Among the final scribblings in our summer golf notebook is an entry about an auspicious NKU debut plus a final peek at player of the year standings for two junior tours. In between, we tee up some recent results turned in by notable locals as the calendar flip from August to September signals the fall playing season.
Maley Enjoys Team-best Finish In Norse Debut
When the Northern Kentucky University women’s golf team signed Cooper High School all-state standout Eva Maley, the Norse knew they were getting an impact player. In fact, Maley has provided an instant impact at NKU. Competing in her first college event that concluded Monday, Maley led the Norse in scoring.
Playing in the fall season opener at the A-Ga-Ming Invitational hosted by Central Michigan, Maley finished a respectable tied for 19th. Maley, one of four freshmen on the Norse, shot a team-best 17 over par across three rounds with a low of 3-over during round two.
Maley’s top 20 placing to begin her college career led NKU to a ninth-place team finish, second-best among the six Horizon League teams at the event. Maley’s score was second-lowest of any individual from the Horizon League. Senior Gracie Baun was next for NKU at 19 over par. She finished in a tie for 24th.
There were 14 teams and 84 golfers at the Labor Day weekend event at Sundance Golf Course in Kewadin, Michigan. NKU played better each day, posting round-by-round scores of +47, +33 and a final-day +22 on Monday. The +102 finish was well back of winner Bradley’s +46. Rounds one and two were played Sunday. NKU was 11th after two rounds while Maley tied for 18th.
Maley primed herself for success at NKU with a stellar prep golf career at Cooper. She won a pair of Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference championships and was an all-region pick five years in a row. She qualified for the KHSAA state tournament every year beginning as an eighth grader. Her first-team all-state selection as a senior followed a second-team honor as a junior. Maley eased the transition to college by taking all collegiate courses during her senior year at Cooper before attending NKU.
The women’s golf team is back in action Sept. 15 at Murray State’s Velvet Classic at Paducah Country Club. The NKU men begin their season Sept. 8 at Marshall University’s Joe Feaganes Invitational at Guyan Country Club in Huntington, West Virginia.
Elsewhere around the links:
Stephens wins another KPGA Women’s Championship
Sara Stephens of Union captured the 2024 Kentucky Women’s PGA Professional Championship with a victory last week at Oldham County Country Club. It was her fourth straight win at the event. Stephens, from The Stephens Golf Center in Burlington, shot 4-over-par 76. She finished four strokes ahead of runner-up Olivia Hardesty from Brandenburg. Hardesty shot 8-over 80.
Playing from the gold tees over 5,355 yards, Stephens carded two birdies and six pars. The former University of Kentucky golfer birdied once on the front nine and once on the back. She carded matching 38s before and after the turn. Stephens birdied par-4, 327-yard No. 8 and also No. 17, a 391-yard par-5.
Stephens, who has played professionally on the LPGA Symetra Tour, outlasted a one-time Bellarmine University golfer. Hardesty, a 2022 Bellarmine graduate, carded matching 40s on the front and back nines and totaled three birdies. But she failed to make par on a hole until No. 6 while falling behind by three strokes.
Jones, Eldridge Top 10 At Kentucky Assistant Pro
Local pros CJ Jones and Aaron Eldridge put together top 10 finishes at last week’s Kentucky PGA Assistant Professional Championship. The 17th playing of the 36-hole, stroke-play event was held at Oldham County Country Club. Jones, the assistant pro at Union’s Triple Crown Country Club, finished seventh with a score of 1-under-par 141. Eldridge, assistant pro at Tradition Golf Club in Hebron, finished the two rounds in a three-way tie for eighth at 1-over 143.
Both finished well back of winner Daniel Iceman from Weissinger Hills Golf Course in Shelbyville. Iceman, the Kentucky PGA Section’s hottest golfer, shot 10-under 132 for his second win in eight days. Iceman vanquished the field of top assistant professionals from across the Commonwealth with scores of 67 and 65. He successfully defended his 2023 crown one week after capturing the KPGA Professional Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.
