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Nevada golfers begin season with experience
By Joe Warren
Nevada Daily Mail
The Nevada Tiger golfers begin the 2007 season today with a quadrangular in Carthage and it will be familiar territory for many of the players.
Nevada was a young team in 2006, and they are still comparatively youthful as they boast only one senior on the current varsity roster.
The leader at this stage is sophomore Tyler Gast.
Gast was a state qualifier as a freshman and has proven thus far that it wasn't a fluke, turning in the best scores in practice up to this point.
That makes head coach Brian Leonard's job easier, since he doesn't have to shuffle his lineup to get his returner with state experience at the top of the lineup.
"Every match we play, that score will go into their average," Leonard said. "I don't get to pick the top five, their scores pick themselves."
With five players from each team the number allowable in Missouri high school play, the Tigers should be set. Leonard said they have more than enough quality golfers to fill out the varsity lineup each match.
"I think up to about six or seven, we're pretty consistent," Leonard said. "Right now our one and two are a little ahead (of the rest)."
The number two golfer right now is junior Zach Braucher. Braucher is capable of pushing Gast for the top spot, and gives the Tigers a quality one-two punch at the top of the lineup.
The number three and four players are also pretty close in ability.
Sam Moore, the lone senior expected to log varsity course time this season, and junior David Cavener are battling for the third spot.
After those two it appears to be a three-way battle for the final varsity slot. Sophomore Kyle Ledbetter is the early favorite based on practice scores, but junior Brandon Davis and sophomore Kenny Hill are close enough in practice rounds that a few good tournaments could get either of them bumped up to the varsity five.
Leonard said a realistic goal this season would be to place anywhere from two to four golfers in the state tournament.
The top team in districts, along with the next best 10 individuals get to qualify.
Leonard said if recent history is any indicator, the cut off point will be at the 79-80 mark.
"Usually 79 will get you in," he said. "Some years an 80 or 81 might get you in too, but that's on the bubble."
He said that level of play is attainable for the players on the varsity squad.
"I think they're ready skill-wise," Leonard said. "But we're still going to work on the short game."
He said the golfers need to polish their skills from within 100 yards of the pin. That includes chipping and putting.
"They're still working on their course management and their mental side of the game (too)," he said.
Leonard said Carthage, which gets to host the district tournament May 3, is the early favorite.
Nevada gets to host the conference tournament on April 30, one of five home varsity dates for the Tigers.
Nevada will also host matches this Tuesday, March 29, April 17 and April 24.