When the Bingham Miners boys golfers had their first tournament in Magna on a blazing hot summer’s day, you kind of had a feeling that this team was special. 

By the time the Miners got through several weeks of play, Bingham stood third overall as a team in the Region 2 standings. 

But at the 6A state tournament at Sleepy Ridge, the Miners were hardly dozing. 

In fact, after one round of play, Bingham sat in third place at 285, seven strokes ahead of Riverton, the Region 2 champion. 

To be just nine strokes off the team lead at state, where the Miners hadn’t won since the 2004-05 season, was big. 

It would take even more for Bingham to keep pace with the giants of Class 6A at this course in Orem. 

Could they do it? 

In round two, Bingham could not—and Riverton eventually caught the Miners to finish in third. Bingham would have to settle for fourth at 585, and yet it was the Miners’ best team finish at state in several years. 

From an individual standpoint, Bingham also had some standout performances. Senior Krew Heward birdied five holes in the first round, seventh-best among all golfers. But, four double bogeys cost him a spot in the Top 10 over the first 18 holes of action, and he moved into 16th place after one round at 71. 

Heward needed to replicate his first-round performance, or at least come close to it, to stay in the Top 20. The Bingham senior did just that, hitting a +1 73 over the final 18 holes of his high school career to stay in 16th. 

It was a big achievement for Heward, who showed promise dating back to the eighth-place 71 he shot in Magna to open the season. 

Sitting one stroke behind Heward after one round at state was senior Parker Young. Having shot a 1-over 71 to open his final state tournament appearance, Young had to either equal or top Heward to move into the Top 15. 

Some jitters on the front nine hurt Young, who was 3-over. To the senior’s credit though, he birdied two holes on the back nine and was even on six of his other seven to finish with a 3-over 74, tied for 17th place. 

To have both Heward and Young in the Top 20 was rare company, indeed, and yet the Miners were not done doling out the surprises at state. 

Bingham sophomore Sean Robison, who threatened to make life interesting in some region tournaments throughout the regular season, was steady in the first round at Sleepy Ridge. He hit even on 12 of his first 18 holes of golf to land himself in 36th place with a 76. After that, he parred nine of his last 18 to finish at 77, and remained in 36th for the tournament. 

Freshman Caleb Bennion announced his arrival at this state tournament, as well. He did not start well, finishing his first state tournament round with a 13-over 81 in 65th place. But when you consider that Bennion was only one of three freshmen to make the cut, you realize he was in elite company here. 

His jitters largely settled, Bennion steeled his nerves to shoot a 4-over 76 in the second round at state, moving the Bingham freshman into a tie for 48th place. 

Junior Connor Oettli finished in 65th place, and after the first round of the state tournament was actually one stroke ahead of Bennion. Oettli fell off that pace in the second round at Sleepy Ridge, and others caught up to him and passed him on the leaderboard. Still and all, the Bingham junior birdied two holes and so that, along with six other holes in which he hit even, kept him off the 81st place and lower cut line. 

Bingham freshman Linken Cromar also showed a possible glimpse of his future, finishing just one stroke off the cut line in 81st. In all, it was a memorable state tournament experience for the Miners, who showed a lot of promise across the leaderboard over two days of state tournament action.

The Bingham Miners 2025-26 golf team is: Will Barrick, Preston Jack, Parker Young, Krew Heward, Champ Carlson, Connor Oettli, Sean Robison, Charles Stevens, David Peirce, Jack Stevens, Abram Never, Carter Cantwell, Conklin Thompson, Linken Cromar, Caleb Bennion, Carter Orme, William Johnson, Luke Wright, Landon Jack, Oscar Passey, Case Hasegawa, Garrett Young, Tadashi Miyasaki and Tate Kirkham.