Something felt familiar on Tuesday.
On day one of the two-day Dye National Junior Invitational, 33 high school-age boys and 33 girls – among the top players in the country – were happy to be out there competing again at Crooked Stick Golf Club, just outside Indianapolis. Life felt normal again. This felt familiar.
“The Dye” is an inaugural tournament to honor the legacy of world-renowned course designers Pete and Alice Dye. Pete, who died on Jan. 9 at age 94, designed the Crooked Stick course, which has played host to major championships, most famously the 1991 PGA Championship won by John Daly, a then-unknown rookie who was an alternate who played his opening round without ever having played the course.
It was fitting — familiar, even — that John Daly II, John’s son, was one of five tied for the lead at even-par after the first 36 holes of the 54-hole tournament, which will be completed on Wednesday.
Daly II, a junior in high school from Clearwater, Fla., displays many of the same mannerisms as his father – and has the game to match. His 10-foot eagle putt on No. 9 on his final hole of the day and for a one-shot lead danced on the lip of the cup but did not fall.
Daly was tied with four other players through after 36 holes of play: Michael Brennan (Leesburg, Virginia), Drew Salyers (Howard, Ohio), Carmel junior Drew Wrightson and John Marshall Butler (Louisville, Kentucky).
“It’s exciting,” said Clay Merchent, a four-time all-state selection from Noblesville High School. “I didn’t think they were going to be able to pull it off and I know a lot of work went into it both on the tournament side and talking to the right people, making sure that we were going to be able to social distance and do it the right way.
Merchent, an Indiana recruit who also lurked among the leaders, said playing in Daly’s group was a blast. Merchent finished his two rounds at 5-over-par and was alone in eighth place.
“Really good kid,” Merchent said. “He knows how to get around a golf course, without a doubt. He hits it hard and long, just like his dad. But he’s going to create an identity for himself. He’s not going to have to go by his dad’s name. I think he’s got self-confidence and his own identity.”
Daly II declined to be interviewed after Tuesday’s play, saying it had been a long day, although Dad tweeted in support.
Wrightson, a Baylor commit, will go into Wednesday’s round in striking distance. He said shaking off the rust felt good.
“I haven’t been in a competition in about eight months or so,” Wrightson said. “I had to get some nerves out of the way in the beginning, but otherwise I was just happy to get out there and play some golf. I’m thankful. This is my home course and it’s an honor to be able to get out there and play it in a competition with all of these kids here.”
Luke Prall, a Carmel senior and Purdue commit, was 4-over and alone in seventh with two holes to play in his round.
On the girls’ side, Zionsville senior and Clemson recruit Annabelle Pancake finished her day in a tie for third at 1-over, four shots behind leader Reagan Zibilski of Springfield, Missouri.
“Overall, pretty good,” Pancake said of her round. “For not competing in like six months, it’s about as good as it could get, especially for the first 18. The second 18 was not as consistent. I’m starting to hit the ball a lot farther, which is fun. I don’t know why. But hitting far on the home course is fun. Playing here for last 15 years of my life is definitely an advantage.”
Westfield senior and Purdue recruit Jocelyn Bruch is also in contention, tied for seventh at 6-over and nine shots off the lead.
While golf lends itself to a game that can be played during the pandemic, there were a few little changes. The E-Z Lyft ball retrieval was used so players could lift the ball out of the cup without using their hands. However, it may have cost Pancake a stroke.
“I had a chip shot on (No. 1) that was going to go in,” she said. “And it hit the little metal thing and bounced right out. If that wasn’t there it would have gone in. But it is a little different because usually you are hugging your friends after the round and we weren’t able to do that. But I’m glad we can get out here.”
There were elbow taps, fist bumps and even a few air handshakes after the rounds. But it was a return to some sense of competitive sports normalcy again.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
