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Former Washburn Rural, Washburn golf star Andrew Beckler captures first pro title in Nebraska Open
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Washburn Rural and Washburn University golf star Andrew Beckler is now a professional champion after wrapping up the title in the 33rd Wells Fargo Nebraska Open Sunday in Columbus, Neb.
Former Washburn Rural and Washburn University golf star Andrew Beckler captured his first professional championship on Sunday in Columbus, Neb., posting a six-stroke victory in the Wells Fargo Nebraska Open. [Photo by Nebraska Open]
Topekan Andrew Beckler earned $13,200 for his victory on Sunday in the Wells Fargo Nebraska Open. [Photo by Nebraska Open]
Beckler shot a sizzling final-round 62 to finish at a tournament-record 19-under-par for the 54-hole event, posting a six-stroke victory over Zach Burry (Appleton, Wisc.), Luke Kluver (Norfolk, Neb.) and Robert Bell (Minneapolis, Minn.), who tied for second place at 13 under.
"Getting this win means I never gave up on myself,'' Beckler said. "I've had a lot of close calls and wondered if it would happen and today it did. To hoist a trophy and win in that fashion is quite satisfying.''
Beckler's 62 on Sunday came after an opening-round 65 and a second-round 67 in the event, sponsored by the Nebraska Section of the PGA.
"I have been hitting the ball well all season but the putter was a little cold,'' Beckler said. "My dad saw something in my stroke and I decided to switch the way I grip the putter for the first time ever this week, the day before the tournament.
"I made a few putts early in the round Friday and just kept building on that the rest of the tournament. Turned out I had the best putting week I've had all year.''
Ironically, Beckler's dominant performance came while he was battling a physical issue.
"I wasn't feeling the best physically,'' he said. "I was battling an eye infection this week. My left eye was almost swollen shut the morning of the final round. Fortunately, I'm right-eye dominant and found a way.''
Beckler won Class 6A individual and team state championships for Jared Goehring's Washburn Rural team, and after beginning his college career at Kansas State, transferred to Washburn, where he finished second in the NCAA Championship as a senior and was the recipient of the 2021 Jack Nicklaus Division II National Player of the Year Award.
Beckler qualified for the U.S. Open in 2022.
Beckler has been competing on the ATP All Pro Tour this summer and ranks second in earnings at $38,243.75 while posting a tour-best five top-10 finishes in nine starts.
Seaman's Miller tops Logue for top spot on Kansas' all-time five-kilometer list
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After opening her junior cross country season with the fourth-fastest five-kilometer time in Kansas history last week at Manhattan, Seaman star Ryin Miller set her sights on a higher goal in Saturday's Joe Schrag Invitational at Kanza Park -- the state record.
Seaman junior cross country star Ryin Miller moved into the top spot on Kansas' all-time five-kilometer list in Saturday's Joe Schrag Invitational with a time of 16:32.62. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Miller then went out and shattered that mark by more than 13 seconds in a blazing time of 16 minutes, 32.62 seconds while winning her third straight Schrag Invitational title by 2 minutes, 28 seconds.
With Saturday's performance Miller moved past one of the most accomplished runners in Kansas history, former Girard superstar Cailie Logue of Girard, who clocked a time of 16:45.75 at Baldwin in 2016 before going on to earn multiple All-American honors and Big 12 Conference titles for Iowa State.
Miller said she upgraded her goals after eclipsing the 17-minutes mark for the first time in her career at Manhattan's Warner Park to taking a run at Logue's record on a Kanza Park course that is regarded as one of the state's faster layouts.
"It definitely became a goal today,'' Miller said. "I'm trying to enjoy it now because I know that Twilight's still tonight (in Olathe) so it could easily go down tonight but it was definitely a goal. That was on my mind for sure.''
As it turned out, Miller's record time easily held up, with Salina Central stars Katelyn Rupe and Kaylie Shultz, who finished ahead of Miler in the 2023 Class 5A state meet, finishing one-two in the Twilight event in 16:52.70 and 17:28.50.
Saturday's Schrag race was Miller's from the opening gun, with Miller jumping out to an early lead and steadily building on it the rest of the way, with junior Eva Garlich of Lee's Summit West a distant runnerup in 19:13.87.
"The goal was just to get after it,'' Miller said. "I wanted a fast mile and obviously you've just got to race the middle and then I knew the last mile was going to hurt but you've just got to push through and that was kind of the plan, to go out hard and try to keep it.''
While Miller entered Saturday thinking about Logue's mark, veteran Seaman coach Rick Brading said he and Miller didn't discuss it.
Seaman's Anderson takes boys individual title in Joe Schrag Invitational
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman junior Brody Anderson is in just his second year of high school cross country after opting to play soccer as a freshman.
But while you could make a case that another year of cross country might have sped up Anderson's development in the sport, the Viking standout doesn't regret that decision in the least.
Seaman junior Brody Anderson (276) won the individual title in Saturday's Joe Schrag Invitational, his second straight win to open the 2024 season. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I'm honestly kind of glad that I didn't (run as a freshman),'' Anderson said. "I'm glad I played soccer because it made me realize that I didn't love it as much and when track rolled around I was like, 'I've got something good and I'd like to build on it.' ''
Late start of not, Anderson has already carved out an impressive career for the Vikings, setting a five-kilometer school record and running in the Class 5A state meet last fall and opening the 2024 season with back-to-back individual titles.
After winning last week at Manhattan, Anderson followed that up with a 21-second win in Saturday's Joe Schrag Invitational at Kanza Park, clocking a five-kilometer time of 15 minutes, 17.05 seconds.
"It's been really fun and all the work and practices have been hard, difficult and you just go out and kill the workouts,'' Anderson said. "It's great to have everything pay off here in my races, and I just try to be the best I can be.''
Now Anderson just wants to build on his fast start.
