Black, Anderson earn All-Greater Houston's golf MVPs

It didn?t take long for Connor Black to burst onto the area?s golf scene this season, even though it was the freshman?s first year in high school golf. He played in eight tournaments this year and won seven of them. He won?t be back at Cinco Ranch next season, but Black has certainly shown he will be on the golf scene for years to come. The All-Greater Houston boys golfer of the year talked about his year of high school golf, rude people on the course, and his?goals.

BOYS GOLF MVP
Connor Black, Cinco Ranch

Q: What was it like coming into the Cinco Ranch program as a freshman and having such a successful year?

A: The coaches are such good coaches, and we went into the year not knowing how we were going to do. I was home-schooled in seventh and eighth grade, so I didn't know a lot about the golf team. I came in and was playing No. 1 all year, and it was great because they all just welcomed me on the team. The seniors weren't upset that I was younger and taking a spot. We all had a common goal to make it to state. I was really happy to help with that goal.

Q: Your first year was really good. How are you going to top it next year?

A: I won't be back next year. I will be back in home school next year. I loved playing for Cinco Ranch this year, and I hope they get back to state. I made a lot of great friends there.

Q: What are your superstitions on the golf course?

A: Since I was 9, I always keep a Texas quarter in my pocket, and I have to put it in a certain way into my pocket. The correct way is with the heads pointing away and the tails pointing toward me, and I mark with that. I have a lot of other weird superstitions, but that is the main one.

Q: Growing up, who was your favorite golfer?

A: I always liked Tiger Woods and Ernie Els. Ernie is just smooth and relaxed when he plays.

Q: What are you going to do in the golf world for the next couple of years?

A: I am going to keep playing the AJGA circuit, and hopefully, I win a couple of big ones. I would like to win the Junior-Am. I've got three years left in that, so that is my main goal.

Q: Are you planning to play golf in college or even beyond that?

A: I want to play in college, but I don't know where yet. I am young. I don't want to finalize anything yet or limit any possibilities.

Q: What are some of the things that bug you when you are playing?

A: If I don't handle things well or I react wrong to missing my putt, I get mad at myself. I really hate playing with people who are cocky or rude when you are being polite. You try to be polite and nice, and they just give you back this attitude, and the rest of the round is just dead quiet. You just think, "I can't wait for this round to end." I also get frustrated when people get too distracted too easily. They are setting up, and something happens totally out of their sight and makes the smallest sound, and they back up, and they are like, "Are you kidding me?" and get so mad. I don't like that.

Q: What is your personality on the course? Are you talkative?

A: I'm not quiet. I like playing with people I am friends with because I like talking in between shots and getting my mind off the game so I don't get too intense. I talk a lot with my playing partners. A minute before my shot, I am not talking, but the rest of the time I will talk anything from the NBA Finals to why the sky is blue.

Q: Do you feel like talking helps you during rounds?

A: If you are in a big tournament and you are a little bit nervous, if you just talk for a minute, your mind gets off it, and you start playing better. Everyone starts playing better. If you are playing with someone having a terrible day, the whole day will be quiet, even if you are playing great.

After going to state with her team last year, Anderson made it back this season as a medalist and won the 4A state title with a two-day total of 148. Anderson, who names all of her golf clubs and is known for her bubbly personality on the course, will attend Newman University to play golf next year. The All-Greater Houston girls golfer of the year talked about being a leader this season, hitting the wrong ball at regionals, and her many superstitions.

GIRLS GOLF MVP
Kendall Anderson, Magnolia

Q: What was your favorite part of this season?

A: I lost my team ? the girls who were seniors last year and graduated ? so I came in this year with a lot of young players. The team was rebuilding, and I had to take the role of a leader this year and show them how to get to that point and what it takes. I think my favorite part of this year besides winning state was to get to build a team and help them set up for the future.

Q: You finished at state hours before the tournament was done. What was it like to have to wait?

A: I was (part of) the second group in because I was playing with the medalists, so I knew I had to wait at least two hours for the rest of the teams to come in. So I ate a little bit, and I told my dad that I thought I would be in a playoff. I just knew I would be in a playoff. So I was hitting, I was putting for a little while, and people where coming up to me and asking what I was doing, and I told them I knew I was going to be in a playoff. Then a few people told me I won, and I was happy that I could stop putting.

Q: You seem to have a lot of superstitions. What are they?

