Published: July 19, 2014
East’s Hanson to play the best
Suns junior 1 of 9 county players in tournament, which
starts Monday
By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News
West Bend East’s Devon Hanson joined the Suns’ varsity boys
golf team at about the halfway point of his freshman year.
One of Suns coach Jay Krueger’s regrets is he wished he had
brought up Hanson from the junior varsity team sooner.
“It was pretty evident he had a good skill set to play at
the varsity level,” Krueger said.
“I was a little disappointed I didn’t see it sooner.”
On Monday, Hanson, a junior-tobe at East, will be alongside
many of the best amateur golf players in the state with the start of the 113th
Wisconsin State Amateur Championship.
“I’m pretty excited about it,” Hanson said. “It was my first
time trying to qualify for it. So it was cool to make it on the first try.”
The 72-hole tournament will be Monday through Thursday at
Ozaukee Country Club in Mequon.
The defending champion is Jordan Niebrugge and is expected
to compete in this year’s tournament. There hasn’t been a repeat champion in
the State Amateur Championship since Ryan Quinn (2001 and 2002).
“I’m looking to enjoy the experience, playing with some of
the best amateurs in the state,” Hanson said, adding his goal is to make the
cut.
Hanson is one of nine golfers from Washington County in the
tournament.
Also representing the county is Jay Gitlewski (Germantown),
Todd Hagenow (West Bend), Tom Halla (Colgate), Jason Jahnke (Kewaskum), Phillip
Johnson (Colgate), Nathan Kannenberg (Jackson), Mike McDonald (West Bend) and
John Ziemer (Colgate).
McDonald won the tournament in 2011.
When Hanson joined the Suns’ varsity team in 2012, he
brought an element to the team that seemed to be lacking.
“Last year, it was consistency,” Krueger said. “As a
freshman that was a huge bonus for our team.”
Hanson has maintained that consistency, which is one reason
why he made the State Amateur Championship.
During his qualifying round July 1 at River Club of Mequon,
Hanson shot a 38 on the front nine and a 38 on the back nine. His goal? To
shoot a 76.
“It was pretty good,” Hanson said of his round. “The pins
were in a pretty tough spot.”
As a sophomore this spring, he continued that consistency on
his way to finishing second in the Wisconsin Little Ten Conference Player of
the Year standings to Slinger’s Cal Meyers.
Consistency with his shots was what put Hanson in good
position to shoot a low score.
But he also added length to his shots, especially off the
tee. Hanson estimated he added about 30 yards to his tee shot.
“I’m still trying to get more distance; still working out
almost every day and get even longer (off the tee),” he said. “I feel like the
best part of my game is my driving and short game.
“That way the holes become shorter.”
If Hanson can get that aspect covered, Krueger doesn’t believe
Hanson can’t shoot lower next spring.
However, believe it or not, there is one aspect Hanson could
improve: putting.
Krueger said he thought Hanson was just a bit inconsistent
on the greens.
“It’s something he needs to work on and turn into a strength,”
Krueger said. “If he was a top-30 putter in the state, then he’d be a top-30
player in the state.”
Hanson said he’s never felt rattled on a golf course, even
as a freshman on the varsity team. The way he got through the nerves was he
pretended he was playing a round with his friends. And, in a way, that’s almost
how golf rounds are setup. You’re playing a round with a colleague and looking
to have a good time.
“It’s the way I’ve always approached it,” Hanson said.
He also puts in a lot of work in during the offseason, on
the tee box, the putting green and in the gym.
“It’s a lot to walk 18 holes sometimes,” Hanson said. “That
way I can have the same energy throughout the round and not get tired.”
Hanson also has an uncanny knack to get out to a fast start,
Krueger said.
“He’s got a great demeanor on the course,” he added. “That’s
a fantastic asset for him to have.”
Hanson will be paired with Michael Kerns and Nick Nelson for
the first and second rounds. Hanson will tee off at 7:48 a.m. on No. 1.
Kerns is a Milwaukee native, and Nelson recently qualified
for the USGA’s Amateur Championship, which will be Aug. 11-17 in Johns Creek,
Georgia.
“That’s pretty cool,” Hanson said of the opportunity to play
with Nelson. “I hope I can pick up some of the stuff he does.”
That’s what Krueger hopes Hanson gets out of this
experience.
“I hope he sees what kids his own age and maybe a little bit
older than him can do on the golf course,” Krueger said. “I hope he soaks in
what all these guys do on the course.”
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