Indiana University Athletics
2025-26 Men's Golf Roster
Clay Merchent
- Height:
- 6-0
- Year:
- Redshirt Senior
- Hometown:
- Noblesville, Ind.
- High School:
- Noblesville
2025-26 (Redshirt Senior)
• Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List
• Team Captain
Closed the fall season with a t-29th finish and a score of 206 (68-67-71; -7) at the Ka’anapali Classic… turned in a scorecard of 216 (75-67-74; E) to tie for 47th at the Quail Valley Collegiate Classic … tied for 18th at the Fighting Irish Classic with a scorecard of 212 (67-74-71; +2)… played a 219 (67-73-79; +3) at the Windon Memorial Classic to tie for 55th place … finished at 218 (71-74-73; +8) to place t-50th at the Fighting Illini Invitational … tied for 23rd at the Rod Myers Invitational with a score of 217 (72-73-72; +1).
2024-25 (Redshirt Junior)
• All-Big Ten Second Team
• PING Division I All-Region
• Big Ten Player of the Week (Nov. 7)
• Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List
• Team Captain
Played 33 rounds across 11 events … compiled a team-best 21 at or below par, including a season-low of 65 in the second round of the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic Invitational … posted a stroke average of 71.58, the fourth-lowest mark in program history (minimum 20 rounds) … finished inside the top-20 in six tournaments and inside the top-5 in three events … played a 217 (71-71-75; +4) to finish t-38th at the NCAA Urbana Regional … carded a 213 (66-70-77; +3) to tie for 15th at the Big Ten Championships … tied for 18th at the Purdue Invitational with a score of 212 (71-70-71; -1) … signed for a 214 (76-70-68; -2) at the Schenkel Invitational to tie for 13th … registered a score of 230 (75-75-80; +14) to finish t-52nd at the Colleton River Collegiate … posted a score of 210 (72-70-68; -6) to tie for fourth at the Palmas del Mar Collegiate … shot a 199 (67-65-67; -14) to tie for fourth at the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic Invitational … third player (Jeff Overton and Drew Salyers) in program history to shoot under 200 at a 54-hole event … played a scorecard of 221 (74-74-73; +11) to tie for 50th at the Fighting Irish Classic … tied for 25th at the Windon Memorial Classic with a score of 218 (71-77-70; +5)… earned runner-up honors (t-2nd) at the Purdue Fall Invitational with a three-round score of 211 (77-65-69; -5)… tied for 52nd at the Visit Knoxville Collegiate with a three-round scorecard of 217 (68-70-79; +7).
2023-24 (Redshirt Sophomore)
Did not see tournament action.
2022-23 (Medical Hardship Season)
Missed the final 11 events of the season with injury … granted a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA ... placed 72nd at the Windon Memorial Classic with a scorecard of 226 (71-72-83; +16) … finished t-31st at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational after shooting a 216 (72-72-72; +6).
2021-22 (Sophomore)
Competed in 34 rounds across 12 tournaments … averaged 74.18 strokes per round … earned three top-20 and one top-10 finish … shot a team-best 2-over par 74 in the opening round of the NCAA Palm Beach Gardens Regional before subbing out due to injury … placed t-21st at the Big Ten Championship with a scorecard of 225 (71-75-79; +9) … tied for sixth at the Kepler Intercollegiate after shooting 211 (69-72-70; -5) … tied for 57th at the Boilermaker Invitational with a three-round score of 231 (74-76-81; +18) … shot a 220 (73-79-68; +4) to finish t-41st at the Colleton River Collegiate ... finished t-19th at the Nexus Collegiate with a three-round score of 235 (78-84-73; +19) ... defeated Troy Taylor II (2&1) of Michigan State and played even with James Allen of Penn State the Big Ten Match Play Championships … closed the fall slate with a 57th-place effort at The Williams Cup with a score of 234 (75-80-79; +18) ... tied for 39th overall at the Quail Valley Collegiate with a score of 215 (70-74-71; -1) ... placed t-28th in Indiana's team title at the Purdue Fall Invitational with a score of 220 (74-74-72; +4) ... tied for the team lead and for 16th overall at the Windon Memorial Classic with a score of 211 (67-76-68; -2) ... shot a 220 (76-72-72; +10) to place t-42nd at the Fighting Illini Invitational ... tied for 40th at the Hoosier Collegiate Invitational with a score of 226 (79-74-73; +13)
2020-21 (Freshman)
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year
• All-Big Ten First Team
• PING Division I All-Region
Posted a season average of 72.46, the best-ever for an Indiana freshman … the average is the best for any Hoosier since Alex Martin posted a 72.33 in 2010 and it is the 10th best average in IU history (both 20 round minimums) … earned four top-10 finishes and a pair of top-5 finishes … became just the third Hoosier to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year … opened the stroke play portion of the schedule by carding a 7-under-par 209 to finish tied for 3rd place at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate … finished tied for 9th at 3-under in the Spartan Collegiate at Sea Island … tied for 8th place at the General Hackler Championship … carded a season-low 67 in the second round of the Boilermaker Invitational as he finished tied for 4th place … had back-to-back events where he tied for 13th place in the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate and the Big Ten Championship.
