NMMI Sports Press
Bronco freshman golfer Jackson Hicks completed his run at the NJCAA Division-I Championships in Newton, Kansas Friday with a 32nd-place finish among the 134 players that qualified.
The Roswell native and former Colt Golf state champion shot a 3-under 69 in the middle two rounds of the four-day tourney, making up for a nervous start on Day 1 to pull within striking distance of the leader.
"It didn't really hit me until the first round started. Lots of nerves on the first tee, for sure," said Hicks. "I started five over through four holes, with two bogeys and a triple. It wasn't until hole six or seven that I started to settle in, and then went 3-under after hole seven."
Three birdies on the back nine helped Hicks salvage a 2-over 74 on Day 1, and with the opening round jitters out of the way, Hicks climbed as high as 10th on the leaderboard during the middle rounds.
In Round 2, Hicks was up and down to start the day, shooting an eagle on hole two, but giving it away with a double bogey on hole four, but collected himself immediately for a birdie on five and had just one bogey with an eagle and a birdie for the rest of the round.
Hicks said NMMI head golf coach Boyd Kapalamoto was by his side throughout the tournament, reminding him that a rough start hasn't determined his success throughout the season.
"He just reassured me that once I got settled in, I'd battle back, because that's what I usually do," explained Hicks.
Hicks was more consistent in Round 3, with six birdies and just three bogeys. By the end of the day, Hicks was at 4 under for the tournament, just three strokes off the lead.
"He had a legit chance to win it all," said Kapalamoto. "He settled in and played like he belonged out there."
Bad weather derailed Hicks title run on the final day of competition, resulting in a 7-over 79 to bring his overall score to a 3-over 291 over the four rounds.
"The final day was unfortunate. Typically a player that high on the leaderboard would get a later tee time, but they kept the six individual qualifiers paired and teeing off early in the morning," Kapalamoto said. "Jackson showed a lot of resilience, but that kind of steady wind, rain and cold will affect anyone."
The skies cleared later in the day, leaving Hicks and Kapalamoto wondering, 'what if?'
"I know I could've gone out and shot another 3- or 4-under," Hicks said. "I knew the weather would be bad and I tried to convince myself that I was mentally prepared for 18 holes in the rain and wind, but I wasn't. I've never played in conditions that bad. Both our umbrellas broke on the third hole."
Across all four rounds, Hicks led the field with two eagles and his 14 birdies ranked in the top 20 percent of the competitors.
Hicks said he enjoyed the experience, especially having his parents and three siblings in attendance.
"It was nice having them all there and I think it was definitely an advantage for me, just having my family and coach there to help keep me comfortable in a high-pressure situation," he said. "It was a good time, I grew as a player and it really stoked the fire for next season."
Hicks' younger brother Mason, a sophomore cadet that plays soccer, tennis and golf, was with his older sibling every step of the way, cheering for the good shots and posting videos to social media.
As the extremely rare Colt-turned-Bronco cadet-student-athlete, Hicks said he's cognizant of the legacy he'll leave behind at the Institute, and hopes it will motivate his younger brother.
"Mason was definitely my biggest fan out there," said Hicks. "He's already built up a pretty good athletic resume as a sophomore in high school. I think he can live up to what I've done and more."
But Hicks isn't done writing his NMMI story just yet, with a sophomore season just around the bend and a chance to bring an NJCAA National Championship to Old Post.
"It's a very realistic thing," Hicks said. "I'll be working to get better and thinking about how close I was."
With just one departing sophomore, the Bronco Golf team that barely missed out on an at-large bid to nationals this year should have a solid chance to qualify in 2024, led by an uber-motivated Hicks.
"He could've went anywhere, but he's so loyal," Kapalamoto said. "He wants to graduate from NMMI, finish what he started. Completing six years of school here is a big accomplishment, and being a high-level athlete at the same time is special."