Freshman-phenom, Liu, wins NYSPHSAA Boys State Championship
Ryan Liu of Manhasset Secondary School won the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) 2026 Boys Golf State Championship at Mill Creek Golf Club in Churchville on Monday.
Liu found himself tied for fifth after the first round on Sunday with an opening round of 70, one-under, featuring two double bogeys and five birdies. Josh Yan of Newburgh Free Academy ended day one with the lead shooting, 67.
Related: Results / Past Champions / NYSPHSAA Boys Golf
On the second day, Liu, a freshman, started hot with three birdies on the front nine, including a two on the par 3 9th. He was tied with Charles Nevin of Friends Academy through 27 holes. Liu went on to drop a shot on the 11th hole and was two shots behind the lead heading to the 14th.
He proceeded to miraculously finish his final five holes in 16 shots. He birdied the par 4 14th and then eagled the next hole, a par 5, to find himself even again with Nevin. He parred holes 16 and 17 but birdied the 36th hole of the championship to find himself six-under for the tournament with a 66 in the second round.
Nevin, in the group behind Liu, then responded with a birdie of his own on the last hole to tie with Liu after two rounds. Liu won the playoff to claim the state championship, a dramatic turn after finishing last year’s event 13-over in 35th place.
Yan ended up in third place with a second round of 71, one-over. Francisco Cupp of Saratoga High School, last year’s NYS Boys' 14U Junior Amateur Championship winner, finished in fourth. The member of Team New York posted two rounds of 70. Rounding out the top five was Westhampton Beach’s Zach Berger. Berger shot one-over for the tournament and eagled the 15th hole both days.
