Lafayette Men's City Golf: Jack Ross takes break from baseball to fuel his pastime
WEST LAFAYETTE – The first goal on the agenda for Jack Ross was to break 80 in Saturday’s qualifying round of the Men’s City Golf Championships.
Mission accomplished.
The Harrison graduate fired a 78 on Ackerman-Allen. While the 6-over par score wasn’t one of the best of the day, consider this factoid about Ross. Last weekend was his first competitive golf event since middle school.
“For that being my first competitive tournament in a very long time, I was happy with that,” Ross said.
The second round didn’t go as well as Ross shot an 85 on the Kampen Course and finished the two-day stroke play portion of the tournament tied for 42nd, which fell short of landing in the championship bracket for match play.
Considering the circumstances, Ross will take it.
“As a whole, I’m not upset,” he said.
So, how does Ross, whose family is immersed in the world of golf, avoid playing in a competitive event for nearly a decade? He elected to focus on baseball and remains committed since he has two years remaining at Taylor University.
This was the first time in a long time Ross hasn’t played travel baseball during the summer. And while he’s stayed active in golf, hitting balls on the driving range and playing with family and friends, most of his time has been spent improving his pitching skills.
The engineering major didn’t pick up a golf club until after his 2022 baseball season ended in preparation for the annual tournament.
“I’ve always wanted to play in the City, but I haven’t been able to,” Ross said. “I’ve had baseball tournaments every weekend up until now. I figured it would be a good opportunity to come out here, have some fun and play some golf.”
Ross is part of the First Flight of the tournament where he’s seeded fifth and will face Kris Paul on Saturday at Ackerman-Allen.
Ross was surrounded by golf growing up.
His dad, Dan, is the head PGA professional and director of instruction at the Birck Boilermaker Complex; his sister, Ally, won the Women’s City title for the fifth-straight year two weeks ago and finished a successful career at Butler; his mom, Luci, was introduced to the game by her father, Jerry Jackson, a member of the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame and a member of the 1961 NCAA championship team at Purdue and earned All-American honors in 1962.
Golf has been Jack’s pastime, but baseball is his passion.
The two sports collided in high school since they were played in the spring. Only one could receive his attention, even though he lobbied Raiders baseball coach Pat Lowrey to do both.
“I tried to convince him,” Ross said.
It’s worked out as Ross had played three years for the Trojans and each season his role has increased on the mound. He appeared in 23 games last year, posting a 4-1 record with three saves.
“I felt like I was better at baseball than I was at golf,” he said. “Not that I don’t love golf – and I do – by my love for baseball is so much greater. I wanted to continue that for the next four years and that’s the route I went, and I have no regrets about it.”
And he shouldn’t.
There’s a limited window to play baseball but golf is a sport Ross can always return to, whether it’s in the summer or once he puts his glove away for good. This won’t be his last appearance in the Men’s City.
“Baseball is the priority right now,” he said. “Golf is something I’ll do more after college.”
Mike Carmin covers Purdue sports for the Journal & Courier. Email mcarmin@gannett.com and follow on Twitter and Instagram @carmin_jc
MEN'S CITY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Presented by the Bob Rohrman Auto Group
Saturday
At Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex
Senior Flight
7:30 a.m. - No. 8 Larry Schafer vs. No. 9 John Thompson; No. 7 Tom Caldwell vs. No. 10 Ash Puri; 7:40 a.m. - No. 3 Doug Miller vs. No. 14 Jentry Spear; No. 6 Tom Decker vs. No. 11 Mark Richardson; 7:50 a.m. - No. 4 Randy Rupp vs. No. 13 Lester Williams; No. 5 Tim Adams vs. No. 12 Randy Bond
Championship Flight
8:10 a.m. - No. 6 Kelly Greene vs. No. 27 Troy Greene; No. 11 Shane Fry vs. No. 22 Joe Couch Jr.; 8:20 a.m. - No. 3 Scott Busch vs. No. 30 Andy Oaks; No. 14 Jon Speaker vs. No. 19 Moaaz Ali; 8:30 a.m. - No. 4 Ajani Johnson vs. No. 26 Tom Cavanaugh; No. 10 Keegan Wilson vs. No. 23 Luke Riley; 8:40 a.m. - No. 2 Collin Haag vs. No. 31 Adam Oaks; No. 15 Tom Newton vs. No. 18 Josh Curry; 8:50 a.m. - No. 5 Collin McNeely vs. No. 28 Tanner Hieatt; No. 12 Earl Emerick vs. No. 21 Alex Hipsher; 9 a.m. - No. 4 Matt Toney vs. No. 29 Joshua Kisfalusi; No. 13 Nathan Allen vs. No. 20 John Herron; 9:10 a.m. - No. 8 Austin Conroy vs. No. 25 Tyler Jackson; No. 9 Mike Rivas vs. No. 24 Gavin Dunbar; 9:20 a.m. - No. 1 Brent Hofman vs. No. 32 Grant Bauman; No. 16 Ben Mattingly vs. No. 17 Mitchell Swan
First Flight
9:30 a.m. - No. 6 Ben Larson vs. No. 11 Mark Larson; No. 3 Jeff Cook vs. No. 14 Glenn Cassida; 9:40 a.m. - No. 7 Michael Linnes vs. Erik Skadberg; No. 2 Nick Thomas vs. No. 15 Mitchell Keene; 9:50 a.m. - No. 5 Jack Ross vs. No. 12 Kris Paul; No. 4 Cameron Greene vs. No. 13 Aiden Beaver; 10 a.m. - No. 8 Spencer Coverdale vs. No. 9 Grant Leroux; No. 1 Charlie Seaburg vs. No. 16 Noah Gaeta
Second Flight
10:10 a.m. - No. 6 Hayden Ritchie vs. No. 11 Tyler McNeely; No. 3 Kenneth Campbell vs. No. 14 Kyle Banter; 10:20 a.m. - No. 7 Juan Gaeta vs. No. 10 Bill King; No. 2 Phil Sharp vs. No. 15 Cole Wetli; 10:30 a.m. - No. 5 Blaire Westfall vs. No. 12 Paul Sadler; No. 4 Joseph Yeaman vs. No. 13 Jackson Williams; 10:40 a.m. - No. 8 Jesse Kuszmaul vs. No. 9 Joseph Crouch Sr.; No. 1 Dustin Allred vs. No. 16 Nels Bergmark
Third Flight
10:50 a.m. - No. 7 Brian Fine vs. No. 10 Jon Chapin; No. 8 Patrick Edwards vs. No. 9 Enrique Langford
Fourth Flight
11 a.m. - No. 7 Greg Kendall vs. No. 10 Dherrus Churchill; No. 8 Matt Vought vs. No. 9 Tony Ostrom
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette Men's City Golf: Harrison grad break from baseball
