Michigan’s Mr. Golf: Bryce Wheeler

By Tom Lang

Bryce Wheeler, a recent senior from Gull Lake High School, was voted by the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Assoc. as the year’s top golfer, earning the title of Mr. Golf.

He won almost a dozen tournaments out of the team’s 14-event schedule, won the Div. 2 Regional and capped the season by winning the Div. 2 State Final, by a six-shot margin. It was played at Grand Valley State, one of the toughest tracks in the state for tournament golf. He shot 67-71-138 and recently committed to the same University to extend his career there.

Wheeler tallied a scoring average of 70.8. Some of the bigger wins were at Oakland University and the East Lansing Invitational, and at Gull Lake’s Invitational hosted at Grand Valley. All came against many fellow All-State Dream Teamers. Right after graduating he placed T6 in the stroke play portion of the Michigan Amateur with a 70-73-143 against a mostly-college field. 

Head coach T.R. Walters said that Wheeler flew below the recruiting radar because he wasn’t sending out video resumes.  But as he kept winning and beating many top recruits, more college coaches sat up and took notice.

“Absolutely outstanding kid,” Walters said. “And his work ethic is just outstanding. He’s a great golfer, but he’s an even better kid.”

MHSAA State Tournament Winners:

Div. 1

Team: Novi Detroit Catholic Central

Medalist: Ieaun Jones, Ann Arbor Skyline

Div. 2

Team: Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice

Medalist: Bryce Wheeler, Gull Lake

Div. 3

Team: Ann Arbor Greenhills

Medalist: Cale Piedmonte-Lang, Greenhills

Div. 4

Team: Lansing Christian

Medalist: Jeffrey Andrus, Royal Oak Shrine Catholic

Michigan Players Qualify for the 2022 USGA Junior Amateur:

Heading to the CC of North Carolina in Pinehurst, July 19-24 are 

Drew Miller (East Lansing)

Beau Brewer (Dexter)

Mitchell Strickland (Ann Arbor)

Evan McDermott, (Spring Lake)