The University of Akron Athletics
Fabian Sunden and Beau Bayerl Sign NLI to Play Golf at Akron
November 29 | Men's Golf
Follow Akron Men's Golf on Facebook and Twitter
Akron, Ohio – Fabian Sunden and Beau Bayerl signed National Letters of Intent to join the Akron Zips men's golf team in 2017-18, announced sixth-year head coach David Trainor.
"I am very excited about this class," Trainor said. "Beau and Fabian are both very strong and talented players. They love to compete, have done so at the national and international levels, and have experienced the success that is needed to move forward and be successful at the next level. I look forward to having them on campus, helping them achieve their goals, and in turn, them helping us achieve our goals."
Sunden is a Swedish golfer from Sundsgymnasiet High School in Sweden. In 2016, Sunden scored below par in six rounds en route to a High School National Championship silver medal performance.
Sunden is a member of the Ljunghusens Golf Club Men's team, and during his time, they won the second division and earned a promotion to the highest division. He played 4-of-6 rounds in the championship, many against older and professional golfers such as European Tour winner, Fredrik Andersosn Hed. He was also a member of the club's junior team that placed second in the Junior Series. He finished tied for fifth overall at the National Junior Stroke Play Championship with a 4-under par 212 that included rounds of 69-78-65-72. His 65 was the low-round of the tournament and tied the Sollentuna Golf Club course record.
Sunden won the Skadia Tour Riks with a 36-hole 2-under performance at Abbekas Golf Club and participated with the national team in the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy event. In 2015, Sunden led his team to the High School National Championship, finished fourth in the junior club championship, and fifth in the Karoliner Cup.
"Fabian is a very accomplished player with many things you just cannot teach," Trainor said. "He is a powerful player with great hands. I watched Fabian play this summer, and fell in love with his game almost immediately. The modern game of golf requires big hitters, especially with the golf courses we play week in and week out. I think Fabian will play a very big role in our future success."
Bayerl, an Ashland, Ohio native, ranks second in all-time scoring average at Ashland High School with a scoring average of 36.7. He was the third player in AHS history to earn four First-Team Ohio Cardinal Conference selections and three Northwest District First Team honors (2014, '15, and '16).
Furthermore, Bayerl secured OCC Player of the Year accolades in 2014 and 2016 after earning medalist honors at the conference championship in 2014 and 2015 and runner-up in 2016.
In 2016, Bayerl won 4-of-8 high school invitationals while landing in the Top 5 of every event. His four wins came at Derby Creek Golf Course, Shady Hallow Country Club, Ashland Country Club, and Oak Tree Golf Club, while finishing runner-up at the OCC Conference Championship at Mohican Hills Golf Course. He added a pair of third place finishes at Wooster Country Club and Findlay Country Club as well as a fifth place showing at the Country Club of Hudson.
In 2015, Bayerl landed in the Top 10 of all eight events, including four medalist performances, a runner-up effort, two third-place finishes, and a pair of 10th place showings.
Bayerl is equally successful off the course, maintaining a 3.8 grade point average while taking Honors classes. He earned the Scholar Athlete Award in his first three years at Ashland and is on pace to receive the honor for 2016. He finished in Ohio's Top 5 at the Ohio Stock Market Challenge and was a Stock Market Regional Champion in 2015. In addition, he is a two-time winner of the American Legion Americanism and Government test.
"I have followed Beau for the better part of two years, and is someone I really wanted to have as part of our Zips family," Trainor said. "Beau is a very gifted player – very long, athletic, and can put pressure on the course to shoot very low scores. Ashland High School has had a long list of great players come through there over the years, and to be second in overall stroke average is a great accomplishment."
The 2016-17 Zips will be back in action during the spring schedule, beginning on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 27-28, at the Wexford Intercollegiate in Hilton Head, S.C.
