After six years, the Miners boys golf squad reached the mountaintop in Utah again, winning their 16th state title Thursday at Meadow Brook Golf Club in Taylorsville. The team shot 4 under par across a cold and rainy two days of competition, besting second-place Desert Hills from St. George by five strokes.
Junior Rawson Hardy also picked up some individual hardware at the championships, shooting 8 under par over the two days to secure the individual title by one stroke over Desert Hills Brock Porter. Hardy birdied his final hole for that title. Head coach George Murphy said Hardy didn’t even want to know the score heading into the final hole with the team title already locked up.
Hardy, Forrest Summers, Sam Hunt and Linus Einum were the Park City players whose scores counted towards the team total. Summers and Hunt each shot 1 under par, tying for ninth place in the individual race. Jeremiah Marsh and Lucas Sweeney also teed it up over the two days.
“It’s just a blur,” said Murphy on the win. “I’m just happy for these kids that are on this team this year … It’s really a lot of fun watching these guys win that and seeing their excitement and their joy.”
Murphy said the team took right off the Buffalo Wild Wings to celebrate the title. They have a team scramble, a combined-classification and also national tournament in their future.
Murphy had to keep his team buttoned-up with Desert Hills right on their heels throughout the championship. Desert Hills destroyed Crimson Cliffs by nine strokes last week, whom they fell to earlier in the season in regional play. Crimson Cliffs were the defending state champs, with Park City having finished in third in 2023.
“It’s so fun to watch him,” Murphy added on Hardy. “He’s led us for a couple years now. … It was really cool for him, and I’m super proud of Sam Hunt and forest Summers as well.”
Hardy and Einum were the only underclassmen playing at state. The Miners will look to replace a lot of state production next fall from the rest of their team and a talented golf town. The team saw 2024 contributor Ty Brady depart for Corner Canyon this season, where he was a state player in his senior season.
Murphy loved seeing his crew battle through the elements and some individual disappointments. He and the boys knew every stroke would be crucial in hoisting the team trophy.
“He’s definitely up there,” said Murphy on Hardy in the ranks of the program’s best players. “11 year state championship run that we had back from 2008 to 2019, I had Mitchell Scott — he won it individually as a sophomore, junior and senior — so that’s pretty tough to top … Rawson is up there, man. He’s going to make an impact at the next level for sure and then beyond.”
Murphy tabbed Einum, Cooper Kozlowski and Hank Donnelly as the next men up. He thinks this group’s ability to get over the top will set a powerful example for groups to come, as the program had so many times in the past.
Murphy joined the Miners program back in 2004, winning a state title that year, in addition to the 11-straight and this years, making his total 13 as a head coach. He also leads the girls team, which will tee things up in the spring. While Park City has the cold and snow of winter that many of their southern competitors don’t, Murphy acknowledged talented players, coaches and supportive local clubs who have helped them establish their dynasty on the boys side.
“I think next Friday we’re Victor Ranch is going to let us out,” said Murphy on the team’s scramble plans. “We’ll have a banquet shortly after that and call it a wrap.”
A date has yet to be set for the combined-classification Utah high school team championship. The national tournament that the Miners will also likely attend will most likely be in Arizona next fall. The team won’t practice together for any of these events following their scramble, focusing on their individual endeavors.
“It was awesome to win both the team and individual titles,” said Hardy in reflection. “Our goal as a team has always been to win the team title. It is a huge bonus to be the individual champion as well, but the feeling of getting the job done as a team is something I haven’t experienced before in golf.”
Hardy enjoyed leading the team this year alongside others like Hunt. He credited his teammates for stepping up at state and throughout the year. His next adventure in the sport is playing more team golf, this time in college, reclassifying into the 2025 class, where he will play major D1 golf somewhere.
“I am excited to eventually commit somewhere and be a college athlete,” said Hardy.
Hardy said his favorite memory of state was walking off the 18th green Thursday to all his coaches and teammates. He said his teammates got to break the news of the individual title.
Hunt was equally thrilled to end his high school career with the title. He said practicing in rough conditions throughout his life allowed him to weather the literal storms at state.
“I think the biggest factor to our win was experience,” said Hunt. “We all had another year of preparation. Almost all of us had been in that position before. It was just up to us to execute.”
Hunt said his fondest memory of high school golf will be walking off the 18th green Thursday knowing he had given it all, in addition to the fond memories shared with Murphy. He feels Hardy taught him so much and said the title-winner was as humble as it gets. He will look to continue his golf career as well, after first serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.