10 Ames-area Iowa high school girls golfers to watch ahead of the 2024 season
Girls high school golfers in the Ames Tribune's coverage area will be looking to keep the momentum going from a banner 2023 season as they prepare to compete in 2024.
In 2023, Gilbert claimed the Class 3A girls golf team championship and the Tigers' Eden Lohrbach was the state meet's individual winner. Nevada also competed at the 3A girls state meet in Cedar Falls.
Roland-Story won its first state title last spring as well. The Norse took first at the 2A state meet in Marshalltown.
Ames competed in the 4A state meet at the Otter Creek Course in Ankeny last season. The Little Cyclones placed ninth as a team.
If 2023 was a big year for local girls golfers, the 2024 season has the potential to be huge. Gilbert, Roland-Story and Ames all bring nearly everyone back from their state qualifying teams and Nevada also returns some of its top golfers.
This is just a preseason list, so plenty of new names could emerge during the season. But here, in alphabetical order by last name, are the top 10 girls high school golfers in the Ames area right now.
Olivia Axmear, Nevada
Year: Senior
Axmear has qualified individually for state twice and she led the Nevada girls team to the 3A state competition in 2023.
As a sophomore, Axmear tied for 14th place in 3A at the state meet in Adel. She shot a 175 over 36 holes.
At last year's state meet, Axmear again came in 14th, scoring a 167.
Brinley Carlson, Roland-Story
Year: Sophomore
Carlson joined her older sister, Makenna, last spring to give Roland-Story an elite one-two punch that was able to lead the Norse to the 2A state championship.
As a freshman, Carlson placed seventh at state. She finished with a strong two-day score of 172 over 36 holes.
Makenna Carlson, Roland-Story
Year: Senior
Carlson has been a rock for Roland-Story during her three years with the program.
As a freshman, she tied for 10th place individually at the 2A state meet to help Roland-Story come in second as a team. In her sophomore year, Carlson placed fourth in 2A to help the Norse take fifth as a team.
Last year as a junior, Carlson again took fourth individually in 2A. She shot a 163 over 36 holes and finished just one stroke away from second place in helping Roland-Story earn the team championship.
Elizabeth Duncan, Ames
Year: Junior
Duncan has been fantastic in her two seasons with the Ames girls golf program.
As a freshman, Duncan qualified for state and placed 21st at the 4A meet in Ankeny with a two-day score of 170 over 36 holes. Last year, she made state again individually and helped the Little Cyclones qualify as a team.
During her sophomore campaign at state, Duncan once again had a strong two days at the Otter Creek Golf Course in Ankeny. Duncan led Ames by placing 14th with a two-day score of 158.
Ava Lohrbach, Gilbert
Year: Sophomore
Lohrbach and her twin sister, Ella, are the younger sisters of Eden.
They showed golfing runs in the family last season. As a freshman, Lohrbach carded a 170 at the 3A state meet with 18-hole rounds of 89 and 81 to place 16th individually and help Gilbert cruise to the team championship.
Eden Lohrbach, Gilbert
Year: Senior
Eden Lohrbach is the top returning golfer in all of 3A.
The University of Nebraska recruit won individual titles as both a freshman and junior, and she took second as a sophomore after losing a playoff to Newton's Rylee Heryford. She helped Gilbert place second as a team during her freshman and sophomore years before leading the Tigers to a dominant state championship run as a junior.
Eden shot a 1-under-par score of 143 over 36 holes at last year's 3A state meet to win the individual championship by five strokes.
Ella Lohrbach, Gilbert
Year: Sophomore
Ella Lohrbach was neck-and-neck with her twin sister all of last year.
She finished with the exact same score as Ava during the 2023 state meet, 170 over 36 holes. Ella finished one spot behind Ava in the final individual standings, placing 17th.
Emersen Motl, Ames
Year: Junior
Motl has been Ames' most consistent golfer over the previous two seasons.
Like Duncan, Motl is a two-time individual state qualifier. She tied for 48th at the 4A state meet as a freshman with a 188 over 36 holes and placed 20th at last year's state meet with a 166.
Brooke Thompson, Roland-Story
Year: Junior
Thompson and senior teammate Grace Corcoran emerged as solid third and fourth golfers last season. They played a big role in helping the Norse win last year's 2A state title.
Thompson was Roland-Story's No. 3 golfer at the state meet. She placed 36th individually with a 36-hole score of 193.
Macy Underwood, Gilbert
Year: Senior
Underwood rounded out the varsity scoring for Gilbert at last year's state meet.
She gave Gilbert four top-20 individual scores, placing 18th with a 36-hole score of 171.
Underwood, Josie Dukes and Haley Loonan join Eden Lohrbach as the senior leaders for a Gilbert team favored to repeat as champions in 3A.
Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: 10 Iowa girls golfers to watch in the Ames area during 2024 season
