Bryce Haney broke through at the Dayton Metropolitan at Yankee Trace Golf Course. After finishing third in 2018, second in 2019, and missing the event in 2020, Haney lapped the field, winning by seven shots this weekend. 

Over the course of the event, Haney said he was disciplined and stuck with his game plan for all four rounds, which he took great pride in. His round on Saturday, a bogey free 66 came easily. “I didn’t try to do anything differently. I just took it one shot at a time and ended up making six birdies.” His 66 was the only round in the 60s during the third round, and was the best round by five shots. An exceptional day of golf that earned him an eight shot lead.

A friend and fellow competitor in The Met, Alex Huang, received a big chunk of credit from Haney for his success this week. “I tried something totally different this week thanks to Alex.” He wouldn’t share what exactly the tip was, but he admitted it wasn’t a swing thought or a mindset, but instead a game plan that he used during each and every shot. 

Haney is a relative newcomer to the golf scene. In 2013, as a junior in high school, Bryce took up golf and left football, basketball, and baseball in his rear view mirror. “I was shooting 120 when I started.” He played many of those first rounds at Kitty Hawk GC (now closed) before competing at Sugar Isle with his high school. “I’ve played more rounds at Beaver Creek than anywhere else.” The key to Haney’s improvement is playing with golfers that were better than him. He did not seek out good players to pick their brains and learn from them, but instead he knew his competitive fire would drive him to improve, “I’m the most competitive person I know, whether it’s eating, knitting, golfing. I want to win. I ended up catching some of those guys and even passed a few of them, too.”

Winning events is new to Haney, and he was quick to appreciate the support he’s received from his friends and family. From messages on the facebook page his parents set up to having people walk along with him during The Met, Haney knows it’s a big reason for his success. A four day stroke-play event can be an exhausting endeavor, but night’s hanging out with family and playing Call of Duty with his brother helped him keep his mind clear and his golf consistent. 

Haney will compete in the Ohio Amateur starting on Tuesday, July 26 at Avalon Golf and CC and hopes to continue his excellent golf and collect another trophy before competing at Wright State this fall and spring.

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