It is a rare feat to make four appearances at the state tournament, but that is exactly what Carthage senior Hailey Bryant is doing when she gets her opening round underway on Monday morning at the 2021 Class 3 girls golf state tournament at Meadow Lake Acres Country Club.
“I am very excited,” Bryant said. “Heading to the state tournament my freshman year, I was so nervous and I felt all of this pressure. Now, I just feel very excited and ready to go.
“It is setting in a little now that this is my senior season and my high school golf career is almost over. I know, especially on that second day, it is going to hit me those last few holes. This is where I need to show all of my abilities as much as I can.”
Of course, with this being her fourth time taking part in the state tournament, including an eighth-overall finish a year ago, Bryant has picked up some wisdom along the way. Not only does she feel her game is ready to go for the two-day tournament, her mindset is in the right place as well.
“I think (the last three state tournaments) have shown me that it’s just an end-of-the-year tournament,” Bryant said with a smile. “There is no pressure. I am just here to show I can play and put up a score that I can be proud of. … Obviously, when I first get there, I will probably be nervous. My mindset right now is very relaxed.”
Bryant has good reason to be confident heading into the state tournament, particularly when you look at the results she posted in her final year as a Tiger. Bryant won the Papa John’s Classic as well as the Carl Junction Invitational, while taking second in the Seneca Invitational, eCarthage Invitational and Nevada Tigers Invitational. Bryant also added a third-place finish in the Joplin Invitational before going on to take first place in the Central Ozark Conference Championship with a 42-41—83.
In fact, the only time Bryant didn’t finish third or better this season was the Class 3 District 3 meet, where she finished fifth overall to earn all-district honors and punch her ticket to the state meet.
“Throughout the season, all of the tournaments have helped shape my mindset,” Bryant said. “They just show you that even at a big tournament like this, I might go out and hit a couple of bad shots but I can still put up a really good score at any time. It is very simple. It’s golf. It might not always be consistent, but you can get through it if you just keep a positive mindset.”
And while Bryant has grown accustomed to the grind of the two-day tournament, she won’t be alone on the course in her final run as a Tiger. Fellow Carthage golfer Ava Lacey also qualified for the state tournament, and Bryant is grouped up with a friendly face for her 8:48 a.m. tee time on Monday—Webb City golfer Laya McAllister, one of three Cardinals who qualified for the state tournament, with Grain Valley’s Mallory Crane filling out the threesome.
“I am playing with (Laya) from Webb, and I am really good friends with her and we have played together since my freshman year. I could not be more excited,” Bryant said. “I love that about golf. I feel like the girls I have met understand this sport in a way a lot of teenage girls do not.
“And I love knowing that there is a sophomore from our team going, too. That is fantastic. Knowing after I graduate that our team will have someone coming back with state experience, I love that for them. I am excited to see all of them there and it will make the experience so much more fun.”
Webb City’s Sydney French and Sophia Coulson are also participating in the Class 3 state tournament.
OTHER AREA GOLFERS TAKING PART IN STATE
Nevada freshman Emree Cameron finished in first place individually as the Tigers finished in second place as a team at the Class 2 District 3 tournament at Cassville Golf Club to qualify for the Class 2 state tournament, which will be held Oct. 18-19 at the Columbia Country Club.
Cameron scored a 6-over-par 78 to claim the district championship by two strokes, which was Cameron’s fifth individual tournament championship this season. Nevada’s Paige Hertzberg, Katie Pennington and Riley Severance will join Cameron.
Cassville’s Avery Chappell and Alyzea Myers will also play in the state tournament, as will Monett’s Claire Nation and Seneca’s Britany Adcock and Madison Babbitt.
