In his debut appearance at the MHSAA Division 2 State Finals, Hastings junior Daniel Jensen put together a gutsy two-day performance at Bedford Valley Golf Course (Battle Creek), finishing in a tie for 47th place with rounds of 78-81 for a 159 total.
On day one, Daniel battled through tough conditions and an early stumble to card a resilient 78 (+6), putting himself in the top third of the state field heading into the final round. Starting on hole three in a shotgun format, he ran into trouble on his second hole, a par 5, where a couple of tough breaks led to a triple bogey. But from that point on, he showed impressive composure and played steady, patient golf.
Daniel’s driver was a weapon all day and even his rare misses were minor and manageable. His irons and wedges were just slightly off the mark, enough to keep him from firing at every flag, but he still managed to give himself numerous birdie chances. Though the putter didn’t quite heat up, he stayed mentally strong and avoided compounding mistakes.
Day two brought more lessons and another opportunity to compete at a high level. Daniel opened his final round with a birdie on his first hole and looked sharp early, but the grind of a two-day state championship test soon set in. A couple of double bogeys in the middle stretch threatened to derail the round, but he never let things get away. Each time adversity hit, Daniel responded with steady play, key par saves.
A gritty recovery on 16 after a tough tee shot and closing pars on holes one and two capped off a performance that spoke to his growth as a player.
With a top-50 finish in the state and a wealth of new experience under his belt, Daniel has set a strong foundation heading into his senior year.