By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – The inaugural Pete and Alice Dye National Junior Invitational had two basic goals: Showcase the best young golf talent in the country and honor the legacy of two golf icons.
It was mission accomplished on both counts.
The tournament finished up play Wednesday afternoon at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, the course the Dyes designed and lived on for many years. Each hole featured quotes about the couple, and it was easy to feel their presence everywhere.
“It was important to the committee to put on a great championship event for the kids,” said Tony Pancake, Director of Golf at Crooked Stick. “But the real reason we’re doing this is to honor Pete and Alice. And we want this next generation of future tour players to have a better understanding of who the Dyes were and the impact they had on the game. That’s why we have the flags around the course, that’s why we have the quotes around the course, and the pictures and the accomplishments of Pete and Alice displayed around the club.”
The invitational featured 33 boys players and 33 girls players, a nod to the Indianapolis 500, which features 33 drivers in that race each year. Most of the golfers were from Indiana and nearby states, but there were a couple from Florida, three from Texas and one from Arizona.
Locally, eight golfers from Hamilton County participated in the event, five boys and three girls. The highest finisher from the county was Carmel’s Drew Wrightson, who just finished his junior year at Brebeuf Jesuit.
Wrightson finished in a three-way tie for second place with a 54-hole score of 220, four over par. He finished with a 76 in his third round, making two birdies along the way. He shared second place with Jordan Gilkison of Springboro, Ohio and John Daly II of Clearwater, Fla., the son of John Daly, who won the PGA Championship when it was played at Crooked Stick in 1991.
“I played pretty well,” said Wrightson. “Pretty pleased with my first tournament back. I can’t complain.”
Wrightson was just one of the players who enjoyed the experience of getting to play in the tournament, on his home course, too.
“It was awesome,” said Wrightson. “Just being able to honor Pete and Alice Dye, just two incredible figures in golf is just absolutely fantastic. And to be on my home course, too, it is pretty sweet.”
Two other local boys finished in the top 10. Noblesville’s Clay Merchent placed seventh with a 223, shooting 74 in the third round. Merchent made three birdies on Wednesday, and was one of a handful of players to make an eagle during the tournament, which he did during Tuesday’s first round.
“It’s turned out to be a great event,” said Merchent. “I think this field will get better and better every year because they took the opportunity and made it happen.”
Carmel’s Luke Prall was part of a three-way tie for eighth-place, carding a 224 for the tournament. Prall shot a 74 for his third round, which he finished strong by making birdies on two of his last three holes.
Prall also enjoyed the tournament, especially since Crooked Stick is home course as well.
“I wanted to play well,” said Prall. “I’m glad I ended up playing pretty good.”
Noblesville’s Nels Surtani, a Park Tudor senior, finished with a three-day score of 235, including a 76 for his third round. Surtani made three birdies on Wednesday.
Carmel’s Clay Stirsman totaled 236 for the tournament, shooting a 74 in the third round. That included two birdies.
On the girls’ side, Westfield’s Jocelyn Bruch tied for fifth place with a score of 223. Bruch finished her third round with a one-over par 73; she began Wednesday play by making two birdies on her first two holes.
“I was so thankful that Crooked Stick gave us the opportunity to play,” said Bruch. “I think this is probably one of the first tournaments that people have been able to play since the quarantine. They ran the tournament so well. It was definitely run as well as any tour event. We’re just thankful to the members letting us come out here and play and the course was in amazing shape.”
Carmel’s Katie Kuc finished the tournament with a 246, shooting 78 for the third round. Another Carmel player, Guerin Catholic’s Angelica Pfefferkorn, finished with a 258, including a 92 for the third round. Both players made one birdie on Wednesday.
Both the boys and the girls championships were claimed by Kentucky players. Laney Frye of Nicholasville, Ky. (a suburb of Lexington) finished with a score of 214, or two-under par, making her the only player to shoot under par for the tournament. John Marshall Butler of Louisville won the boys division, with an even par 216.