Talen Beane’s senior golf season got off to a superb start last week as he claimed the 46th Kentucky Boys Junior Amateur at Persimmon Ridge Golf Club in Louisville.
The Campbell County rising senior finished with a 54-hole score of two-under par, winning in a field with 109 competitors at the start. Beane shot a two-under 70 on the first day, a one-under 71 on the second and finished the tournament with a one-over 73 on the third day.
“This was the biggest tournament win of my life,” Beane said.
He had a pressure-packed birdie putt to win it on the final hole.
After going four-over on holes 13 through 16 in his final round, Beane kept his poise and birdied 17 and 18 to secure the tournament victory. Beane edged out a pair of Will’s for first, Will Judd and William Stuart finished one-under for the tournament. They were the only three to finish under par for the tournament.
“After 16, I didn’t know what I needed to do. I looked up at the leaderboard and was one off the lead and told my caddie that we needed to birdie the last two and win the tournament,” Beane said. “Hit a great drive on 17, approach within four-feet. Headed to 18, was tied, put one on the fairway on a par five and knew I had to try and make birdie. We were waiting what felt like 20-30 minutes to hit on the green as the guys ahead of us were on it. Hit a smooth six-iron and hit the green. Under pressure, it was one of the best shots I’ve ever hit within 15-feet of the hole. Knew I had a two-putt to win the golf tourney. Hit first putt a little too hard, hit it three feet by. Other guys finished out and had a three-footer to win the JR Am.”
Persimmon Ridge was a course Beane had never played before until a practice round the day before the tournament.
“Persimmon is one of the toughest courses in the state,” Beane said. “It’s different grass than what I’m used to. It’s hard as a rock in the fairways. The biggest thing out there was to make pars and let everything come to you and be very patient out there. You have to be able to make putts.”
Beane, a Northern Kentucky University commit, will enter his senior season as one of the favorites to win the 8th Region golf tournament. He finished tied for eighth last season after a 75. It qualified him for the state tournament where he made the cut after the first round, finishing in a tie for 21st individually with a 77. He then advanced to Bowling Green for the final two rounds of the state tournament where he finished tied for 41st after a 36-hole score of 13-over-par.
“Winning this tournament I feel like I got some good recognition,” Beane said. “I’ve made a verbal to NKU, but winning the tournament I was then contacted by a few other schools. It really opens the door a lot more and let’s me compete at the highest level which I love to do. Confidence-wise I needed it and this proves that I can be one of the top guys in the state.”
Beane has some lofty goals for the 2025 KHSAA season which includes wanting to make First Team All-State and be in contention for Mr. Golf in Kentucky.
Beane will start his senior season with the Camels on July 21 at Pendleton Hills, his home course.
Recent St. Henry grads Ben and Will Carter also competed. Ben finished 17-over for the tournament and in a tie for 47th. He also provided one of the memorable moments of the tournament when he recorded a hole-in-one on the par-3 fourth hole. Will finished 25-over and in 56th.
Recent Highlands grad Nate Surrey also made the cut, finishing 21-over and in a tie for 52nd.