While the cold, rainy weather of last week’s Emporia Invitational is usually among a golfer’s worst nightmares, Council Grove’s Rhiannon Downes was right at home in it. She even thought it helped her.
“Because, I don’t know, I like colder weather,” Downes said right after the tournament, which she won by shooting a 46 in the nine-hole tourney. “It’s just funner to play in. ... I’m just used to it.”
It’s no wonder that Downes took home the individual first-place medal last Thursday, beating Emporia High’s Maryann Bennett by three strokes. Of course, Downes has shown during her high school career that she can succeed in pretty much any weather conditions. She qualified for state as an individual last year as a junior, when she became the Braves’ No. 1 golfer, and was part of Council Grove’s state-qualifying teams in 2005 and 2006.
Coach Dennis Throne said Downes plays at a number of tournaments during the summer, including women’s tournaments and junior golf, and possesses a strong work ethic.
“And sometimes, it works against her, because once in awhile she’ll get frustrated when things aren’t going her way,” Throne said. “Normally, it’s a pretty healthy frustation. It drives her to get better.”
Downes agrees that she’s extremely competitive. After finishing as the fourth medalist at the regional meet last year with a career-best 92, she thought she could’ve shot better at the state tournament last year at Cottonwood Hills in Hutchinson. Her 118 there was good for a 67th-place finish.
To reach her personal goals of winning Regionals and finishing in the top 10 at State, Downes is working on her short game. Throne said she’s at her best from tee to green, and if she has a weakness, her short game is it.
“I’ve been working more on chipping and putting,” she said.
Downes said she’s probably going to attend Dodge City Community College next year to play golf. In talking with Dodge City’s coaching staff about the program, Downes was told “that they go to a lot of tournaments. And I practiced with them one day when I went to view the college.”
Council Grove has fielded a number of good girls golf squads in Throne’s 17 years — last year snapped a string of seven consecutive years that the Braves had gone to the state tournament as a team. Throne said Downes probably ranks among the top 10 golfers he’s had at the school and has improved steadily every year.
“A real dedicated young lady,” he said.