Lapel High School’s Macy Beeson lines up a putt lie IHSAA girls golf Regional at The Edge golf course in Edgewood Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022
Mike Brown | For The Times-Post
By Brady Extin | The Times-Post
ANDERSON — Lapel High School’s back-to-back girls state golf champion will make her return to Prairie View Golf Club on Friday to defend her title.
In a year in which only two individuals at regional advanced (down from the typical five), carding an even-par 72 on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Edgewood Golf Course was more than enough for Lapel’s Macy Beeson to secure one of the spots.
“I’m pretty proud of myself. Four years in a row is definitely quite an accomplishment,” Beeson said. “I left a few shots out there but also made some shots that were crazy.”
She finished eight strokes ahead of the next individual qualifier and was the runner-up to Noblesville’s Caroline Whallen who shot a 1-under-par 71.
Playing at a familiar course, The Edge, Beeson started her day by reeling off six straight pars before a bogey on seven. She finished the front nine at one-over-par with a 37.
A bogey on 10 quickly moved her to two over.
“My first six holes I made some pars and then bogeyed seven. And I was kind of working hard for those pars,” Beeson said. “On the back I was trying to just leave myself with shots where I could make the putt, and I think that was the difference on the back.”
A putter that wasn’t up to her standards at the sectional tournament was back to normal form on the back nine. After the bogey on 10, she sank back-to-back birdie putts on 11 and 12 to get back to even par.
“It was just confidence. Just making sure that I was finishing shots today and reading my putts good,” Beeson said. “Last week I definitely put a lot of pressure on myself and I shouldn’t have, so today I just went out there and played golf.”
After a bogey on 14, Beeson made a par on holes 15, 16 and 17.
To end her day, she found herself in a tough lie from the greenside bunker on the par five 18th hole.
In front of a gallery of spectators around the green, and with the ball half-buried beneath the sand, Beeson was able to pop the ball out onto the green and sink the comeback putt to move her back to even par.
“I play in tournaments all the time so I try not to get too nervous,” Beeson said. “Definitely some experience with the golf course helped but overall me just having my game well put together helps a lot.”
On her fourth and final trip to the State finals, Beeson looks to make history and become just the third player ever to win three state titles.
Her repeat bid begins Friday at 10:57 a.m at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel. Round two will be played the following day.
