Jay wasemiller helps lead bruins golf team
Bartlesville High School sophomore Jay Wasemiller helped lead the Bruin golf team this season.
Courtesy photo
By Mike Tupa
May 20, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Since at least the 1940s Bartlesville’s tradition of producing extraordinary high school golfers is amazing.
One of the first was Loddie Paul Kempa, who played in more than 40 PGA events, made the cut 36 times, recorded one top 10 finish and garnered nearly $3,000 in career earnings.
In 1948, Kempa won the National Left-Handed Championship held in French Lick, Ind.
Numerous others have followed — too many to provide here anywhere near a comprehensive list. Many went on to excel on an elite level in college competition and some were good enough to try to make a mark on the pro level.
Sophomore Jay Wasemiller already has proven to be something special. Even though adversity took its toll at times during this past season, he still proved he’s one of the elite links talents in the state.
During the Class 6A regional tournament on May 2, he fired a two-under par 141 at Bailey Golf Ranch (Owasso) to capture the regional title.
Just as importantly, his sizzling surge lifted the entire Bartlesville team into the state tourney.
“This year he peaked at the regional tournament, last year he peaked at the state tournament,” noted Bartlesville High School head boys golf coach Carl Holmes. “I’m glad what he did when he did it to get what he did at the regional. He had to do something special to make that (qualifying for state) a reality for us.”
Unfortunately, Wasemiller didn’t have the kind of the state tournament he had unleashed as a freshman, battling to ninth place and All-State status.
The sophomore jinx saw him shoot three rounds in the high 70s at this year’s state tournament and to a 23rd place finish at 231 (plus-15).
But the state tournament did not define Wasemiller’s season — or May.
Less than a week after the state tournament, Wasemiller shot a minus-3 137 (65-72) to finish fifth at the Lincoln Park Open (May 17-18) of the Oklahoma Junior Golf Tournament series.
On Day One, Wasemiller topped the field with a five-under par 65, which included seven birdies and two bogeys.
He got off to a rough start on Day Two, taking a two-over six on the first hole — but he shot even par the rest of the way to finish at 72 and 137 overall.
Looking back at the state tourney, Wasemiller’s scrappy effort elevated Bartlesville to an unexpected Top 10 finish as a team and — more importantly — helped his young teammates gain valuable experience for future seasons.
“Jay last year could worry only about Jay,” Holmes explained. “This year he had to lead by example. … He wants the team to do as well as he does. He’s focused on picking those other guys up. Jay really matured as a leader. Those guys look up to Jay so much. Unlike last year, now he looks at if I do what I’m supposed to do and those other guys do what they can do it gives us a legitimate shot.”
“What I would say about Jay this year is his stroke average was probably not as much different as last year,” Holmes said. “He certainly improved his strength distance and versatility. He carried a bunch of freshmen through the regional.”
The regional turned out to be the shining moment for both Wasemiller and the team.
As mentioned he turned in arguably the best 36-hole performance of his high school career to shoot 141 and lead Bartlesville to an average of 312 per round and spot in the state tourney.
Late in the season, the Bruins turned in two of the rest rounds in team history, at least the past quarter century, at 302 and 299.
In just two seasons Wasemiller has made a robust impact as both an individual competitor and a team leader.
Bartlesville High School Bruins golf team.
Courtesy photo
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His secret for excellence is no secret — zealous devotion, hard work, intense focus and unrelenting repetition in perfecting details.
In fact, during the phone interview last week with Carl Holmes, Wasemiller was still practicing. The time was 7:12 p.m.
Wasemiller found out about golf early in life because of his father’s participation in the game.
“It came naturally to me,” Wasemiller said, but added: “I played basketball pretty much my whole life. I loved it. But, it faded out around eighth grade when I set on golf as my sport.”
Wasemiller continued to steadily improve.
He averages around 290 to 300 yards off the tee and hits a high percentage of the fairways.
When it comes to his mid-game, “I’ve been a pretty good ball striker my whole life,” he said. “Around the green I’m pretty good. My bunker game is probably the best part of my wedges.”
He’s concentrated diligently to upgrade his putting game.
“Last year, I went through a lot of putters,” he said. “This year I got my putters working for me.”
Among his proudest achievements this season was scoring an eagle during his milestone regional performance.
During the offseason, Wasemiller stays busy in the Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour.
His result in this past weekend’s competition at the Lincoln Park Golf Course (East) has already been mentioned.
During the past year he finished seventh (146) in the Oakwood Summer Junior Open, 10th (143) in the Talor Gooch John Conrad Fall Classic and seventh (140) in the OJGT Fall Finale at the Kickingbird Golf Club.
With two full high school seasons stretching before him — along with junior tournaments — Wasemiller still has plenty of opportunity to emblazon his name as one of the elite golfers to have come out of a Bartlesville high school.
He’s already a good part of the way there.