Montgomery, Brandt take top 10 at state golf, want more in 2024

COLUMBUS --Brock Montgomery and Brevin Brandt showed the rest of the state what high school golfers in Northwest Ohio already knew. The area's best players both finished top 10 at the Division II and Division III state golf tournaments. Montgomery, from Upper Sandusky, tied for third in Division II at NorthStar, while Leipsic sophomore Brandt tied for eighth at the Division III tournament at the Ohio State University Scarlet course. "It's just so surreal," Montgomery said on Saturday after firing an even-par 72 to follow a Friday 77 for a two-day total of 5-over 149. "I'm really proud of the weekend and I'm really proud of the whole season. I've also got a little chip on my shoulder going into next year knowing that I easily could have won it this year." Brandt came away with a similar feeling after firing rounds of 76 and 78 for a 12-over 154. "I feel like I could have gave it a run this year, honestly," Brandt said. "I'm excited to get back to work and get a lot better and be back next year." Montgomery's weekend was a tale of two rounds. He had to withstand some jitters and three double bogeys. "I'm really proud of how I hung in there," he said. The reward was a near flawless round on Saturday that included one birdie, one bogey and 16 pars. He found a flow state that allowed him to jump five spots on the leaderboard. "The hole of the day has got to be my fifth hole," Montgomery said. "I had a horrible lie after my drive and hacked it into a bunker. I had a 15-yard bunker shot and hit it to 4 feet and made the putt. After that, I knew the momentum was kind of swinging my way. I just had to hang in there and the golf was gonna take care of itself." At OSU Scarlet, Brandt grinded from start to finish. The 15-year-old impressively made par on his first three holes Friday before a triple bogey on No. 14 (his fifth hole) threatened to derail his psyche. "I feel like I really pulled it together after that," he said. "I birdied (hole) 18 to shoot 3-over, and then played a really solid second nine." On Saturday, Brandt's only regret was that he didn't hit the ball better off the tee. Poor shots with his driver on the back nine led to a 6-over par finishing nine of 41. "I feel like if I had the driver going I really could have been in contention coming down the stretch," Brandt said. "I hit the ball extremely well when it wasn't off the tee so I was kind of disappointed that I didn't put myself in those positions to make birdies, but at the same time I'm really proud of how I battled out of those positions to make myself top 10." Brandt also has a reference point after playing with the state champion, Mark Pillar of Independence, as he charged home with a closing 74 for 146. The Leipsic sophomore will have two more chances to chase glory. Montgomery will have one more shot, and is still chasing the standard set by his brother Brett Montgomery who tied for runner-up at the 2019 Division II tournament. "There's definitely been a little bit of weight added on just being Brett's little brother, but that's just motivated me that much more to go out there and pave my own path," he said. Finley Bartlett of Wyoming won the Division II individual title with a 74-72, 146. Alter won the team championship with a score of 596. In Division III, Warren JFK shot 648 to take the title. Ottoville (679) was eighth and Delphos St. John's (688) took ninth. Robert Nartker of Kalida shot 80-76, 156 to finish 14th individually.