There is a definite Hamilton County flavor to the Indiana Golf Foundation’s Boys State Junior Championship, which is taking place this week at Purdue University.
Eighteen players with county ties have advanced from the stroke play round to match play, which begins this morning at Purdue’s Kampen course. That includes two of the top four seeds, both of whom are from Carmel.
Clay Stirsman, recently part of the Greyhounds’ state championship golf team, finished second in stroke play with a five-under par 139. Stirsman, an incoming senior, tied with Lafayette’s Nicholas Hofman, but Hofman won a playoff to earn medalist honors in the stroke play round. Sam Booth, also of Carmel, finished fourth with a one-under 143. Stirsman had nine birdies over his two rounds, with junior-to-be Booth making six birdies.
Russiaville’s Ty Gingerich, a recent graduate of Guerin Catholic, tied for fifth place with Carmel’s Luke Prall, an incoming senior for the ‘Hounds. Both carded even par 144s, with Gingerich shooting a three-under 69 in his second round. Gingerich had five second-round birdies and seven overall. Prall had eight total birdies. Westfield’s Drew Pickering, a recent Heritage Christian graduate, tied for seventh with a 145, making 10 total birdies for the tournament. Recent Carmel graduate Nick Dentino also made birdies for the tournament.
Here’s a complete list of Hamilton County results, followed by tee times for local players in their first-round matches.
- Clay Stirsman, Carmel 70-69=139, 4. Sam Booth, Carmel 72-71=143, T5. Ty Gingerich, Russiaville (Guerin Catholic) 75-69=144; Luke Prall, Carmel 73-71=144, T7. Drew Pickering, Westfield 71-74=145, T17. Benjamin Burgan, Westfield 75-73=148; Nels Surtani, Noblesville 74-74=148; Daivic Akala, Fishers 72-76=148, T23. Luke Mattingly, Fishers 79-70=149; Jack Crawford, Carmel 73-76=149, T27. Nick Dentino, Carmel 78-72=150, T29. Jacob Deakyne, Noblesville 76-75=151, T42. Bryce Robertson, Fishers 78-75=153; Caleb Bopp, Fishers 74-79=153, T46. Alec Cesare, Westfield 80-74=154, 53. Shoji Fujita, Carmel 76-79=155, T54. Ryan Ford, Carmel 75-81=156, T59. Connor McNeely, Noblesville 80-77=157.
Missed cut: Nolan Hall, Westfield 83-83=166, Rocco Browning, Westfield 86-83=169, Andrew Harvey, Fishers 78-92=170.