The Le Mars boys golf team hosted the Class 4A District meet in Le Mars on Monday at Willow Creek Golf Course. The Bulldogs finished fourth as a team with a score of 313 which missed qualifying for state by 16 strokes, but they were able to qualify Wyatt Leners as an individual who shot a 72 and finished tied for fourth.
The district meet featured the usual schools in the Missouri River Activities Conference, but it also featured schools from as far as the Des Moines metro. Head coach Nick Knapp says it was great to have many teams up this way to experience Le Mars.
Leners was the second-best individual golfer from a non-qualifying team which solidified his place at state. He says he had to compete well to punch his ticket to state.
Leners says it is even more special qualifying for state at his home course.
The competitors were impacted by a consistent wind throughout the day. Leners says that altered his approach at times throughout the round.
Coach Knapp says he was happy with Leners being able to adjust to the wind and keep his cool all day.
Leners says knowing that he had tough competition ahead of him meant he had to stay level-headed all round.
The wind did impact most of the Bulldogs as their rounds continued along. Coach Knapp says it has been a rarity this season to deal with wind, and his guys struggled at times.
Le Mars ended up one spot out of a spot at the state tournament. They have been this close before and just could not quite get over the hump to make it there as a whole. Coach Knapp says most rounds could come down to just a few shots here and there that add up over 18 holes.
In preparation for the state meet, Leners says he will need to control his breathing to remain composed through the long tournament.
This is the first time Le Mars will have a boys state golf representative since 2023 when Dylan Susemihl qualified. Coach Knapp recalls his experience coaching Susemihl, and he says he will be able to assist Leners much more than he usually gets to.
The state golf meet runs from October 12-13 in Davenport at the Davenport Country Club.
