Ava Bunker poses with her trophy following a ninth-place finish at the Rolex Girls Junior Championship in Wisconsin.
Submitted photo
Ava Bunker’s trophy room just got a whole lot bigger.
The Edinburgh resident and former Columbus North golfer added more trophies and medals to her collection. On top of that, Bunker also set a course record at one of the nation’s more prestigious golf courses.
Needless to say, Bunker said this year has been “the best summer of golf” for the former IHSAA state champion.
Bunker has traveled the across the country to compete in tournaments for several years, and that didn’t change this year. She won her first tournament of the year at the Dye Invitational at Purdue University’s Kampen-Cosler Course in West Lafayette in early June. That win led to open doors to compete in more elite tournaments.
“It was an honor to play in it,” Bunker said. “It was a great tournament, great experience, great people and I ended up winning it. Overall, it was an amazing experience. I was really excited when I got the win because it was a big confidence booster. After that, I started getting into invitationals that are invite only.”
Facing the elite competition, Bunker finished ninth in the Rolex Girls Junior Championship in Wisconsin last month. She finished third in the North & South Junior Amateur Championship June 30-July 2 at Pinehurst Country Club in North Carolina.
The weekend before Pinehurst, Bunker competed in the RLX Ralph Lauren Junior Classic at Bethpage Black in New York. Although it was a great experience for her, her time at the course was cut short, not because of a bad round, but because of the weather. With the temperatures well into the 90s with a heat index near 110 degrees, Bunker had to withdraw due to heat exhaustion that required a visit to the ER.
“Even though it wasn’t the result I wanted, it was still an amazing time getting to see all my friends and getting to play Bethpage,” she said. “Even though I didn’t finish my tournament, I still had some great rounds at Bethpage.”
Ava Bunker poses with her trophy following a third-place finish at North & South Junior Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, N.C.
Submitted photo
After competing in the North & South Junior Amateur, Bunker played a casual round with friends July 8 at Pinehurst No. 3. Although she took the round seriously, she was joking with friends while listening to music such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which Bunker said was the song of the day.
Ava Bunker poses with the course flag and medal following a course record 10-under 58 July 8 at Pinehurst No. 3 in Pinehurst, N.C.
Submitted photo
Bunker’s goal that day was to shoot a 3-under 65. After she captured her fifth birdie of the round, Bunker aimed to try for a 62. When the birdies kept pouring in, she thought maybe a round of 60. When she got to hole No. 16, she was thinking she was on a “59 watch.” She finished with a 10-under 58, which was the course record. Bunker kept her scorecard, got a flag representing Pinehurst No. 3 and a medal that commemorated her record.
“It was a relaxed, chilled round,” she recalled. “Obviously, I took it seriously. I was going for a low round. I made every putt. I made sure I went through all my routines, yet was making jokes with the group and playing music the entire time.”
The back of the medal that Ava Bunker received after shooting a course record 10-under 58 at Pinehurst No. 3 in Pinehurst, N.C.
Submitted photo
The summer isn’t finished for Bunker. She’ll play in the Junior PGA Championship at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette that begins Tuesday. From Aug. 4-7, she’ll play in the Granny Junior Invitational at Richland Country Club in Nashville, Tennessee.
Even with all the golf tournaments and practices, Bunker still is making time for extracurricular activities like any teenager normally would. She’s also grateful for her parents for taking time to accommodate her travel to tournaments. Her former coach at North, Scott Seavers, also has watched her and even caddied for her on the first day of the Dye Invitational.
The course flag, medal and scorecard of Ava Bunker after setting a course record July 8 at Pinehurst No. 3 in Pinehurst, N.C.
Submitted photo
Bunker, a homeschooled senior-to-be, was the IHSAA girls golf state champion her freshman year in 2022 at North. Last year, she made her commitment to continue golf in college at Indiana University.
When she is not playing in tournaments, Bunker practices at local golf courses such as Otter Creek, in addition to Timbergate, for range days and other golf drills. She’ll also go to a local gym for 60 to 90 minutes to work on her muscles and run on the treadmill at an incline to help her stamina for walking 18 holes.
“I’m making sure that I’m practicing very well and doing all my drills, all my putting drills and hours at the range. It’s getting in the gym and eating well and drinking well and practicing as much as I can,” Bunker said. “It’s getting into the mindset that it is a huge tournament, and this is the same as all of them. It’s big, and you go have fun and play your best. If you have fun, you will play your best, and if you’re prepared, you will play your best.
“I’ve definitely been putting in a lot of hard work. I was expecting a good season, but I didn’t expect this good of a crazy season,” she added. “It’s definitely a confidence booster because I did have a little bit of a slump for a little bit. Everybody goes through it at a different part of your life. There was nothing to worry about. It happens to everyone, and you’re back. It definitely was a confidence boost, and I’m really happy about the season.”
