Vaughn Harber didn’t just win a state golf title. He destroyed the tournament record on the way to his first Ohio high school state championship.

Competing against golfers from the largest high schools in the state in Division I, the Columbus St. Francis DeSales senior posted a two-round total of 135, obliterating the state record for 36 holes at Ohio State University’s acclaimed Scarlet Course on Oct. 20-21.

Harber followed an opening-round 2-under-par 69 on Friday, Oct. 20 with a 5-under 66 (six birdies, one bogey) the following day despite less-than-ideal weather conditions that ranged from rain to cool temperatures. He edged Whitehouse Anthony Wayne senior Logan Sutto (70-66) in the individual competition.

Led by Harber’s impressive performance, DeSales claimed fifth place in the team standings with a two-round total of 617. Anthony Wayne finished on top with a 598 total. Rounding out the top five were Akron Hoban (601), Olentangy Liberty (610) and Upper Arlington (612).

The other members of DeSales’ five-player team were sophomore Declan Richardson (159, tied for 32nd), junior Caleb Flynn (163, tied for 45th), junior Peyton Thomas (164, tied for 48th) and senior Joe Couhig (165, tied for 50th).

DeSales senior Vaughn Harber hits a shot from the fairway on the ninth hole at the Ohio State University's Scarlet Course on Oct. 21 in the state golf championships. Harber won the individual title in Division I. Photo courtesy John Hulkenberg


Harber’s record-breaking effort eclipsed the Division I boys state tournament record of 141 shared by Whitehall-Yearling’s Brian Bridges and Toledo Bowsher’s Steve Stone, both set in 1985 on the OSU Scarlet Course.

“It wasn’t surprising,” DeSales coach Tony Pinson said. “He did what he did and got the end result, a state championship. But the manner in which he did it was just absolutely amazing.

“Last year, he lost at the very end, and this year, he just blew the doors off the place. To go out there with the pressure of a state championship and shoot 69-66, it’s just unbelievable.”

A year ago, Harber finished agonizingly close to winning the state tournament, falling two shots short after he bogeyed the 17th hole in the final round. That fueled his fire to redeem himself in 2023.

“He has thought about that for the last year,” Pinson said. “He was on a mission, without a doubt. As he walked off the green on 18 last year after that disappointment, he said, ‘I’m winning this thing next year,’ and he did.

“He was as sharp as I’ve ever seen him. He was sharper this year than he was last year, and it was amazing to watch … like he had the ball on a string.”  

This time around, there was no denying Harber. He trailed by one shot after the first round before closing with the 66 that set a Division I state-tournament record for a single round.

To give Harber’s accomplishment some perspective, his record-setting total topped the winning scores of former state champions such as Jack Nicklaus, a two-time winner of the event for Upper Arlington; Bridges, a former collegiate golfer of the year; legendary golf course architect Pete Dye; former British Open champion Ben Curtis; and current Ohio State standout Max Moldovan.

Harber arrived at DeSales in 2020 from Gahanna St. Matthew School and immediately stepped into the No. 1 spot on the team as a freshman. He has helped propel the Stallions’ steady rise over the past few years into a district and state team contender.

Now he will leave as the No. 1 player in the state.

“All of the people that know Vaughn are so happy for him,” Pinson said. “What makes him so great is the quiet confidence he has. He’s an extremely humble kid and one of the nicest kids you’ll ever meet. That’s what makes it so awesome.”

Harber’s success is not limited to high school golf. He has competed nationally since junior high at events including the junior world championships and the junior Ryder Cup. His talent grabbed the attention of the coaches at Ohio State, where he is headed next fall to play for the Buckeyes on the same course that he handled so well as a high school player.

“I may be a little biased,” Pinson said, “but I think he’s going to go in there ready. He’s not one of those kids that lets people pat him on the back and tell him how good he is and be satisfied with that.

“He wants to take his game pretty far.”