Watertown sophomore Jake Olson is the 2021 ‘AA’ boys state golf individual champion. His two-day performance of two-under par at Broadland Creek Golf Course in Huron was good enough to secure a three-stroke lead at the end.
“I’m so happy right now, it’s the best feeling in the world,” exclaimed Olson. “Last year was disappointing. I went into the state tournament hopeful but had two not very good rounds. I was also hopeful coming into this year and I played well all season, so I had strong expectations.”
A year ago, at Willow Run in eastern Sioux Falls, Olson finished the state ‘AA’ tournament tied for 18th with a score of 21-over par. This year, his eyes were set on potentially winning it. After the first day, Olson shot two-under par and held a four-stroke lead over Luke Honner of Sioux Falls Lincoln. This meant that his day two strategy was all about preserving the lead with a more conservative approach.
“I just wanted to play like I did [Monday]. I didn’t have a bogey [Monday], so I just wanted to play clean,” Olson explained. “I knew I had a four-stroke lead, so I just knew if I played clean, I’d have a good chance at it.”
As a sophomore, Olson will have two more swings at repeating what he did this year. Winning a state championship again in the fall of 2022 is the goal.
“Same thing, I just want to keep winning it,” said Olson. “It just gives me more confidence for the next year.”
As a team, Watertown’s boys golf team finished third overall, just fifteen total strokes behind state champion O’Gorman and Sioux Falls Lincoln.
The Arrows are a young golf team with no seniors on the roster. This includes those on the team who qualified for the state tournament this year. Kaden Rylance (11th), Ty Lenards (T21st), Jaden Solheim (T59th), and Curtis Sneden (T63rd) are all freshman, Jake Olson, Tuesday’s champion, is a sophomore, and Mark Mahowald, who finished tied for 39th is a junior.
“We have a great team, a great coach. We always practice hard. Our team is very young, but we all have a great work ethic at practice. We always work hard and get better,” Olson stated. “It’s going to be a really good few years here coming up, even past me.”
O’Gorman won the ‘AA’ team title after having to win a two-hole playoff at the end of regulation for the event. All three classes of girls golf and ‘B’ boys are scheduled for the spring on June 6-7, 2022.
