CARMEL — After a freshman year where she shot the second-lowest 18-hole score in state finals history and placed third in her state tournament debut at Prairie View Golf Club, Carmel’s Maya Fujisawa Keuling was back on those proving grounds on Monday, wielding her magic in her third high school meet of the 2026 season.
The now-sophomore won the individual title by shooting a 1-over-par 73 at the State Fall Preview meet. She outdueled Zionsville junior and two-time defending state champion Taylor Snively (+3), as well as Zionsville sophomore Olivia Patton (+4) and Noblesville junior Lauren Turpin (+5).
“My putting was kind of off game today, but it was okay,” Fujisawa Keuling said. “I didn’t give up. I still tried to stick with it and do my best today … It definitely raised (my confidence) up. I haven’t really played in tournaments in a while besides high school golf so I’m excited to see what will happen.”
With Fujisawa Keuling leading the charge, the Greyhounds (+35) placed second in the team race. Individually, she shot a 35 on the front nine and a 38 on the back nine, a voyage that included three birdies in hot and wet conditions.
“It was a little long of a course today, so she managed it really well,” said Carmel coach Kelly Kluesner. “Anytime you stay right around par, win tournaments, it helps with your confidence. Just shows you that you’re on the right path working on the right things.”
Fujisawa Keuling’s path towards state relevance has included added pressure. While her freshman season saw her rise to high school excellence, she admitted to putting unnecessary pressure on her own shoulders – a habit that she hopes to replace with fun this season.
“I tried to tell myself more,’ This is important but at the same time this is also for fun’,” Fujisawa Keuling said. “I try to think of it that way too, but I also wanted to improve more (last year), but overall, I’m just excited and hope for the best.”
Fujisawa Keuling fended off the pressure that the conditions brought and locked in against the rest of the field. The second-year standout withstood the exhaustion from her 18-hole conquest and came out on top, providing a strong sign at what could come at the state meet in early October. She’s proven to be built different at a young age, turning heads for all the right reasons and still developing as a player.
This version of Fujisawa Keuling hasn’t reached peak form and that could be scary for the rest of the high school golf field in Indiana.
“She’s probably the best ball striker that I’ve ever seen,” Kluesner said. “She plays the course; she plays what’s dealt with her every day and for every round. She waits for the birdies to come to her and she’s just a great one to watch and to coach.”
Zionsville takes home the team title
The sight at Prairie View Golf Club on Monday was all too familiar.
The Zionsville girls golf team earned a spot at the top of the leaderboard; hands raised in victory, having vanquished the other squads that dared to dethrone their quest for gold. It was reminiscent of the last two state meets where the Eagles secured back-to-back titles.
They secured their latest team win at the state preview meet, defeating 17 other teams in the field. The Eagles shot 27-over-par as a team, outlasting second-place Carmel (+35) by eight strokes and third-place Westfield (+37) by 10 strokes.
“Today was a little tricky,” said Zionsville coach Maggie Nobbe. “It was difficult conditions with the wind, with the heat but everyone else had to deal with it. We just really focused on mental toughness, and I think that’s exactly what they did, especially come that second nine. So, just really proud of them in persevering.”
Snively placed second individually by shooting 3-over-par 75, while Patton finished in third place with a 4-over-par 76. Paige Henney tied for ninth with a 9-over-par 81 and Avery Lewis shot an 11-over-par 83 in a tie for 15th place. Kaitlyn Adler placed 34th with an 89.
Securing Monday’s team title has the Eagles hungry for more. Their championship drive leaves no room for complacency. As the defending state champions, they refuse to settle for anything less than their absolute best.
The state preview win was a step in the right direction.
“I think everyone played solid,” Snively said. “I think the scores were a little higher today out there, but I still think there’s still a lot of room where we can grow and make it a little easier on ourselves next time.
“We’ve been in situations where we always want to play better. We’ve always played better the second day of state, so I just think our ceiling is always really high and we always want to perform at a high level.”
Zionsville trailed Noblesville in the first round at both the 2024 and 2025 state meet before fighting back to take the lead and win. This season’s Eagles are a tight-knit squad that are chipping away in their own progress.
They are embracing the grind in a season where they are the team to beat, again.
“I think we all know that if we play good golf, we’re going to do what we want to do, and we want to win everywhere we go,” Snively said. “I think it’s just sticking to our process and playing our own game and not worrying about anyone else because a lot of things are going to happen out here. If we all can just play our own game then all the scores are going to add up.”
Marc Ray is a high school sports reporter at the IndyStar. He can be reached at marc.ray@indystar.com , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Carmel’s Maya Fujisawa Keuling wins individual title, Zionsville takes team crown at girls golf state preview meet
Reporting by Marc Ray, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Marc Ray, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
