Nees makes Graham proud at state golf tournament

Another season for a Graham athletic club has come to a close, but the fans at home were sent out on a high note. Graham sophomore Jagger Nees had a strong performance at the state golf tournament to end his season. 

Nees season up to this point had been nothing short of impressive with steps of steady development along the way. Head coach Michael Todd described Nees season as one of “steady growth and strong finishes.” 

After finishing tied for second place in the district tournament in Abilene, Nees faced a tough start in the regional tournament but ultimately battled back. He finished with a 75 on day one of that tournament and a two under 70 on day two to finish with a fifth place tie and qualify for the state tournament. 

The state tournament kicked off Monday, May 5 at the Legends Golf Course in Kingsland. Despite a cloudy day throughout, Nees was able to brighten things up with his performance. 

The sophomore had a strong start to his tournament performance posting a 72 which cemented him firmly in third place after day one. Those numbers were consistent with his posting from the regional tournament. 

Todd said that Nees got off to a hot start in round one by opening with back-to-back birdies and an eagle on his fifth hole. Nees also capped the round with another birdie on his final hole to close strong. 

Heading into day two, Nees was sitting behind Brady Mann of Bridgeport and Madden Myers of Canyon Randall for first place trailing by two. 

Nees struggled to start his second day of work, according to Todd. He started things with an eight on his second hole of the day to the tune of a par four. However, Todd said Nees was able to steady himself after that and play even par for the rest of the round to finish with a score of 76 on day two. 

Ultimately, Nees fell to fifth place in the tournament after everything was all said and done. Despite this, the community still made sure to make it known that they were proud of what Nees accomplished this season. 

What’s even more impressive about this performance is the fact that Nees is only a sophomore. 

In just his second year he has made a statement on the level of success expected from the program going forward. 

“For a sophomore, that kind of resilience and composure is impressive,” Todd said. “I think this top five finish not only speaks to his talent but sets him up for an exciting future in the program.” 

Todd also noted that Nees leadership over the course of the season was second to none in spite of his youth. Todd said the Nees was a consistent tone setter for other members of the team with his consistency and that he set an example for how to battle through diversity all season. 

While things may have come to an end, the future looks bright for Graham golf with Nees at the helm.