Titans claim State golf team title, Murphy takes individual honors

For the second time in three years, the Tea Area High School boys’ golf team has claimed the State A Team Championship Title. And for the first time in his extremely successful golf career, Titan Senior Brock Murphy captured the State A Individual Championship Title.

“It felt like it wasn’t real,” said Murphy, referring to winning the State title. “Some unfortunate things happened with my competitor and I just kept grinding it out, hoping to pull out on top.”

After day one of the State Tournament, held at the Rocky Run Golf Course in Dell Rapids, Murphy was in the lead, shooting a 75 on the day. Murphy shot a 43 on the front nine which was highlighted with three birdies, coming on holes 1, 7 and 8. On the back nine, Murphy shot a 41 to find himself in first place after the first day of the State Tournament, Oct. 1.

Second day action began on Tuesday, Oct. 2 and Murphy soon found himself in a battle with Sisseton’s Nate Nielsen.

On the front nine, Murphy shot a 40, with a birdie on hole 6. Nielsen shot a 35 on the front nine to take the lead.

However, the two continued to battle. Two more birdies on the back nine on holes 10 and 14 helped put Murphy in a position to win it all and on the 18th hole, he made the par putt to finish with a 37, giving him a 77 on the day and the State A Championship title, winning by two strokes over Nielsen, who hit two over par on the final hole.