By Glenmore Jones
Register Golf Columnist
RICHMOND — On Monday, coach Pat Stephens and his young EKU golf team swung into action in the Samford Invitational in Oneonta, Ala. The team this year has six freshmen — Danny Bishop, Johan Eriksson, Kyle Fleenor, Andrew Yeast, Zack Butler and Jordan Cash; three sophomores — Matt Doty, Brian Fister and Billy Peel, Jr. and two juniors — Myles Mahan and Corey Welch. Freshmen Zack Butler and Johan Eriksson and sophomores Brian Fister and Billy Peel, Jr. carried EKU to a win last fall in the APSO Tournament in Hopkinsville. All of these young golfers are capable of shooting the lights out. If they can get it together at the right time there will be many more trophies in EKU’s showcase in the near future. Gone but not forgotten are par-busting seniors, state amateur champion Trey Bowling, Jesse Massie, Brandon Berry and Shaun McConnell. They are a hard act to follow, but go for it! After two rounds of action, the Colonels are tied for eighth place at the Samford Invitational. EKU opened play with a first round 306 and then shaved 14 shots off in the second round for a 292. Fister is tied for 21st with a +4, 148, while Peel is tied for 24th with a +5, 149. The final round of the event is scheduled for 10 a.m. today. On Wednesday, coach Joni Stephens and her women’s team will swing into action when they play host to the EKU Diablo Invitational in Citrus Springs, Fla. This team is also young with one freshman — 2009 women’s state amateur champion April Emerson; seven sophomores — Taylor Church, Kara Fant, Linda Hogberg, Lindsey Rankin, Alex Schmidt, Katie Wiedmar and Lisanne Schmidt; and one junior — Gabriellle Andersson. This team should be greatly improved this year with most of them having one year’s experience and the lone junior, Gabrielle Andersson, leading the way. Freshman April Emerson is a champion and should give the team a big boost. The team has been second twice and third once in the last five OVC Championships. I believe this is the year I am going to see the 2010 championship trophy in EKU’s showcase. If Pat and Joni’s freshmen can perform like the freshmen on UK’s basketball team have performed they will have those trophies. Confidence Confidence is hard to teach. Confidence is only born of one thing — demonstrated ability. It is not born of anything else. You cannot dream up confidence. You can not fabricate it. You cannot wish it. You have to accomplish it. I think that genuine confidence is what you really seek. That only comes from demonstrated ability — Bill Parcells. Funny bone From Zip Code (Jerry Owens) — A recent study found the average golfer walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found golfers drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year. That means, on average, golfers get about 41 miles to the gallon. Thanks, Zip! Final thought You can make more friends in two months by helping other people than you can in two years trying to get others to help you — Author Unknown. Until next week … live, love, laugh and learn, Glenmore.
