By Malcolm Butler
Ruston High’s Landry Nelson saved her best round for a big moment.
The senior shot a personal tournament low 84 during Tuesday’s regional golf tournament at Frenchmen’s Bend to finish eighth and claim a spot in the upcoming state tournament at Les Vieux Chenes in Lafayette.
Nelson said she entered the regional event in a good mindset, thanks to some tunes and a heightened mental approach.
“Before the tournament, my teammate Marlee Davis and I listened to our favorite song in the car together, which is something that we’ve done before every tournament. It has always helped me go into the tournaments in a good mood,” said Nelson, who destroyed her previous tournament low of 96. “I approached the tournament with a new level of confidence I didn’t have all season. I thought about how it could be my last tournament, and that helped me stay calm. To keep my mind at bay, throughout the entire tournament I was singing random songs in my head.”
Ruston coach Chris Rathburn said the journey to the state tournament for Landry began years ago and culminated with her most impressive performance to date.
“Landry is the epitome of perseverance,” said Rathburn. “She started taking lessons the summer before her freshman year with me, with the goal to play on the high school team, even though she had not played much golf before. Her freshman year, she lost in a playoff against one of our seniors for the final spot of the starting girls to compete at regionals for us. Her sophomore year she made it to the starting 3, but didn’t play well at regionals.
“Her junior year she played pretty well at regionals, but just not quite good enough to make it to state. And now finally her senior year, she sets a 12-shot personal record to make it to state as an individual and almost led the team to state. I couldn’t be prouder of her and the team.”
Thanks to impressive rounds by Kate Boersma (91) and Marlee Davis (95), Ruston ended the day tied for fourth place with Haughton, forcing the two teams into a playoff to see who would earn the final team spot in the state meet. The playoff went to a second hole where the Haughton competitor bested Nelson by a stroke.
Nelson said although she is excited to make state as an individual, her ultimate goal was to help her entire team make it.
“I’m super excited that I qualified as an individual for state,” said Nelson. “I’m also excited to compete against some of the best girls in the state. I’m disappointed that I lost in the playoff for qualifying as a team, but I know that the girls on the team now have the potential to make it to state in the next couple of years.”
The state tournament is set for Monday and Tuesday.
