Saturday, September 20
Ball State University
vs
Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational
Photo by: Samantha Blankenship / Ball State University
Cardinals Capture Team Title at E.Y. Invite, and Johnston Outlasts Harris in Four-Hole Playoff for Individual Title
September 21, 2025 | Men's Golf
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Luke Johnston and Samuel Harris, freshmen whose college careers began just a month ago, dueled through a four-hole playoff Sunday afternoon at Delaware Country Club before Johnston birdied Hole #11 for the individual title at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational.
Johnston had led the tournament through 36 holes on Saturday, tying a Ball State record for the lowest 36-hole score at 129 (65-64), though Harris was only two strokes behind at 131 (65-66). Sunday, after early rains dampened the par-70 track just east of Muncie, Harris regained those two strokes and finished the 54-hole event with another program record with a 54-hole low score of 198. Moments after Harris finished his final round at 3-under-par 67, Johnston shot par on #18 also to finish his final round at 1-under and set up a playoff between the pair of freshman.
While Johnston and Harris battled for individual supremacy, Ball State (813, -27) outdistanced Butler (816, -24) for the team championship. Butler's Derek Tabor shot the tournament's best round on Sunday with a 65 (-5), to finish tied in third place behind Johnston and Harris. Titus Boswell of IU Indy and Shane Ochs of Wright State shared the third-place tie, and Ball State's Carter Smith tied for sixth. Two more Butler golfers, Logan Sutto and Marius Reierson, tied in 10th place as Ball State and Butler eached placed three golfers in the tournament's top 11 finishers.
Johnston and Harris battled head-to-head over four final playoff holes, each firing par on the 1st, 18th and 1st greens before Johnston distanced himself with a birdie on #11. It was a hole he knew well, firing birdie on #11 in all three regulation rounds, then again for the playoff and individual crown.
Johnston and Harris finished as co-medalists before Johnston won the playoff round -- both finishing with the program record for individual scores (198). It was Smith's 2023 mark of 199 that stood as the previous record. As a team, the Cardinals also broke their program record for a 54-hole low score (813), beating a prior record of 818.
Ball State returns to its home course at DCC on Oct. 6-7 while hosting its Golfweek "Put Me In Coach" individual event.
Johnston had led the tournament through 36 holes on Saturday, tying a Ball State record for the lowest 36-hole score at 129 (65-64), though Harris was only two strokes behind at 131 (65-66). Sunday, after early rains dampened the par-70 track just east of Muncie, Harris regained those two strokes and finished the 54-hole event with another program record with a 54-hole low score of 198. Moments after Harris finished his final round at 3-under-par 67, Johnston shot par on #18 also to finish his final round at 1-under and set up a playoff between the pair of freshman.
While Johnston and Harris battled for individual supremacy, Ball State (813, -27) outdistanced Butler (816, -24) for the team championship. Butler's Derek Tabor shot the tournament's best round on Sunday with a 65 (-5), to finish tied in third place behind Johnston and Harris. Titus Boswell of IU Indy and Shane Ochs of Wright State shared the third-place tie, and Ball State's Carter Smith tied for sixth. Two more Butler golfers, Logan Sutto and Marius Reierson, tied in 10th place as Ball State and Butler eached placed three golfers in the tournament's top 11 finishers.
Johnston and Harris battled head-to-head over four final playoff holes, each firing par on the 1st, 18th and 1st greens before Johnston distanced himself with a birdie on #11. It was a hole he knew well, firing birdie on #11 in all three regulation rounds, then again for the playoff and individual crown.
Johnston and Harris finished as co-medalists before Johnston won the playoff round -- both finishing with the program record for individual scores (198). It was Smith's 2023 mark of 199 that stood as the previous record. As a team, the Cardinals also broke their program record for a 54-hole low score (813), beating a prior record of 818.
Ball State returns to its home course at DCC on Oct. 6-7 while hosting its Golfweek "Put Me In Coach" individual event.
Players Mentioned
Men's Golf // Season Preview
Sunday, August 31
Ball State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses the NCAA vs. House Settlement
Tuesday, July 01
Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses NCAA vs. House Settlement & Bill Richards Thank You
Friday, June 27
Podcast // Season 2 finale: Guests - Jeff Mitchell, Eric Steger, Timothy Wiseman, and Jeff Ness
Thursday, May 29