The long-anticipated 2020 Boys Team Finals got under way Wednesday at Purdue University’s Ackerman-Allen Course with 18 teams competing in the first round.
The golfers had to contend with blustery conditions, with gusty winds throughout the day. But they played through it and were able to put up some decent scores. After play finished, the top five teams were within five shots of each other.
Center Grove Legacy is in first place with a 312. Carmel’s team, calling itself “Straight Off The Couch,” stands only two shots back with a 314. Sam Booth and Clay Stirsman led the team with 77s; Booth had two birdies on the day while Stirsman made one. Lucas Stitle helped out with back-to-back birdies on holes 6 and 7.
Guerin Catholic’s team, Pebble Brook 1, is tied for third place with Last Dance (Penn’s team) after both carded 316s. For Pebble Brook, Andrew White and Jacob Modleski both made an eagle and a birdie; White’s eagle came on the 14th hole, with Modleski making his on the sixth hole. Meanwhile, the other three Pebble Brook golfers – Ben Burgan, Connor McNeely and Christian Hein – all had two birdies each. McNeely led the scoring with a 77.
The Shamrocks, from Westfield, scored a 334 to place 15th after the first round. Nolan Hall led the way with an 80; he, Alec Cesare, Joe Sawyer and Spencer Howe all made two birdies, while Drake Biggs had one birdie.
The Boys Team Finals finish up today with the second round at Ackerman-Allen. Play begins at 8:30 a.m. with teams going off on either the first hole or the 10th hole.
The Shamrocks go off the 10th hole between 9:15 and 9:51 a.m. Pebble Brook will start from the first tee, also between 9:15 and 9:51 a.m. SOTC will play in the final group, teeing off No. 1 between 10 and 10:36 a.m.
Team scores: Center Grove Legacy 312, Straight Off The Couch 314, Last Dance 316, Pebble Brook 1 316, Tipton Blue Devils 317, Southern Indiana Accuracy 323, Bingham Tigers 327, TRC 328, Twirls for the Girls 328, Vikings 328, Irish Blue 329, Columbia City Eagles 330, Zionsville Varsity 330, Harrison Lakers 333, Shamrocks 334, Team Sellersburg 335, Evansville North 337, Roncalli Red 349.
Straight Off The Couch scores: Sam Booth 39-38=77, Clay Stirsman 40-33=77, Luke Prall 39-39=78, Lucas Stitle 37-45=82, Nick Katsis 45-43=88.
Pebble Brook 1 scores: Connor McNeely 37-40=77, Jacob Modleski 40-38=78, Ben Burgan 39-41=80, Andrew White 43-38=81, Christian Hein 43-44=87.
Shamrocks scores: Nolan Hall 38-42=80, Alec Cesare 42-42=84, Drake Biggs 41-43=84, Joe Sawyer 46-40=86, Spencer Howe 41-49=90.
IWGA STATE AMATEUR BEGINS
The Indiana Women’s Golf Association State Amateur Championship began Wednesday at Old Oakland Golf Club South/East in Indianapolis.
Three Westfield players are in the top 10. Cailyn Henderson and Sophie McGinnis are part of a tie for fourth place with a 73, while Jocelyn Bruch is tied for eighth with a 75. McGinnis made four birdies in her round, with Henderson getting three and Bruch making two.
The tournament is a 54-hole event, with the second round taking place today. Players will be flighted after today’s round and play the third round on Friday.
Other Hamilton County scores now follow:
13. Hailyn Harris, Carmel, 76, T17. Katie Kuc, Carmel, 78, T24. Morgan Lewis, Fishers, 79; Angelica Pfefferkorn, Carmel, 79, T35. Sydney Hruskoci, Fishers, 81, T44. Ava Hedrick, Carmel, 83, T50. Kennedy Brooker, Fishers, 84, Sarah Brenneman, Noblesville, 84; T56. Caroline Whallon, Noblesville, 85, Ellie Karst, Noblesville, 85, T68. Macy Beeson, Noblesville, 88, T70, Kaylee Imel, Carmel, 89; Erin Evans, Carmel, 89, T73. Michaela Headlee, Carmel, 90, T75. Elizabeth Hedrick, Carmel, 91; Mckayla Tallman, Westfield 91, T80. Taylor Caldwell, Noblesville, 95, T88. Shelley Kohlmeier, Noblesville, 106.
Birdies made: Lewis 2, Harris 1, Pfefferkorn 1, Hruskoci 1, A. Hedrick 1, Brenneman 1, E. Hedrick 1.
Lucas Stitle made back-to-back birdies for Straight Off The Couch, the team from Carmel. SOTC is in second place after the first round. (Richie Hall)