Somers’ season comes to an end

ATLANTIC — Creston/Orient-Macksburg’s Kyle Somers sat in the clubhouse of the Atlantic Golf & Country Club.

Somers anxiously awaited to see what the scores would be, as family and friends sitting around the table wanting to know as well.

As the scores trickled in, the result for the day was not going to be what Somers, coaches Jon Thomson and Ryan McKim and Panther backers were hoping for.

Somers finished with an 81 and did not advance to this week’s state tournament.

Jayden Brady of Bondurant-Farrar claimed the final individual qualifying spot with a 77.

The frustration and disappointment after several hours playing on a cold, wet and soggy track at Atlantic showed on Somers’ face.

“He’s been wanting this for a long time and to not shoot the way he wanted to shoot, it’s going to hurt,” said Creston/Orient-Macksburg coach Jon Thomson. “I feel his pain for that.”

Somers had played the course recently and done well.

The shots that were on point in the practice round evaded him Friday.

“I went here not too long ago and shot a 70 with a dad and my brother,” Somers said.

Somers’ putts were off by the smallest fraction of margins.

Those misses ended up being the difference.

“None of my putts would fall,” Somers said. “All my lines were off, just couldn’t make any putts.”

Somers showed signs, but putting it all together was a challenge.

“It was just a few misses,” Thomson said. “He wasn’t shooting bad, he was just missing a little bit on his iron shots, on his putts. He didn’t get off the tee box as well as he normally does. That’s one of his strong points.”

“It was one of those days where he was off by the fractions of whatever it happens to be. It wasn’t that he was doing anything wrong, it was just not flying the way he’s used too.”

While frustrating, Somers knows there much more golf ahead in his future.

“I’ve got college coming up. It’s not the end of the world,” Somers said. “I’ll be alright.”

Somers taking his skills to Doane

Recently, Somers announced his plays to play at Doane University in Crete, Nebraska.

Somers took a visit out to the campus 20 miles southwest of Lincoln.

He became enamored with it.

“I really like the program there,” Somers said. “They’ve got some really, really nice facilities. I really like the coach and the campus.”

Somers did not know if he wanted to be at a smaller school like Doane, but the school sold him.

“I wasn’t opposed to a small school, but when I got there, it was a good fit for me,” Somers said.

He noted he is not sure of a major yet, but plans to decide in a year or two.

Having the choice made eased his mind.

“After the first visit, I was like this is probably where I’m going to spend my next four years,” Somers said. “I’m glad I got out of the way. I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

Playing at the NAIA level and in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, with schools such as Northwestern in Orange City, and Briar Cliff and Morningside, both based in Sioux City, will test Somers.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the competition,” Somers said. “There’s a lot more competition than at the high school level.”

The quality of the GPAC is noted.

“There’s a lot of good golf in that league,” Thomson said. “I look forward to seeing what he can put up, the scores he has, what he can do.”

Somers now can live out a dream he’s had since junior high.

“It’s a pretty big deal for me,” Somers said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

Class 3A Districts

Team results — 1. Atlantic, 309; 2. ADM, 321; 3. Norwalk, 323; 4. Winterset, 340.

Individual state qualifiers — Ben Renaud, Atlantic, 73; Koby Paulsen, Carroll, 74; Jake Olsen, Atlantic, 76; Jayden Brady, Bondurant-Farrar, 77.