Pleasant's Maura Murphy ready for Ohio Junior Girls at Marion Country Club

MARION — Maura Murphy was happy to win a trophy, but wasn't too pleased with the result.

This year at the Ohio Junior Girls, the state's oldest female youth golf tournament hosted annually by the Marion Country Club, the Pleasant junior wants to change some of that.

"I definitely improved when I played it last year, but I scored high for what I should have scored," Murphy said. "My goal this year is to keep it in the 70s and maybe I could get most improved again. That would be my goal. That would be insane, but it’s possible if I keep my score low."

In 2020, Murphy was playing in her first Ohio Junior Girls organized annually by the Women's Ohio State Golf Association when she posted a 36-hole score of 191 after rounds of 97 and 91.

In 2021, she shaved 22 strokes from that debut, posting an 84-85 for a 169.

That improvement was the best of all the returnees in the 2021 field and led to her trophy acceptance.

"I know from where I stand competing with the best of the best is hard," she said. "It’s a challenge to stay up with them. Normally when I head into those tournaments, it is to do so with the mindset of doing the best I can."

And that's how she coming into Monday and Tuesday's rounds when the Ohio Junior Girls returns to Marion for the 46th straight summer.

"As long as I play well enough for my game, I do not care about the ranks," she said.

However, Murphy wants to continue to improve. With Marion Country Club as her home course, she's hopeful local knowledge coupled with improved play over the last year can propel her to lower scores.

She knows she's capable of shooting in the 70s over 18 holes there, and she's ready to do it on the biggest stage of the summer.

"If you’re going to go for a shot, try to make sure your miss or error could keep you from scoring three-over," she said. "It’s just making sure you keep hitting those good shots, and if you screw up, don’t worry about it. Just keep a level head."

That's how she's been working it this summer while competing in the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Association tournaments held throughout the area.

"It takes a lot of hard work and that’s what I’m working toward," she said of improving her game overall. "I’m also trying my hardest to be under par for 18 holes. I think I’m getting closer to it because I’m getting some nines where I’m under. I’ve just got to keep it lower on the second (nine), and we’ll be there. We might see it this season."

Pleasant teammate Dina Shah is a veteran of the Ohio Junior Girls, too. She shot a pair of 80s last year for a 160, but in 2020, she went 75-84 for a 159.

"I look forward to that event because it’s also on my home course," Shah said. "It’s also a practice for the school year. The competition, I try to rank myself with them."

rmccurdy@gannett.com

419-610-0998

Twitter @McMotorsport

Instagram @rob_mccurdy_star

46th Ohio Junior Girls

» Who: Ohio female golfers from 13-and-younger up to 19 years old.

» What: State tournament organized by the Women's Ohio State Golf Association.

» When: Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. practice round. Monday 8:30 a.m. first round. Tuesday final round.

» Where: Marion Country Club for the 46th straight year.

» Last Year: Cara Heisterkamp of Westlake won with a 6-under-par 138, while Dublin's Annika Manjunath was runner-up with a 143.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Pleasant's Maura Murphy ready for Ohio Junior Girls at MCC