A relaxed Beeson returns to state finals for fourth time
Sep. 25—ANDERSON — With back-to-back state championships already in her hip pocket, Lapel's Macy Beeson has nothing left on the golf course to prove to anyone. That is the attitude she will take with her next weekend after she earned her fourth trip to the state finals in as many years.
Despite fewer individuals advancing from each regional this year, Beeson finished at even-par 72 Saturday at The Edge to comfortably move on to the IHSAA state championship next weekend.
Beeson was the top individual to advance by eight strokes and will be joined by Alexandra Goodwin of Centerville, who defeated Jama Burch of North Central on the first playoff hole for the second transfer position. Goodwin and Burch each fired an 80 to force the playoff.
The tighter advancement parameters this year — two individuals advance in addition to the top three teams instead of the five individuals in previous years — were on the minds of all of Beeson's supporters, approximately 25 of which were following the senior's group Saturday. It was also in her thoughts during a quiet car ride to the golf course Saturday morning with her father, Ryan.
"We were just getting focused, and we were a little nervous," she said. "I knew I could do it if I put my mind to it."
Both rounds of the state finals will once again be held at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel, with play beginning Friday and the second round Oct. 1 with the first tee shots coming at 8:30 a.m. both days.
Beeson posted the second-best score overall behind Caroline Whallen of Noblesville, who finished 1-under par with a 71. The Millers were second in the team standings with a score of 318 with Hamilton Southeastern taking the title with a 306. Delta finished third at 365, and the top three teams will also advance to the state finals.
New Palestine was fourth at 369, Fishers followed at 378 with Park Tudor (388), Cathedral (390), Northeastern (394), Daleville and Richmond (396), Mount Vernon (398) and Lawrence Central and Yorktown (404) rounding out the team field.
With one bogey on the front nine, Beeson made the turn at 1-over par which quickly went to 2-over after a bogey on the 10th hole.
But she turned her day around with a birdie on the par-5 11th and made it back to even par with another birdie on the 12th, which she made by making a ticklish downhill 15-foot putt from the fringe after missing the green to the left.
"The front nine I had a few birdie putts that did not even touch the hole, and I knew that on the back nine I needed to get those closer so they would have a chance," she said. "That's kind of what I focused on on the back.
"I played here and practiced every day this week, and my dad said 'whatever you do, don't miss left on this hole.' I said, 'All right, I won't.' I went for the middle of the green, but today I missed to the left side and left myself the hardest putt on the green. Walking up to the green, I just told coach that I was going to make the putt."
After a bogey on the 14th, Beeson made par on the next three holes before escaping from a greenside bunker on the par-5 18th and making her third birdie of the back nine to finish at even par.
Her lie in the sand took Beeson back to a disastrous hole a week ago at sectional when an errant bunker shot led to a 9, something she was determined to avoid this time around.
"It was kind of the same lie, and I told myself, 'Just don't hit it in the parking lot,'" she said. "I'm pretty proud of myself. I made the putt for a good up and down."
"As we were walking up there, I told her 'Macy, you're the best bunker player I've ever seen. So go up there, hit it, and get your birdie,'" Lapel coach Dylan Crosley said. "That's what she did."
While expectations may be high for Beeson to make history by becoming just the third player to win three state titles — and the first to do so this century — Beeson and Crosley are not approaching the week with that in mind. They will still practice all week and work on parts of her game that still need to be improved, but the idea is to go to Indianapolis next weekend and enjoy this one last ride.
"I'm definitely not going to put any pressure on myself this week to win another one," she said. "I'm just going to go out there like I did today, play the best I can and have fun."
"Whatever happens, it's an honor to be her coach for four years," Crosley said. "We're just going to go out there and have fun. If she wins, that's three straight and good for her. If she finishes last, so be it. She made it four times."
After a tough front nine, Frankton's Chloe Wenger finished her round strong. The first Eagles girls player to ever advance to regional went out in 47 — including a triple-bogey on the par-5 sixth — and opened her back nine with a birdie on the 10th. She played the back half at 1-over par 37 to finish at 84 for the day.
Two players from Shenandoah were also at The Edge with senior Carly Chandler coming in with a 91, and sophomore Madelyn Shelton posted a career-best 103 in the first regional action for both players.
Daleville was led by senior Kaitie Denney, whose round of 95 included three birdies, two of which came on the first and second hole — her 10th and 11th — and had her at 7-over par and in contention. Juniors Addy Gick (96) and Ava Capes (99) and senior Olivia Reed (106) rounded out the Daleville scoring.
Contact Rob Hunt at rob.hunt@heraldbulletin.com or 765-640-4886.
