NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - As just a freshman, The Apprentice School’s Ben Hunter won individual medalist honors at the 2010 USCAA Golf National Championship. Hunter, a native of Suffolk, Virginia, finished even par during the two-day event at the Penn State University Blue Course, winning by seven strokes. Now a senior, Hunter has a chance to bring things full circle and cap one of the most decorated individual careers in USCAA golf history with another first-place finish at Penn State.
While it was Hunter’s freshman season that ended in honors, his sophomore and junior seasons were equally impressive. He finished third at the 2011 USCAA Golf National Championship, falling victim to record setting final round performances from medalist Tommy Stirling (68, four under par) and second-place finisher Bo Cook (69, three under par). Stirling’s 68 stands as the lowest round recorded in the USCAA Golf National Championships at the Penn State Blue Course.
In 2012, Hunter finished second to Daemen College’s Kyle Kapturowski. After shooting an opening round 77, his worst in six rounds at the Blue Course, Hunter responded with a 70 on day two, tying his career best round at the National Championship. However, Kapturowski’s fired a sensational round of his own, carding a 69 to hold Hunter off.
For The Apprentice School, Hunter has been their team MVP for three years running, an impressive feat considering he plays alongside two-time USCAA All-American Kyle Mutter (fifth place finish in 2011, fourth place finish in 2012). A three-time All-American in his own right, Hunter is on pace to break all of The Apprentice School’s career scoring records. He already holds some of them, including a five under par 67 as part of a dual-match victory over Louisburg College in 2012, the lowest scored round in Builders’ history.
The records that Hunter is breaking are those formerly held by Builders’ assistant coach B.J. Maben, who led The Apprentice School golf team to two USCAA Golf Invitational titles during his playing career. Maben would later play a part in the recruiting of Hunter to The Apprentice School, continuing the legacy of great golfers at the trade institution in Newport News, Virginia.
"Having the opportunity to recruit a golfer like Ben is few and far between," said Maben. "Seeing him on the course from day one I knew he was something special. Being able to watch Ben not only break the records I held, but break them again and again has been special."
"I feel good about where my game is heading into nationals and everything is coming around at the right time," Hunter said. "For us it has been our goal to win this title. From 1-10, everyone has been aiming for nationals to be playing our best."
Hunter will enter this year’s USCAA Golf National Championship playing some of the best golf of his career. At the prestigious Eastern Amateur tournament over the summer, Hunter shot a final round 66 to finish in the middle of the pack. Earlier in September, Hunter won the 2013 Men’s Club Championship at the Elizabeth Manor Golf and Country Club, once again surging in the final round and finishing with a two-day total of 135 defeating Maben in the process. In a pair of tri-matches to open the Builders’ season, Hunter earned medalist honors and led Apprentice to victories over Johnston Community College and Surry Community College.
For his career, Hunter’s stroke average is 75.6. That number has consistently gone down during his four years at The Apprentice School. Through six matches in 2013 he’s averaging a career best 74 and is tied for second in the USCAA in scoring average. With the 2013 USCAA National Championship approaching, Hunter and Kapturowski will lead the field once again, both looking for their second individual medalist victory.
Joey Maben, the Apprentice School Head Golf Coach, summarized Hunter's play very easily. "All coaches would be thrilled to have a Ben Hunter, the most dedicated player I have seen. He makes coaching a pleasure."
All numbers and records aside, a fitting end to Ben Hunter’s career would be the same way that he started it. He’ll begin that quest on October 7th at the Penn State University Blue Course in State College, Pennsylvania. You can follow Ben and the rest of the field at theuscaa.com and @theuscaa on Twitter.