There’s always howling winds in southwest Kansas, and a Class 5A boys golf regional on Monday in Liberal will be no exception.
“It’s always windy,” Great Bend head coach Troy Stein said. “You go to Dodge City or Garden City or Liberal, and it’s always windy.
“It will be the same wind for everybody.”
Liberal’s Willow Tree Golf Course is the site of regional competition for Great Bend, where Tanner Neeland is seeking to qualify for the state tournament for the second straight year.
Steins says the course at Willow Tree parallels StoneRidge, Great Bend’s home course.
“The course is a lot like ours, it’s pretty flat,” he said. “The greens aren’t real big and you have to be pretty accurate.”
Great Bend, which heads to Liberal today, played in a meet there last Monday, placing fourth. Neeland fired a 79 to finish No. 7 in the individual standings.
“Playing there last week will help out,” Stein said. “Tanner wants to qualify again. As a team, they all want to go and they all want to qualify for state.
“We have a chance as a team. Hays is going to make it out of our regional and Salina Central is probably going to make it.”
Junior Chance Haney, who has had his moments this season, and sophomores Cole Mulch and Raef Rein are returning lettermen. Seniors Wyatt Bayless and Matt Marshall, along with Kory Walters, a junior, are expected to make the trip to Liberal.
The graduated Jeff Keenan was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference performer last season and joined Neeland at state. Neeland and Keenan advanced after they had top-10 regional finishes, placing sixth and eighth, respectively, at Salina Municipal.