Monday, August 30, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 5
Men's golf to shoot for another title
Two freshmen vie for spot on squad
By Brent Briggeman
sports @kanson.com
Kansas sportwriter
Last year's Kansas men's golf team won the Big 12 Conference championship, the only Kansas team to win a conference title, and finished in the top 30 in the country.
This season, the Jayhawks will have to do without the only two time All-American in school history, Chris Thompson. Thompson graduated in May.
Despite losing Thompson, who was last year's Big 12 tournament runner-up, Coach Ross Randall is looking for even better things from this year's team when practice starts Wednesday.
"Losing Chris will be tough. He was a great player." Randall said. "The way we respond to playing without him will definitely be one of the keys to the season."
"Chris was definitely our leader last season," senior Jake ltstnick
said. "He wasn't a real vocal leader, but he had been around the longest, and we knew we could always count on him to come through with a good round. This year we'll just have to fill in the gaps and come together as a team."
Stepping into Thompson's role will be senior Ryan Vermeer. Vermeer also was named to the All-American team after tying for 23rd in the NCAA tournament last spring.
Vermeer led the team in scoring average last year with 73 strokes a round, and he finished in the top 10 in half of the 14 tournaments he played. He also posted the team's two best rounds of the season, both at the Missouri Bluffs tournament, which he won.
"Ryan's had a great summer," Randall said. "He advanced to the National Amateur and advanced to match play. Every year he's been with us he's shown improvement, so if that's any indication, this could be a big year for him."
Randall believes this year's team will be even deeper than last year's conference champion squad. Last year's finish earned Randall his
third conference Coach of the Year award in his 20 years at Kansas.
"Last year we really felt like we were one of the top 10 teams in the country," Randall said. "Things didn't work out like that, but when you figure that only 30 teams out of probably 280 make it to nationals, we can't really complain. This year we expect to be there again.
"We've got a lot of very good players coming back," Randall said. "If everyone continues to improve I think we should be as successful, if not more successful, than we were last year. The real key to the year will be if Brad Davis can play to his old level."
An accident after the Big 12 Championship put an early end to Davis' season. A railing he was leaning on at an apartment complex broke, and Davis fell more than 14 feet, landing on his feet. He fractured a foot in nine places and injured his back.
" (Davis) just got out of his cast and
still can't walk very well." Randall said. "We don't have any timetable for his return, but we hope he will return to form."
Key golfers returning to this year's squad are seniors Istnick, Conrad Roberts and sophomore Casey Harbour.
"Andy's always been a good player, but this summer he really seems like he's ready to get serious and be one of the starters," he said.
linstick is expecting a good year out of junior Andy Stewart as well.
freshman, Tyler Hall of Wayne, N.J., and Brett Tobyne of Lakewood, Colo., will be vying for a spot on the varsity squad.
"Both freshman are very good players," Randall said. "They've both impressed the older players already in the few rounds they've played together."
Randall said he typically redshirts his freshman, but that will be decided by how the two newcomers perform in practice.
The team will swing into action Sept. 12 and 13 in Lincoln at the Nebraska Invitational.
Edited by Allan Davis
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