back at 423. Defending champion Virginia was tied with North Carolina for fifth, at 427.

Fifty-one teams were entered, including Puerto Rico, in this biennial championship, which began in 1995 as part of the USGA's Centennial celebration.

O'Loughlin, 28, of White Bear Lake, was the low individual scorer over the three days with a 6-under 207. He shot under par each day, with his best effort a 3-under 68 in the second round.

Harris, 44, of Edina, the 1993 U.S. Amateur champion and a three-time state Amateur winner, was also among the individual leaders with a three-day total of 3-under 210.

The Minnesota team also featured Joe Stansberry of Minneapolis, who finished at 219, with a 2-under 69 on the second day.

"I really haven't done anything in stroke play," said O'Loughlin, an office supplies salesman who won the 1996 and 1997 State Match Play Championship. "Maybe I did well because I was playing for the team."

The key was having three evenly matched and strong players, according to Harris, a nationally decorated amateur who recently led the United States team to victory at the 1997 Walker Cup Match.

"It's not two players, it's three. And everybody contributed," said Harris, an insurance broker and reinstated amateur.

Craig Steinberg of van Nuys and Mark Johnson of Helendale led California, each with 211 totals. John "Spider" Miller, the 1996 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, was the second low individual at 4-under 209, in leading Indiana's effort.

Alabama led by two strokes after the first day with a 5-under total of 136. Minnesota took the lead after 36 holes, with a 6-under total of 278, two strokes ahead of California, Tennessee and Virginia.

Steve Sheehan of Reno, Nevada, the older brother of two-time U.S. Women's Open champion Patty Sheehan, carded the low round of the week with a 7-under 64, using a long 48 inch putter.

There were three holes-in-one, including one by 53-year-old Roger Null of Wensville, Mo., which was the 12th of his career. Null, however, was not the oldest golfer on site.

Players ranged in age from 60-year-old Bob Hullender of San Antonio, Texas, the 1996 Texas Amateur champion, who shot 69 on the second day, to a number of high school players, two of whom played for North Dakota.

North Dakota was the only team to boast two USGA champions - Mike Podolak of Oxbow won the 1984 U.S. Mid-Amateur and 18-year-old high school senior Shane McMenamy of Grand Forks, won the 1996 U.S. Junior Amateur title.

1	Minnesota	416
2	California	422
3	Indiana	423
	Tennessee	423
5	Virginia	427
	North Carolina	427
7	Colorado	428
8	Texas	429
9	Florida	431
	Nevada	431
	South Carolina	431
	Arkansas	431
13	Louisiana	432
	Wisconsin	432
	North Dakota	432
16	Washington	433
	Iowa	433
	Alabama	433
19	Pennsylvania	436
	Kentucky	436
21	West Virginia	437
	Vermont	437
23	Missouri	438
24	Georgia	439
	New York	439
26	Connecticut	440
	Illinois	440
	Mississippi	440
	Oregon	440
	Idaho	440
31	Nebraska	441
	Michigan	441
	Rhode Island	441
	Ohio	441
35	Arizona	442
	New Jersey	442
37	Maine	443
38	Maryland	444
39	Delaware	445
	New Hampshire	445
41	Montana	446
42	Massachusetts	447
43	Kansas	448
44	Utah	450
	Hawaii	450
46	Oklahoma	451
47	Puerto Rico	452
	New Mexico	452
	Alaska	452
50	South Dakota	456
51	Wyoming	472