A: I name my clubs, and I have a weird habit that when I am using a coin and I mark it heads up on the first hole, I have to do that for the rest of the round. And I have a routine now that I picked up at state. It was really windy, so I started throwing a piece of grassafter my two practice swings to see which way the wind was going. Now I do that all the time. Even when it is dead still, I am looking for wind and throwing grass in the air. I?m sure that seems really strange.

Q: Who was your favorite golfer growing up?

A: Mine was Ian Poulter. He?s always been my favorite, and so I?ve grown up loving him. And he just won the World Match Play Championship, so I like to think it?s because I had good mojo after state that he won.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish in the next few years?

A: My future goals with golf are to take my team to nationals, because they haven?t been yet. I?m playing with a lot of international players next year, and my roommate is actually from Mexico, so it?s really cool, because I get to learn a lot of other cultures, everywhere from Europe to Australia to Mexico to South America. That is going to be a great experience for me. I plan on majoring in sports communications and then getting my masters at either UT or UCF and someday working for the Golf Channel.

Q: What are some of your pet peeves on the golf course?

A: It is never fun to play with girls who are not nice. Or when you play and are the last one done putting and the other girls have just walked off the green and you have to pick up the flag. Or when their divot is right in your line and they won?t fix it.

Q: What is your most embarrassing golf moment?

A: Last year at regionals, I hit the wrong ball and had to take a two-stroke penalty. I was out of state as an individual by three shots, and that was a two-stroke penalty, so that hurt.

Q: Are you quiet on the course or do you talk a lot?

A: (Talking) is more common with girls, because some guys tournaments are dead quiet. I am a big talker, and I know most of the girls I play with in the circuits I play in. I am really close friends with all of them. Especially when you have shy people or people who are really serious, it is always nice to try to get them to talk.

ALL-GREATER HOUSTON GIRLS

Lakereber Abe, freshman, Angleton

In her freshman season, Abe burst?on the scene, finishing in second place at regionals, then tying for sixth at?state.

Kendall Anderson, senior, Magnolia

Anderson shot a two-day total of 148 at the 4A state tournament to capture the individual state championship.

Abby Corson, senior, Montgomery

The senior led the Bears to their 10th state title in 11 seasons. Individually, she finished first in regionals and third at state.

Courtney Ferguson, senior, Clear Lake

Ferguson, who will play at Oklahoma State, finished in second place at regionals to help get Clear Lake back to state for the third straight year. She finished in fourth place at the state tournament.

Kirby Kramer, senior, Langham Creek

Kramer, who will play at Texas A&M, finished in 12th place at the state tournament.

Abby Newton, junior, Cinco Ranch

Newton helped lead the Cougars to the state tournament this season by winning regionals. She also set a course record by shooting a 64 at River Ridge in the district tournament.

Laken Trahan, senior, The Woodlands

The senior finished third overall at regionals and helped the lead the Highlanders back to the state tournament, where she finished in 11th place.

Madison Ward, senior, Huntsville

The senior helped lead the Hornets to state for the first time since 2004. She shot a two-day total of 158 and finished tied for seventh place.

ALL-GREATER HOUSTON BOYS

Kyle Beard, junior, Montgomery

Beard helped lead Montgomery to the state tournament, where he finished in a tie for eighth place overall.

Connor Black, freshman, Cinco Ranch

The All Greater Houston boys golfer of the year won seven of the eight tournaments he played in and helped lead the Cougars to the state tournament.

Austin DeGrate, freshman, Clements

In his first year of varsity golf, DeGrate made a name for himself with high finishes at district and regionals and a second-place finish at the state tournament after a two-day, 5-under finish.

Travis Dennis, senior, Clear Creek

Dennis won the district title, medaled at regionals, then finished in a tie for 11th place at the state tournament.

Corey Hayford, senior, Friendswood

Hayford, who will attend St. Edwards University, wrapped up his senior year in a tie for eighth place at the state tournament.

Joe Molina, senior, Magnolia

After strong performances in the district and regional tournaments, Molina finished in 12th place at the state tournament.

Will Oliver, senior, Second Baptist

Oliver captured the TAPPS 4A state championship.

Nick Pierce, senior, Mayde Creek

Pierce finished in third place at regionals and advanced to the state tournament, where he finished tied for seventh overall.

Source: http://feeds.chron.com/~r/houstonchronicle/sports/~3/FDAxWZYuLh8/7612509.html

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