Vibing on Taylor Swift music allows Palmyra’s Janes to find rhythm to shoot career-best round

PALMYRA, Mo. — All was quiet when Jonas Janes arrived at Jackson Park Golf Course about 90 minutes before Wednesday’s Palmyra Invitational was scheduled to start.

“I was the only one there,” Janes said. “I put my AirPods in my ears and I was just vibing to Taylor Swift. I was just kind of in the zone.”

He never left that happy place.

The Palmyra senior birdied his first three holes, chipped in for eagle on the back nine and needed only 24 putts to navigate the par-70 course in 6-under 64 and win the individual title while also guiding the Panthers to the team title.

Palmyra posted a 308 team score, while South Shelby was second at 323, Monroe City third at 324 and Canton fourth at 334.

Janes’ score left him seven shots in front of the rest of the field and marked his best competitive round ever. He had never shot better than a 79 in an 18-hole tournament.

“It kind of came out of nowhere,” Janes said.

Maybe so, but Janes benefitted from the blistering start.

“I felt like I could do anything I wanted to with the ball,” Janes said. “It was going where I wanted it to. Everything was on line, the right distance and in control.”

After the three birdies to start, Janes gave two shots back with a pair of bogeys bookending a four-hole stretch. However, he made a birdie on the par-4 eighth hole and posted a 2-under 33 on the front nine. He opened the back nine with a birdie, and on the par-4 12th, Janes made the shot of the day.

On the 330-yard hole, Janes drove his tee shot to the right fringe and had a 30-foot chip shot.

“I hit it perfectly, right where I wanted to,” Janes said. “I couldn’t have putted it any better. It rolled perfectly in.”

He reacted with a little fist pump, but he never lost his focus or his edge. Janes birdied two more holes before taking a bogey on the 18th hole, shooting a 4-under 31 on the back side.

Canton’s Trevor Biggerstaff finished second individually with a 1-over 71, while South Shelby’s Jaaron Durbin was third with a 4-over 74.