ROGERS -- Rogers Heritage junior Jacob Winkel's scores were unusually high during the War Eagles' first few competitions this season, but he's put those early season struggles behind him.
Heritage boys golf coach Jay Gilstrap said Winkel's playing well at exactly the right time with the Class 7A state tournament coming up next week.
Profile
Jacob Winkel
School: Rogers Heritage
Class: Junior
Notable: is home schooled, but takes one class at Heritage therefore plays for the War Eagles golf team per Arkansas Activities Association rules. … Improved his stroke average significantly from 45.7 as a sophomore to 41.2 this year over nine holes. … Posted a season-best nine-hole score of 36 (one-over par) twice this year.
"He has a great shot to make it to the second day and so does our team for that matter," Gilstrap said.
The War Eagles have had a handful of golfers make the second day individually, but it would be a first for the team to make it, Gilstrap said.
Gilstrap said Winkel and teammate Brian Enos have good chances to advance to the second day, but the team as a whole also has a shot.
"Those two compete and challenge each other," Gilstrap said. "The group is very cohesive. They are working to improve. They know there's not just two on this team. Our boys are capable of doing this. That's where a little bit of my excitement for this tournament is. Whether they do it or not is a different question."
Gilstrap attributed Winkel's early season issues to getting back into a different routine this fall.
"His first couple of scores were five to eight strokes above his average," Gilstrap said. "Jacob's home schooled and he takes a class at Heritage. I think it just took him a little bit to re-acclimate. It sort of upset the apple cart. But then he got acclimated and he's been good to go."
Gilstrap has seen Winkel become more confident over the past year.
"Last year he came into a new situation, playing with new teammates," Gilstrap said. "He was the fourth or fifth guy on the totem pole. This year he's a junior and a team leader. Maybe there was a little question in the beginning. But he knows what he wants to do.
"He's got a great personality, a great swing and he's putting it all together at the right time and that's got me pretty excited."
Winkel said the struggles early in the season were smoothed out with more practice.
"It's been pretty consistent from the middle to the end of the year," Winkel said. "Right away I kind of had a rough start. It had been a little while since I'd been with my swing coach. There were definitely were some things I needed to work out. I'm still trying to figure out my irons before the state tournament.
Winkel's currently pretty pleased with his work off the tee.
"I pretty much have the confidence to hit any fairway," Winkel said. "Pull out the driver on about every hole."
Winkel said his putting has improved from a year ago, which has helped cut his stroke average from 45.7 to 41.2 this year. He's also shot a season-best nine-hole score of one-over par 36 twice this season.
"My wedge game, I need to practice that," Winkel said. "I've pretty much always been a consistent long hitter, but my short game hasn't been there. But over these last few years it's really progressed. My putting is substantially better than last year."
Gilstrap said Winkel has also matured some, which has helped his golf game.
"As a coach, you can coach the swing plane, the grip, the physicality part can be dealt with," Gilstrap said. "But the emotional, the mental part of the game has to develop, too. He's got the whole package I think."
Sports on 10/02/2014