By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech men's golf head coach Polk Brown announced the addition of two players for the 2022-23 athletic season, signing Anders Larson and Haden Maxwell to national letters of intent to play for the Golden Eagles.
ANDERS LARSON
Hometown: Pine Island, Minn.
High School: Pine Island High School
Larson was a three-sport athlete at Pine Island High School in Pine Island, Minn., collecting three letters in basketball as a guard, one in baseball as a catcher and pitcher, and one, so far, in golf (he will compete in his senior campaign in the spring). After playing for the PIHS baseball team as a freshman, Larson shifted to the links only to see his sophomore campaign cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally getting his chance to compete, Larson made his first season on the golf team count, delivering a 72.2 scoring average and capturing individual medalist honors at the conference championships. He followed with a runner up showing in the section championships before advancing to the MSHSL 2A State tournament and placing ninth overall.
The honors were well earned for Larson, who collected All-Conference First Team, All-Section First Team, and All-State Second Team accolades on the year. Named team MVP, he earned multiple top-five finishes during the season while leading his team to its first ever conference and section championships. He also led the school to a fifth-place showing at the State championships.
He is a two-time qualifier for the Minnesota State Amateur Championship, highlighted by this summer's performance. Larson fired a bogey-free, 3-under 68 to take medalist honors by four strokes at The Bridges Golf Course.
COACH BROWN'S TAKE
"We are thrilled to have Anders join us next fall. He is a fantastic young man with contagious energy for the game of golf. He will be a great addition to our program and we look forward to his contributions for years to come."
HADEN MAXWELL
Hometown: Soddy Daisy, Tenn.
High School: Baylor School
Maxwell played two seasons for Baylor School in Chattanooga, helping the team lock down back-to-back TSSAA Division II-AA State titles in 2020 and 2021. During the 2021 campaign, he helped Baylor deliver the best 36-hole team score in state championship history, a 557 that clinched the title for the Red Raiders by 17 strokes.
In the 2021 state tournament, Maxwell tied with teammates David Schneider-Jerez and Sheldon McKnight for runner-up honors, carding a 70-69=139 to finish 5-under at Sevierville Golf Club. He also fired his lowest career round of 64 at Council Fire Golf Club during the season.
On top of the pair of state titles, Maxwell led Baylor to a pair of Region championships and two City Prep titles. He won the Tennessee Summer Junior Open with a 5-under showing at Bear Trace at Harrison Bay in 2020 and followed it up with another victory at the Summer College Prep Series at Vanderbilt, finishing at even-par at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
Also during the summer of 2020, he won the Masters 2-Day event at Bear Trace at Harrison Bay as part of the Sned Tour. Maxwell shot 7-under with scores of 69 and 68. In the same event this past summer, he tied for a runner-up finish, posting a 2-under total with scores of 72 and 70. Also this summer, he placed in the top-10 at the Tennessee State Junior Amateur at Memphis Country Club.
COACH BROWN'S TAKE
"Haden comes from a historic golf program at Baylor. He has an amazing pedigree and we look forward to that continuing during his tenure here at Tech. We are so excited to have him."