Prep/Personal
Merchent is a four-time All-State selection from Noblesville High School, where his scoring average in his senior season was a 70 (-22), capped off by a second-place finish at State… nationally, he posted a pair of AJGA wins and seven top-10 finishes, including at the Thunderbird Invitational and the Ping Invitational … also finished in the top-10 at the Western Junior, Sage Valley Junior and Pete Dye Jr. Invitational and finished in the top-5 at both the Rice Planters and Southern Amateur events … a two-time participant in the USGA Junior, Junior PGA, Rolex of Champions and AJGA CB&I/Simplify Boys Championship … also participated in the 2017 USGA Amateur … earned the AJGA Jim Harrison Sportsmanship Award … currently owns the record for the longest drive at the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National at 304 yards … son of Mike and Tenna … has one sibling, Asher.
• Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List
• Team Captain
Closed the fall season with a t-29th finish and a score of 206 (68-67-71; -7) at the Ka’anapali Classic… turned in a scorecard of 216 (75-67-74; E) to tie for 47th at the Quail Valley Collegiate Classic … tied for 18th at the Fighting Irish Classic with a scorecard of 212 (67-74-71; +2)… played a 219 (67-73-79; +3) at the Windon Memorial Classic to tie for 55th place … finished at 218 (71-74-73; +8) to place t-50th at the Fighting Illini Invitational … tied for 23rd at the Rod Myers Invitational with a score of 217 (72-73-72; +1).
2024-25 (Redshirt Junior)
• All-Big Ten Second Team
• PING Division I All-Region
• Big Ten Player of the Week (Nov. 7)
• Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List
• Team Captain
Played 33 rounds across 11 events … compiled a team-best 21 at or below par, including a season-low of 65 in the second round of the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic Invitational … posted a stroke average of 71.58, the fourth-lowest mark in program history (minimum 20 rounds) … finished inside the top-20 in six tournaments and inside the top-5 in three events … played a 217 (71-71-75; +4) to finish t-38th at the NCAA Urbana Regional … carded a 213 (66-70-77; +3) to tie for 15th at the Big Ten Championships … tied for 18th at the Purdue Invitational with a score of 212 (71-70-71; -1) … signed for a 214 (76-70-68; -2) at the Schenkel Invitational to tie for 13th … registered a score of 230 (75-75-80; +14) to finish t-52nd at the Colleton River Collegiate … posted a score of 210 (72-70-68; -6) to tie for fourth at the Palmas del Mar Collegiate … shot a 199 (67-65-67; -14) to tie for fourth at the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic Invitational … third player (Jeff Overton and Drew Salyers) in program history to shoot under 200 at a 54-hole event … played a scorecard of 221 (74-74-73; +11) to tie for 50th at the Fighting Irish Classic … tied for 25th at the Windon Memorial Classic with a score of 218 (71-77-70; +5)… earned runner-up honors (t-2nd) at the Purdue Fall Invitational with a three-round score of 211 (77-65-69; -5)… tied for 52nd at the Visit Knoxville Collegiate with a three-round scorecard of 217 (68-70-79; +7).
