With more experience under their belt, the Owensboro boys golf team is looking to make a statement this season by making a strong postseason push.
The Red Devils will be led by none other than sophomore Will Hume, coming off a solid freshman season—his fourth year on the team—on the links. After wrapping up his basketball and baseball seasons in 2021, Hume became a Tour Champion in the Boys 13-15 age division in the GO Junior Golf Series this summer.
“He had a really good summer,” said Owensboro Head Coach Pat Hume. “His game has become more consistent and he has learned course management, which has resulted in lower scoring.”
Will Hume will be joined by sophomore Will Rickard, who is in his third season with Owensboro. Pat Hume said Rickard has improved a lot over last season and with more strength to add distance to his game and the already existing short game, he will serve as a solid No. 2 golfer for the team.
Next for the Red Devils will be Cole Crews, another sophomore who will be beginning his third year in the program. Crews could prove to be a pivotal part in Owensboro’s success this season, as Pat Hume believes he’s more than capable of making a big leap this season.
“Cole has really worked on his game over the past year,” Pat Hume said. “He has all the skills needed to be a really good player. Consistency at the No. 3 spot should be huge for our team. He has good distance off the tee and is a really nice iron player.”
Sophomore Brady Benjamin, freshman Walker Gaddis and freshman Carter Vanover will round out the roster, as Pat said that all three have great potential and should be all contributors by the end of the season as they continue to gain experience.
With every golfer on the team having at least one to two years of experience at the varsity level for Owensboro, Pat Hume believes that they have plenty of high school match experience to really make a jump in the regional standings in 2022.
“Consistency, patience and mental toughness will be key to our success [this upcoming season],” Pat Hume said. “Minimizing penalty strokes and three-putts will also be key. Team goal would be a top-three team finish in the regional tournament. It will be tough with so many good teams and players, but this is a competitive group who wants to win. A coach can’t ask for much more out of a group.”
