Apollo’s Macey Brown made two trips to the 18th hole on Saturday afternoon at Bowling Green Country Club and both times, she was just a little bit better than her opponent.
But on her second trip to the final tee box, Brown looked for guidance and she found it with someone familiar to a lot of spectators in attendance in the late Cullan Brown.
“Cullan was up there the whole time,” she said. “I prayed to him when I teed off on the 18th hole. ‘Just get me through this hole.’ It worked.”
When Brown eventually walked off the green several minutes later, she did it as the KHSAA Girls’ Golf State Champion, as she edged Madison Central’s Elizabeth Eberle on the first playoff hole.
“A lot,” she said of what was on her mind. “Most of it is ‘Macey you’re glad you made that putt.’ That’s all that was going through my head was just make this putt. I did and I’m kind of shocked right now, I don’t think it’s really hit me yet. Especially all the supporters being here, it’s amazing.”
Brown also had a part of Cullan with her throughout the day as she teed it up with his younger sister, Cathryn Brown, who finished in a tie for seventh at 75-77–152.
The Apollo junior said being with her friend on the course made the day that much better.
“I know how emotional she is playing on this course because Cullan won out here too,” she said. “We talked about this before we teed off. Three months ago, it was a sign for us to meet because about a month later is when Cullan passed away. I was the first person that she called and ever since then, we’ve been best friends. We have this connection that no one else can really break up. I know how emotional she gets on this course. I know how she rolls, she knows how I roll and it’s comforting, it was comforting to have her out there with me today.”
Brown fired a 71-74 and was able to gain a shot on the final hole to force the playoff as she converted a short par putt to win the championship.
As soon as she drained the final putt, Brown jumped into the arms of her coach, Jarrod Carter, but soon after into the arms of her father, Kyle Brown.
She said she could never repay either of them for what they’ve done for her.
“I cannot give enough credit to either one of them,” she said. “They have spent as much time out on that golf course as I have. They’ve spent as much time researching, doing whatever they can to make me a better golfer. I’m speechless. They have been there for me since day one. They’re my biggest supporters, no matter what.”
When Brown finished her round and realized her day wasn’t done — as the playoff would be necessary — she admitted she was a little stressed but that would soon melt away.
“It was so nerve-wracking but once I got to the tee box, my nerves kind of calmed down. I don’t know why,” she said. “Normally that’s when they spike up but I’d been playing with her all day so it wasn’t like somebody new was up there with me.
“The most nervous I was was when I came off of 18 the first time and I was up here sitting down and we were talking, I couldn’t even eat. I was so nervous.”
As she walked up the 18th fairway, Brown noticed the fans surrounding the green and she had a couple of thoughts.
“I looked up on my third shot and was like ‘holy crap, I hope I don’t blade this across the green because somebody is going to get hit,’” she said. “I was thinking wow, my support group is amazing, my family, my friends. But most of all, God has given me the ability to golf. I’m so thankful for that and I’m thankful for him. It’s amazing.”
After the playoff, Carter said he was still in shock.
“Did this just happen?” he said is the first thing that came to his mind after it was over. “We were two strokes behind most of the day. That girl from Madison Central just never gave up. Macey wasn’t playing bad but she wasn’t rolling in some putts that she was making yesterday. I can’t believe that happened.”
While Carter would be considered a coach to some, he’s more than that to Brown. Anytime she’s asked about Carter, Brown would quickly say he’s her best friend.
For Carter, that’s a special feeling.
“She trusts me,” he said. “She hit the ball where I tell her to even if it’s wrong. She trusts picking out her number, picking out spots on the green. It’s just trust.”
Carter has seen Brown’s progression firsthand. Her said during her last trip to the state tournament, she was at the back end of a swing change and even though she struck the ball well, it was the inexperience in multi-day tournaments.
“She’s small in stature — big heart, but small in stature,” Carter said. “The first day trying to make the cut and to shoot as well as she did, I think she was tied for 11th after the first round. Was very physically and mentally exhausted. To come back the second day, the course plays longer. She just lost steam really quick.”
He said Brown’s family was vital in remedying that and it paid off.
“It’s what you expect from a state champion,” he said.
With her victory Saturday, Brown knows she’s already a favorite for the 2021 title, but she knows it’s going to take a lot of work.
Of the top 10 golfers on the scoreboard, several will return, as only a few are seniors this season.
“I think it’s going to be difficult, it definitely is,” she said. “My swing coach always says if you can’t do it twice then you’re good but you need to be incredible to win it twice. I’m just thinking there’s a lot of good girls and next year they’re going to be even better.”
Top individuals
1. Macey Brown (Apollo) 71-74–145 (Won in a playoff)
2. Elizabeth Eberle (Madison Central) 70-75–145
3. Macie Brown (Bullitt East) 77-70–147
4. Trinity Beth (Marshall County) 75-74–149
5. Savannah Howell (Marshall County) 77-73–150
6. Faith Martin (South Warren) 74-77–151
T7. Cathryn Brown (Lyon County) 75-77–152
T7. Grace Clark (Shelby County) 76-76–152
T7. Isabella Wiley (Shelby County) 73-79–152
T10. Grace Walker (CAL) 77-76–153
T10. Abbie Lee (Glasgow) 76-77–153
Top teams
1. Marshall County +43
2. South Warren +82
T3. Sacred Heart +83
T3. Lexington Christian +83
5. Cooper +102
