For the first time in its 123-year history, the Indiana State Amateur Golf Tournament is coming to the Indiana University campus and several hometown favorites will be on hand.
The Pfau Course at Indiana University will host the state’s premier amateur golf championship from June 19-21. The three-day event will feature 156 of the state’s best amateur players competing in a 54-hole, individual stroke play competition. Following the opening 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 60 scores in preparation for the final round on June 21.
The event is free to attend for spectators.
Locals to keep an eye on include Bloomington’s Brian Muehlhaus and three from the Cascades qualifier. Bloomington’s Aaron Walters was fourth (70), Matt Newman tied for fifth (72) and Mitch Oard won a tiebreaker over Jace Day and Patrick Guymon of Indianapolis for the last spot when all three shot a 73. Day and Drew Todd (74) are listed as alternates.
South junior Connor Byon made the field with an 11th place finish (74) at The Players Club qualifier in Yorktown and City Golf champ Jason Bannister is one of the six who made it from the Country Club of Terre Haute qualifier. South’s Happy Gilmore finished in a tie for eighth at 76 and is listed as an alternate. Panther teammate Nick Bellush is also an alternate after a seventh place showing (76) at the Rolling Hills qualifier in Newburgh.
Current members of the IU men’s team also expected to compete are two-time state amateur champion Noah Gillard and incoming freshman Cole Starnes.
“The Pfau Course is one of the best golf courses in the Midwest, which makes it a fitting location to test the skills of the best players in the state of Indiana,” Pfau Course Director of Golf Dan Hilker said in a press release. “When this course was designed and built, the vision included hosting high-caliber events like this.
Medalist beats the rain
The 27th Annual Medalist escaped the rain on Sunday at Stone Crest but the Men’s Championship field could not avoid a repeat by Jason Bannister. The 20-year-old University of Southern Indiana standout and drove the green on No. 9 on the East Course and got up and down for a birdie on his last hole to hold off Chris Williams by one shot for the title.
Bannister opened with a 67 at Cascades to trail Williams by a stroke, but his 71 in Round 2 carried him to the top with a 138. Williams went 66-73 for a 139. Logan Vernon was third (67-75—142), Jansen Perdue fourth (72-73—145) and Brian Muehlhaus fifth (69-77—146).
The Senior Championship flight went to Joe Newman with a final round 73 putting him at 148. Newman, Matt Till and Chuck Combs were all within a stroke of each other on the early part of the back nine before Newman built a gap and hung on to win by two over Till (74-76—150) and Combs (77-73—150). Todd May (78-74—152) and defending champion Jim Alexander (82-76—158) followed.
Dan Neubecker won the Super Senior title in come-from-behind fashion to repeat with a 74-72—146 to top Rory Brown (72-76—148) and Ike Martin (74-74—148).
North grad Jacob Knapp, this year’s scholarship recipient, prepared for his IHSAA state finals appearance by repeating as Medalist Junior champ with a 73-73—146 to top fellow Cougar Simon Deliyannis (77-79—150).
Senior LPGA at Sultans Run
The Legend Tour’s Senior LPGA Championship will make its first appearance at Sultan’s Run Golf Club from June 29-July 1 after a five-year run that started on the Pete Dye Course at French Lick and moved to Salina, Kansas last year.
The field of 74 will compete for a total purse of $400,000 and a winner’s share of $60,000, in a 54-hole stroke-play format, with no cut.
Two-time LPGA Tour Player of the Year and 2022 Senior LPGA Championship winner, Karrie Webb returns to defend her title, which was her first win on the Legends Tour. Other notable players in the field include 2022’s second runner-up, Laura Diaz and past champion, Trish Johnson. World Golf Hall of Fame members, Juli Inkster and Hollis Stacy will be competing for the $60,000 check, as well as major champions Liselotte Neumann and Angela Stanford.
A local qualifying round will take place on Monday and the top two finishers will round out the field.
Tickets are available for purchase at www.sultansrun.com/2023-senior-lpga-championship. One-day tickets are $15 with a 3-day ticket package available for $40.
MEDALIST RESULTS
Round 1 at Cascades, Round 2 at Stone Crest
Men’s results
Championship flight — Jason Bannister 67-71—138; Chris Williams 66-73—139; Logan Vernon 67-75—142; Jansen Purdue 72-73—145; Brian Muehlhaus 69-77—146; Sam Wise 69-78—147; Doak Henry 73-77—150; Jace Day 73-77—150; Matt Newman 73-80—153; Charles Osborne 76-77—153; Darin Woodley 75-79—154; Robbie Wise 76-89—165. First flight — George Adams 78-72—150; 2 Chad Osborne 77-76—153; Gerald Sloan 78-78—156; Justin Fox 77-81—158; Andrew Conder 79-83—162; Cole Trueblood 79-87—166. Second flight — Phil Schuman 81-77—158; James Fantuzzo 87-84—171; Kevin Greve 92-87—179. Cooper Fox 83-WD.
Seniors
Championship flight — Joe Newman 75-73—148; Matt Till 74-76—150; Chuck Combs 77-73—150; Todd May 78-74—152; Jim Alexander 82-76—158; Tim Gillespie 81-80—161; Tom Griffin 81-85—166; Chuck Vernon 82-84—166; Jeff Brim 83-84—167; Matt Grubb 82-WD. First flight — Drew Antilla 87-86—173; Brent Mitchell 89-84—173; Ramesh Venkataraman 91-WD. Second flight — Dan Smith 93-93—186; Chris Kelley 98-89—187; John Kay 95-96—191.
Super Seniors
Championship flight — Dan Neubecker 74-72—146; Rory Brown 72-76—148; Ike Martin 74-74—148; Don Chastain 75-74—149; Mark Taylor 72-80—152; Robin Harper 77-75—152; Joe Beane 73-80— 153; Bud Dixon 75-80—155; Mike Vernon 77-78—155; John Cantwell 73-86—159; Marty Hutsell 77-85—162. First flight — Larry Johnson 78-72—150; Roger Curry 80-77—157; Paul Wilson 79-81—160; Dave Devitt 78-83—161; Bill Pfrommer 81-82—163; Robbie Vernon 79-85—164; Rob Parry 81-83—164; Gary Blackwell 80-WD. Second flight — Bobby Mitchell 87-77—164; Mark Butler 85-83—168; Rick Miracle 84-85—169; Gary Walters 89-83—172; Dick Meacham 83-WD; Bob Marlowe 86-WD.
Juniors
Championship flight — Jacob Knapp 73-73—146; Simon Deliyannis 77-79—156; Hogan Conder 84-77—161.
Contact Jim Gordillo at [email protected] and follow on Twitter @JimGordillo.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Local golf: Indiana State Am coming to Bloomington for the first time