2023-24 (Redshirt Sophomore)
Did not see tournament action.
2022-23 (Medical Hardship Season)
Missed the final 11 events of the season with injury … granted a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA ... placed 72nd at the Windon Memorial Classic with a scorecard of 226 (71-72-83; +16) … finished t-31st at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational after shooting a 216 (72-72-72; +6).
2021-22 (Sophomore)
Competed in 34 rounds across 12 tournaments … averaged 74.18 strokes per round … earned three top-20 and one top-10 finish … shot a team-best 2-over par 74 in the opening round of the NCAA Palm Beach Gardens Regional before subbing out due to injury … placed t-21st at the Big Ten Championship with a scorecard of 225 (71-75-79; +9) … tied for sixth at the Kepler Intercollegiate after shooting 211 (69-72-70; -5) … tied for 57th at the Boilermaker Invitational with a three-round score of 231 (74-76-81; +18) … shot a 220 (73-79-68; +4) to finish t-41st at the Colleton River Collegiate ... finished t-19th at the Nexus Collegiate with a three-round score of 235 (78-84-73; +19) ... defeated Troy Taylor II (2&1) of Michigan State and played even with James Allen of Penn State the Big Ten Match Play Championships … closed the fall slate with a 57th-place effort at The Williams Cup with a score of 234 (75-80-79; +18) ... tied for 39th overall at the Quail Valley Collegiate with a score of 215 (70-74-71; -1) ... placed t-28th in Indiana's team title at the Purdue Fall Invitational with a score of 220 (74-74-72; +4) ... tied for the team lead and for 16th overall at the Windon Memorial Classic with a score of 211 (67-76-68; -2) ... shot a 220 (76-72-72; +10) to place t-42nd at the Fighting Illini Invitational ... tied for 40th at the Hoosier Collegiate Invitational with a score of 226 (79-74-73; +13)
2020-21 (Freshman)
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year
• All-Big Ten First Team
• PING Division I All-Region
Posted a season average of 72.46, the best-ever for an Indiana freshman … the average is the best for any Hoosier since Alex Martin posted a 72.33 in 2010 and it is the 10th best average in IU history (both 20 round minimums) … earned four top-10 finishes and a pair of top-5 finishes … became just the third Hoosier to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year … opened the stroke play portion of the schedule by carding a 7-under-par 209 to finish tied for 3rd place at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate … finished tied for 9th at 3-under in the Spartan Collegiate at Sea Island … tied for 8th place at the General Hackler Championship … carded a season-low 67 in the second round of the Boilermaker Invitational as he finished tied for 4th place … had back-to-back events where he tied for 13th place in the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate and the Big Ten Championship.
Prep/Personal
Merchent is a four-time All-State selection from Noblesville High School, where his scoring average in his senior season was a 70 (-22), capped off by a second-place finish at State… nationally, he posted a pair of AJGA wins and seven top-10 finishes, including at the Thunderbird Invitational and the Ping Invitational … also finished in the top-10 at the Western Junior, Sage Valley Junior and Pete Dye Jr. Invitational and finished in the top-5 at both the Rice Planters and Southern Amateur events … a two-time participant in the USGA Junior, Junior PGA, Rolex of Champions and AJGA CB&I/Simplify Boys Championship … also participated in the 2017 USGA Amateur … earned the AJGA Jim Harrison Sportsmanship Award … currently owns the record for the longest drive at the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National at 304 yards … son of Mike and Tenna … has one sibling, Asher.
| Year | Rds. | Strokes | Avg. | Low |
| 2020-21 | 24 | 1739 | 72.46 | 67 |
| 2021-22 | 34 | 2522 | 74.18 | 67 |
| 2022-23 | 6 | 442 | 73.67 | 71 |
| 2023-24 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024-25 | 33 | 2362 | 71.58 | 65 |
| TOTALS | 97 | 7065 | 72.84 | 65 |
IUWBB Postgame Press Conference at Rutgers
Thursday, February 26
IUWBB Highlights at Rutgers
Thursday, February 26
IUBB Postgame Press Conference
Wednesday, February 25
Darian DeVries Postgame Press Conference
Wednesday, February 25
