The Trojans golf team were runner-ups at state last year and will be definitely taking a shot at the state title this year.
Trojans golf coach Bob Hopkins said he has a good group of golfers coming up this year.
“I am extremely excited about this team,” the coach said. “We have a lot of good golfers besides Austen Ancell ( 2015 individual champion) that should make a difference, like senior Case Murphy and junior Craig Moore. Our younger golfers will have to step up this year and we will need to have golfers in the 80s and 90s to win that state title.”
The team has nearly 20 members including the junior varsity members. The coach feels there will be stiff competition to make the starting seven slots.
The Trojans will rely heavily on its senior and veteran golfer, Austen Ancell, to lead the team, but the team also has other members that will need to step up this year if the team is to make their goal of returning to state and even winning their first state title.
Hopkins believes that Case Murphy will play a key role this season.
“He has come a long way since last year and his scores are coming down to the 80s and 90s,” Hopkins said.
“My game is a lot better,” Murphy said. “My most improved aspect of my game is my short game. Everything actually has improved.”
Hopkins also feels that Craig Moore’s scores have come down too.
“I am going to put in a good effort,” Moore said. “I need to improve my short game this year. That is why I have been shooting so high last year. This year I broke into the 80s. I only did that once but by the end of the year I should be doing that consistently.”
Another senior that wants to leave his mark is Riley Sutton.
“I shoot in the low 90s and high 80s,” Sutton said. “We will need quite a few people in that category to be where we need to be. There is a lot of room to improve.”
In addition, Ancell says that junior golfer Michael McDougall is coming along.
“I have been playing three years since my freshman year and I really didn’t take it seriously until then,” McDougall said. “I have shot in the low 80s and high 90s. My best round I shot is an 80. I need to work on my putting. I have to get down to under three putts.”
Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com