Sorrell, Johnston, Mahoney Shine in Opening Rounds of Lake Jovita Invitational

Monday, February 9

Dade City, Fla.

Ball State University

Lake Jovita Invitational

Photo by: Samantha Blankenship / Ball State University

Sorrell, Johnston, Mahoney Shine in Opening Rounds of Lake Jovita Invitational

February 09, 2026 | Men's Golf

Lake Jovita Invitational

DADE CITY, Fla. -- Brody Sorrell's 7-under par second round was the best round of the day at the Lake Jovita Invitational, Monday on the South Course at the Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club. The Ball State freshman turned in the second-best round by a freshman in program history, relative to par, and the Cardinals' best since Kash Bellar shot 8-under in the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational in September 2021. Sorrell's outstanding second round marked just the 11th time a Ball State golfer has ever shot -7 or better in a single round.

Through two rounds, Sorrell stands tied in fifth place with Ball State teammate Luke Johnston. Just a year ago, the two were teammates at Evansville North High School. Sorrell (74-65--139) shot 2-over par in the first round, before firing the lowest round of his college career thus far. Johnston (70-69--139) was steady at -2 and -3, respectively. The freshmen led Ball State in Round 2 after junior Avery Mahoney (69-77--146) fired a 3-under 69 in the opening round. Another junior, transfer Cameron Young (73-71--144), is even after rounds of +1 and -1.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, though, Sorrell is participating in this tournament as an individual competitor. Currently 10 strokes behind tournament leader Xavier, eighth place Ball State might be in better position for title contention were the hot-swinging Sorrell on the lineup card.

Remarkably, Sorrell's stellar Round 2 featured three bogeys including back-to-back holes! He opened the round with a birdie on the 13th hole. He then bogeyed #15 and #18, around a pair of birdies on #16 and #17. He caught fire on the front nine, but not after he opened with another bogey on #1. He proceeded to shoot birdie, though, on five consecutive holes -- #3 through #7 -- and when he returned to the back nine, he birdied the 10th and 11th holes.

In all, Sorrell recorded 10 birdies in his remarkable round. He handled a par-3 12th hole to finish his round, just one stroke off the Cardinals' program record, relative to par.

Play resumes on the par-72, 7,121-yard track on Tuesday morning.

Ball State Results at the Lake Jovita Invitational (through Round 2):
T5th | Luke Johnston, Fr. - 35-35--70; 34-35--69 | 139 (-5)
T27th | Cameron Young, Jr. - 36-37--73; 36-35--71 | 144 (E)
T42nd | Avery Mahoney, Jr. - 33-36--69; 41-36--77 | 146 (+2)
T69th | Samuel Harris, Fr. - 38-40--78; 34-39--73 | 151 (+7)
T85th | Carter Smith, Sr. - 41-41--82; 38-36--74 | 156 (+12)
T5th | IND Brody Sorrell, Fr. - 35-39--74; 32-33--65 | 139 (-5)