CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The 2025 Briarbrook Invitational teed off Friday on a wet course.
This year’s three-day invitational includes 124 golfers (97 regular, 27 seniors) and a slew of young golfers contending for the title.
Among those young golfers is defending champion Austin Hafner, who graduated from William Penn last year and served as assistant golf coach at Carl Junction High School this past season.
“There’s a little added pressure,” Hafner said of this year’s competition, after winning the title. “It’s for the back-to-back, but I’m just going to play my game and see where it takes me.”
Among those Hafner will have to fend off is one of his Carl Junction golfers — Jack Spencer, who was the winner of last year’s Ozark Amateur and finished fifth in Class 4 in Missouri this season as a senior.
Hafner shot a 207 over 54 holes to win last year’s tournament. He was three strokes ahead of runner-up Taylor Landsford (210). Spencer finished tied for third (211) with 2021 champ Jordan Burks, who also is in the field this year.
Spencer, who helped Carl Junction finish third in Class 4 for the second straight season, said there is a difference between high school golf and summer tournaments.
“Obviously, the team aspect is a lot different,” Spencer said. “You’re more focused on yourself in these summer tournaments. The Briarbrook Invitational is a fun event, where you are riding in golf carts with your buddies. It’s just a lot more relaxed for me.”
Also gunning for a title this year is Harry Satterlee, of Joplin, who just finished his freshman year playing for NCAA Division I University of Cincinnati.
“College golf is a lot different,” Satterlee said. “It’s longer yardage, and the courses are a lot tougher. It’s all about playing for your school and not letting the other guys down.”
Satterlee offered advice for Spencer, who will be playing at UMKC next year.
“He’s going to do well,” Satterlee said. “He just has to keep doing what he has been doing — grinding and focusing on the little things.”
Also in this year’s field is Tug Baker, of Carthage, who took the title at the 2020 Briarbrook Invitational.
This year’s senior division includes last year’s Briarbrook Invitational seniors champ Steve Hoenshell and inaugural Senior Ozark Amateur champ Dave Pawlus, who also tied for runner-up with Bill Curry in the senior division at Briarbrook last year.
The tournament, which began 56 years ago, has been played each year but one, in 2019, after the course suffered extensive tornado damage.
The invitational features a variety of other events, including a nine-hole par-3 tournament played Thursday (See related story).
Stroke play continues Saturday with the final round Sunday.