Nov. 10, 2011
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State men's golf head coach Donnie Darr announced the signing of two student-athletes to National Letters of Intent Thursday. Joining the Buckeyes for the 2012-13 season are Michael Bernard and Timothy (Tee-K) Kelly.
"I am really excited to have Michael and Tee-K join our golf program," Darr said. "They are both excellent young men who excel on the golf course and in the classroom. They have the potential to be great college players immediately and these are two young men I am proud to call Buckeyes."
Bernard is from Hubert Heights, Ohio, and attends Wayne High School. Currently ranked 16th in the class of 2012 Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, he has broken every school golf record and has held the lowest stroke average in his conference the last four years.
Recognized as the 2009 and 2010 Miami Valley Golf Association Player of the Year, Bernard made history at the 2010 Ohio Amateur Championship after he became the youngest winner (age 16) in the event's 104-year history. He also made history at the Men's Springfield City Amateur and the Miami Valley Metropolitan Championship as he was the youngest winner at both events, winning both at age 14 and 15, respectively.
Bernard medaled the qualifier for the 2010 US Junior Amateur and went on to reach match play as the 14th seed. As a junior golfer, he has five top-10 finishes in AJGA events, including two second-place finishes. Bernard won two PGA Junior series tournaments and was named the 2011 PGA Junior Player of the Year.
Kelly is from Wheaton, Ill., and attends Wheaton Warrenville High School. The four-time Du Page Valley All-Conference selection was the 2011 individual champion at the conference tournament and earned the conference's Co-Player of the Year award. Kelly was a three-time state qualifier as well as his team's Most Valuable Player for three-straight years.
This season, Kelly established a new school scoring record by averaging an under-par score for all dual match and 18-hole tournaments played in. He also earned medalist or co-medalist honors in every dual match and in five of six tournaments this year.
Among his other awards, Kelly was the 2008 Illinois Junior Golf Association's Player of the Year, a member of the 2010 Bettinardi MAJGT All-Midwest Team, an All-Area Fall Sports Athlete in 2010 and Academic All-Conference honoree.
Kelly had a successful 2011 summer golf season that included a first-place finish at the Columbus Junior presented by the Memorial Tournament held at The Ohio State University Golf Club - Scarlet Course. He also finished tied for second at the AJGA Midwest Junior Players, 10th at the AJGA Golf Pride Junior Classic and tied for eighth at the Illinois PGA Golf Tournament where he posted a 1-under par in his first professional golf tournament.
