Salyers places second at state golf tournament

COLUMBUS – Golf, like many other sports, is a game of inches.

Drew Salyers knows this. He’s played golf since the age of five. That didn’t make Saturday’s outcome at the Div. III state golf tournament any easier to swallow.

A weekend of golf on Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course came down to one shot on the 18th hole. After taking the lead early on day two, then relinquishing it late, the East Knox senior had one shot to tie for the tournament lead. It was a lengthy chip-in from just beyond the green – an almost impossible shot when considering the slope of the course.

But Salyers, trailing by one stroke, swung away for birdie. Spectators gathered to watch the ball drop gently onto the green, then roll slowly towards the hole, curving left with the hill.

It just didn’t curve enough.

The ball stopped less than a foot short of the hole. Wellington’s Aidan Schumer, who entered the day tied with Salyers for fifth place, would win by a stroke. Salyers was heartbroken.

Salyers came into the state tournament with the lowest district score (69) of any competitor. Had he won it, Salyers would likely have been East Knox High School’s first state champion.

“This is tough because I think the objective was to walk out the winner,” East Knox coach Alan Keesee said. “But I think hats off go to [Salyers] and I think, in time, he will step back and realize what a huge accomplishment this is.”

Salyers finished the tournament five-over par (he shot a 75 Friday and a 74 Saturday). He tied for second place with Brookfield’s Justin Atkinson; both took 149 strokes to complete 36 holes, while Schumer took 148.

Salyers began Saturday four strokes back from first place, but quickly made up ground. He fired birdies on holes 4 and 6, and gained the lead after just six holes. Atkinson, who began the day in the lead, bogeyed three times on the front nine.

“Coming in four strokes down, I thought he had the right framework and the right attitude to put himself in the hunt, and he did that,” Keesee said.

Salyers got good distance on his drives, setting up manageable approach shots. Family members noted that his nickname is “Polar Bear” because he seems to play better as the conditions get colder. The temperature at tee time was 44 degrees Saturday; the wind made it feel colder than that.

Salyers seemed confident as he rounded the turn after nine holes. The senior, who placed 10th at state his sophomore year, was smiling and hitting the ball freely. He was two-under for the day.

“Stay dialed in, stay dialed in,” Keesee told him as they walked to the tenth hole. “That’s a great front nine.”

Salyers held a two-stroke lead after 12 holes. That’s when things went awry.

His drive on the 15th hole hooked left, ending up in the trees. When he attempted to skip the ball out of the rough and onto the fairway, his ball hit a branch and kicked left once again. This led to an eventual double-bogey on the hole, allowing Schumer to gain ground.

“It’s just a matter of which way that ball bounces sometimes. We had a bad break on 15, and certainly I think everybody’s gonna wish we had that hole over again,” Keesee said. “That was unfortunate.”

Salyers proceeded to bogey the 17th hole, as a putt for par rimmed out. Schumer, just one group ahead, fired a birdie on 18 to gain his first lead of the day. The rest was history.

While Salyers fell short of his goal this weekend, Keesee was quick to point out just how remarkable his state run was. Only 72 golfers compete in the Div. III state tournament each year, and many never come close to sniffing victory.

“Drew came and played to win the state championship, and there were just a couple of holes that didn’t go his way. Unfortunately, he took second by a stroke, which is still a huge accomplishment,” Keesee said. “He probably doesn’t think that today, but I think over time he’s going to realize how many great golfers in this state have gone on to outstanding things and not won the state championship.”

Salyers has plenty to be proud of after four legendary years at East Knox. The senior finished his high school career having won conference, sectional and district titles. He’ll continue his golf career next year at Indiana University.

While Salyers was unavailable for comment after Saturday’s round, his father, Andy, offered a statement on his behalf.

“It meant a lot to him to play golf at EK and represent the Bulldogs at state. He loved all his teammates over the years along with Coach Keesee. Loved helping his teammates get better wherever he could,” Andy Salyers said in a text.

“This one meant more to him than I even know, as he wanted it very much so, and he has played in so many bigger tournaments and stronger fields. I wish for him and EK it ended differently, but I always say you don’t lose if you learn, and Drew will use this experience to fuel his fire even more in his next chapter of golf.”

Keesee, who began coaching at East Knox three years ago, called coaching Salyers “an incredible ride.”

“He’s been a blessing for East Knox,” Keesee said, “not just as a golfer, but as a student as well.”

Saturday stung, without a doubt. But it’s not the end for Salyers.

“This isn’t the end of Drew Salyers’ golf career, it’s the beginning of another round,” Keesee said. “And I think in time, he’s gonna realize that this is a great finish, and it’s a good start to the next round.”