Missouri State golf

But Glendale had been rolling from the start of postseason play, and even the slowest of greens had no impact on Holmes and the Falcons.

In fact, Holmes finished tied for fifth (74, 79) with a 153, the highest individual finish for a Falcon team that ran away with the title by a full six strokes over Rockhurst.

His fifth-place finish was a vast improvement over 2015, when he finished tied for 34th (78, 77).

Even ahead of this year’s state championship, Holmes had already helped lead his Falcons to a district title with an individual seventh-place finish (+5), followed by a sectional title with another individual seventh-place finish (+4), experiences he appreciated even more thanks to the relationship with his teammates.

Now, Holmes is ready to carry his hot stretch and improved game to the collegiate level at Missouri State, where the rising freshman will join Glendale teammate Christopher Obert on scholarship for MSU golf and head coach Neal Stafford.

“I’ve always wanted to play college golf,” Holmes said.

The Bears offered Holmes that scholarship last summer while the then rising senior was also fielding offers from Nebraska-Omaha, Drury University, Columbia College and the University of Central Missouri.

It’s an appropriate next step for Holmes, who’s been playing the sport since he was three years old and is the son of a man who’s been a golf pro at multiple private courses, including Highland Springs Country Club in Springfield.