Walker headed to state golf tournament

Kimball's Jaycie Walker added two more major accomplishments to her list of golfing goals by earning top ten medals at both the Best in the West Tournament held at Gering this past week and then her most monumental achievement of finishing top ten at the District Tournament in Ogallala this past Monday. What an outstanding season this has been for the Kimball High senior who took up the sport just last year!

After shooting top ten medal rounds in 8 of 9 tournaments, she qualified for the elite Best of the West Tournament held at the Gering Golf Course last week and once again she met the challenge by shooting 112 to bring home the l0th place medal. On Monday of this week, it was back to Ogallala and the West Wind Course for the state qualifying District Tournament. The only tournament this season she failed to medal at was earlier at the Ogallala course where she shot her highest round of the year of 119. Jaycie would not be denied this time as she battled the course and the nasty weather one more time shooting 101 to finish 8th and earn a state qualifying berth; thus achieving her ultimate goal of the season to date. Now she has the chance to earn one more medal at the State Tournament being held in Columbus on Monday-Tuesday, October 13-14. Things didn't turn out as well for her senior team mate, Kallie Bush who shot 138 at District and finished out of the qualifying top ten thus ending her high school career.

As we look back on the season, keep in mind that Jaycie took up the game of golf just last year as a junior, and had never earned a medal prior to this season, shooting up in the 120s or higher most every tournament. Hard work and practice paid off as she spent the summer working on her game crediting her grandpa Charlie Carlson with helping her with her game, and also cousin Kendall Ferguson who was also a great golfer for Kimball High.

This year she started bringing home the hardware starting off with a 7th place at Sidney, then a 1st place at Bayard shooting 99 in both of these tournaments. At the Kimball invite she slipped to 2nd with a 103, then took 5th at Creek Valley with 102, another 7th at Mitchell with 103, 8th at Gering with 99, then the 119 at Ogallala and finishing out of the top ten, 6th at Bridgeport with 108, and 5th in the Western Trails Conference end of the tournament with her 108, l0th at Best of the West at 112, and then the 8th place showing at District with 101.

What a story, and what a tribute to a young lady who gave of her time with the desire to improve at her new found sport. Coach Nora Robinson predicted before the start of this season that Jaycie would make the state tournament, and she praised her for her off season work on her game. Can she get the job done at Columbus? You bet she can. Coach Robinson said "Jaycie didn't putt very good today, but despite the nasty weather with all the wind and everything, she got the job done. We will go to Columbus and give it a good shot, like she always does."

Our congrats from all of Western Nebraska and especially from your Kimball Community fans. You will have a big cheer section back home so hit em long and straight, and drop those putts.