Golf
Pleasant grad Maura Murphy still playing golf, winning tournaments
MARION — Golf is still a part of Maura Murphy’s life, but it’s different now.
“I’m working full-time and putting in a lot of hours, and I golf whenever I can after work when I feel like it,” the recent Pleasant grad said. “I’m still rusty, but I’m working on trying to get that score low enough so it’s not so bad to look at.”
A year ago, Murphy was dominating the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Association’s girls division in winning all seven tournaments in the 2023 summer season, but she was prepping herself for her final high school season.
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“I’m happy to know that however I play is just how I play. I’m not having to prepare myself for another level. I just get to play for fun now in college,” Murphy said.
She will attend the University of Notre Dame starting in late August where she will major in accounting and possibly economics or finance.
“I will play leisurely and for fun in a club or if they have intramural sports,” she said. “I’m not sure what that scene looks like just yet.”
So this summer Murphy is enjoying one last run through the HOJGA tournaments since she still qualifies for the fields at the age of 18, trying to earn more scholarship money to take to Indiana.
“Less pressure,” she said about this summer. “I feel pressure. I get a lot of pressure on the first tee, and I’ve never gotten over that in my four years.”
She did well enough to win the girls 13-to-18 age group for the second time in as many tournaments this summer, shooting a 42-41 83 during Tuesday’s event at the Marion Country Club. She topped her cousin Maddie Murphy, who was runner-up at 92 and Olivia Ross who was third at 94. Rayma Smith was next with a 99.
Murphy ended her high school career as the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference’s Girls Golfer of the Year after winning all three league tournaments and setting league scoring records with a 31 for nine holes and 69 for 18 holes. She helped the Spartans claim a three-peat in the MOAC as a team.
“I think my performance during the season was very good,” she said. “I think I got a little burned out for sectionals and district like I always tend to, but I think my stats carried me through. I had a lot of accomplishments, and I’m very proud of that.
“Moving forward, I’m just going to enjoy the sport for what it is.”
Other winners at MCC
In the 12-and-younger nine-hole division, Kolton Crider shot a 43 for first place and was followed by Adam Keller’s 51, Miri Taylor and Bryce Bolenbaugh’s 59 apiece and Aiden Issler’s 63 in the top five.
In the boys 13-to-15 age group, Asher Gates shot a 74 to win it, while Clay Rogers was second at 85, Liam Rhea third at 87, Matt Murphy fourth at 89 and Nolen West and Bryant Berry tied for fifth at 90.
Logan Keller took the boys 16-to-18 division with a 76 as Dylan Moore was next at 79. Kaden Ottley and Parker Steffanni each shot 80 to tie for third, and Nathan McMullen was fifth at 84.
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