Iceman and runner-up Tyler Oldham from Wildwood Country Club qualified for the 2024 National PGA Assistant Professional Championship. The event is held in November in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Eldridge secured one of three alternate spots.
GCGA Junior Tour POY Standings – Girls
Bishop Brossart High School’s Emma Laker finished third in the GCGA 1905 Junior Tour player of the year standings for girls ages 16-18. Laker, a senior, totaled 765 points in eight events, trailing two Ohio golfers. She put together four wins on tour, each worth 110 points. They came at the Eagle Junior Open, Kenton County Spring Junior, Wyoming Junior Open and Bel-Wood Junior Shootout. Laker also enjoyed a pair of runner-up finishes worth 90 points each. They came at the Loveland Invitational and AJ Classic.
Conner’s Sofia Seals is 11th in the final girls ages 13-15 player of the year standings. The freshman has 380 points in four events, all top four finishes. She was runner-up at the New Vienna Junior Challenge, good for 90 points. Her biggest haul of 140 points came with a fourth-place finish at July’s 1905 Junior Tour Championship. Ryle’s Elizabeth Dickson and Lacey Wilson finished in a tie for 26th with 150 points.
Sisters Reese and Nora Anthony of Hebron finished 11th and third, respectively, in different girls divisions. Nora is third in ages 7-9 with 330 points, thanks to a pair of wins. She’s in the graduating class of 2031. Reese, in the graduating class of 2031, ranks 11th in ages 10-12. She has 330 points off two victories.
GCGA Junior Tour POY Standings – Boys
St. Henry High School’s Jake Montgomery placed ninth in the GCGA 1905 Junior Tour player of the year standings for boys ages 16-18. Montgomery, a junior at St. Henry, has 330 points in seven events. Montgomery picked up 110 points with his lone win at the Wyoming Junior Open. He also picked up two third-place finishes, good for 80 points each. They came at the New Vienna Junior Challenge and Losantiville Junior Invitational. The only other area golfer in the age division’s top 20 is St. Henry teammate Will Carter, a senior. Carter is 19th with 226.67 points.
Dixie Heights’ Jack Woolwine ranks 14th in the final boys ages 13-15 player of the year standings. He has 305 points in seven events with one victory worth 110 points at July’s AJ Classic. Woolwine received 80 points with a third-place finish at the Clovernook Junior Open. He’s the lone area golfer in the top 20 of his age division. Covington Catholic’s Will Buckner is 21st.
Cade Hamilton from the graduation class of 2033 in the Beechwood school district, ranked fourth in boys ages 7-9. He has 430 points in four events on the strength of two runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes.
Cole Catacora from Fort Thomas Independent School’s class of 2032 is seventh in the division with 220 points. He received 110 points each from two events, both victories. He won the AJ Classic 9-Hole and Loveland Invitational.
Okuda Sixth In Kentucky PGA Junior Tour Points Race
Ryle’s Anna Okuda ranks sixth in the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour girls ages 16-18 player of the year standings. Okuda, a junior on the Raiders’ golf team, has collected 260 points at five KPGA Junior Tour events, three of them victories. She earned a notable win at the prestigious Junior Fall Cities Championship at Louisville’s Long Run Golf Course. She added victories at the Derby Classic at Shawnee Golf Course in Louisville and the Junior Classic at Shelbyville Country Club.
Okuda, second at last year’s KHSAA Region 7 tournament for Ryle, joined some exclusive company at the Junior Fall Cities Championship. She became the first local winner in 11 years, following Ryle’s Nadine Innes in 2013. The event has been played every year since 1998.
Also on the KPGA Junior Tour, Okuda added a runner-up finish at the Louisville Junior Championship at Oxmoor Country Club. She placed fourth at the Lexington Junior Championship at Kearney Hill Golf Links.
Okuda maintained summer momentum heading into the high school golf season at Ryle. She is seventh in the KHSAA’s all-state points race after seven events with 485, tops among local girls golfers.