In tough, windy conditions, Jocelyn Bruch, Carmel, won the 2019 Indiana Girls Junior PGA Championship at Honeywell Golf Course in a playoff over Gabriella Gilrowski, Westfield. After a first round 74, Bruch fired a second round 7-over-par, 79. Gilrowski followed her first round 81 with a second-round best even-par, 72.
After both players parred the first playoff hole, Bruch won the playoff on the second extra hole getting up-and-down for par from behind the green at the par-4, 11th hole. Meanwhile, Gilrowski lipped out her par putt from just off the edge of the green.
“I try to be a little more aggressive at the pins,” Bruch said. “With wedges and putting, I just try to make everything in playoffs.”
Bruch had a four-stroke lead over Gilrowski on the 17th tee in regulation but found the water with her second shot, and ultimately carded an eight on the hole.
“It was tough, I didn’t play enough wind,” Bruch said. “I hit a solid shot it just wasn’t enough. I just tried to calm myself down after that and bomb a drive on 18.”
Coming into the day with a two-stroke lead, Bruch played the front nine in two-over par and had a two-shot lead over Katelyn Kuc, Carmel, who finished in a tie for fourth.
“I played with the same mindset that I did yesterday," Bruch said. "I tried to play the best I possibly could and play one shot at a time.”
Kuc won the 13-15-year-old age division with rounds of 77 and 79, while Bruch and Gilrowski finished atop the 16-18 division with Bruch being the overall champion.
Bruch and Gilrowski will represent the state of Indiana at the Girls Junior PGA Championship at Keney Park Golf Course in Hartford, Connecticut July 9-12.
Check out the full leaderboard from the Indiana Girls Jr. PGA Championship here: https://igf.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/igf19/event/igf191/contest/9/leaderboard.htm