Warsaw's Ostrom ties state finals record with 9-under 63
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FRANKLIN — Warsaw boys golf coach Ben Barkey jokingly admitted he didn’t know what to say about Tyler Ostrom’s performance. The 17-year-old junior’s play more than spoke for itself, however, as Ostrom shot a 9-under 63 at Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin Tuesday during the first round of the 75th annual state finals. Ostrom, who birdied his last five holes and just missed an eagle on his final hole, broke Jake Brodhead’s school record of 64 set at Maplecrest in Goshen during the 2005 Northern Lakes Conference Match and tied Tyler Duncan of Columbus North’s 18-hole state finals record set in 2007. “I don’t know what to say,” said Barkey, whose second-ranked team shot a four-person score of 293 and sits in fifth place, just five strokes out of second, heading into today’s final round. “Tyler had an outstanding round, his score speaks for itself, and it couldn’t happen to a greater kid.” The top nine teams, as well as the top nine individuals not on an advancing team, and any player who shot par advanced to today’s second round. Columbus North, ranked 19th in the latest poll, shot 5-under as a team and led with a 283 after the first round, followed in the by No. 3 Brebeuf (288), No. 18 Floyd Central (291), No. 4 Avon (292) and No. 2 Warsaw (293) to round out the top five. Also advancing were unranked Terre Haute South (294), No. 8 Norwell (295), No. 10 Evansville Harrison (295), top-ranked Zionsville (297) and unranked Huntington North (297). “We came in here wanting to play better than our average,” said Barkey, whose team carded its best 18-hole score of the season. “We had three guys shoot better than our average. We feel pretty good about our score.” Other scores for the Tigers were senior Eric Tandy’s 73, sophomore Tim Ahlersmeyer’s 77 and sophomore Jon Schram’s 80. Junior Bennett Hollar rounded out Warsaw’s lineup with an 88. “Eric Tandy shoots 1-over, that’s a great score,” said Barkey. “That’s five or six strokes better than his average. He’s our only senior, and he came through in a big way. And to do it at the state finals —that was big.” Triton sophomore Quentyn Carpenter, playing as an individual, advanced to today’s final round by shooting even-par. Carpenter, who shot 36 on both the front and back, finished his round with 13 pars, three birdies, a bogey and a double bogey, entered today’s round tied for 19th. “He got some breaks, but he also made some,” Triton coach Jack Carpenter said of his son. “He was 2-under after 14 holes, and then he hits out-of-bounds but comes back with a birdie. He kept it together. He could have played better, but we’re happy to move on.” Ostrom certainly kept it together, and he took a four-stroke lead over Columbus North freshman Michael VanDeventer into today’s final round. “It’s exciting, but we’re only halfway done,” said a humble and very business-like Ostrom. “We’ve got to shoot well again (Wednesday). I’m glad we’re here as a team, and I’m glad I could help the team out.” Terre Haute South senior Thomas Goss, East Noble freshman Michael Sharp and Huntington North senior E.J. Tackett were all tied for third at 4-under. Defending state champion Patrick Rodgers, a senior who will play collegiately at Stanford, was tied for eighth at 2-under. Of the 126 players that teed off Tuesday, 18 finished under par, while 10 others were even. Ostrom, who played the back nine first, started his round with birdies on holes 10, 11 and 12. He made the turn at 2-under after a bogey on No. 18. Over his final nine holes, Ostrom made seven birdies and two pars to card a 29 on that side. While talk surrounding the state finals had been whether the super-talented Rodgers could repeat as state champion, the buzz quickly became Ostrom’s incredible round. “I didn’t know anything about it until I birdied the last hole,” Ostrom said of tying the record. “It’s a great score, but there’s another round to be played. I’m just glad I could help the team. I just went out and hit fairways and greens, and I putted pretty well.” If Ostrom were to shoot par in today’s round, he would tie Chris Baker of Brownstown Central’s 36-hole state finals record of 135 set in 2003.
COLUMBUS NORTH 283, BREBEUF JESUIT 288, FLOYD CENTRAL 291, AVON 292, WARSAW 293, TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 294, NORWELL 295, EVANSVILLE HARRISON 295, ZIONSVILLE 297, HUNTINGTON NORTH 297, PROVIDENCE 304, YORKTOWN 306, FW CANTERBURY 306, BOONE GROVE 307, LAFAYETTE HARRISON 309, VALPARAISO 310, LAPORTE 313, HOMESTEAD 314, JASPER 316, LEBANON 319, LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC 330 (Legends of Indiana GC, Par 72) Top 5 Individuals - Tyler Ostrom (Warsaw) 63, Michael VanDeventer (Columbus North) 67, Thomas Goss (Terre Haute South) 68, Michael Sharp (East Noble) 68, E.J. Tackett (Huntington North) 68 Warsaw - Tyler Ostrom 63, Eric Tandy 73, Tim Ahlersmeyer 77, Jon Schram 80, Bennett Hollar 88 Local individual - Quentyn Carpenter (Triton) 72
