Cade Carpenter has set his sights high this season.
As in, state championship-high.
"I would like to win a state title," Carpenter said about his goal this season. "I know that is big, but that is my goal, by the end of this year, is to win a state title."
So far, Carpenter is showing he's in the mix as one of the top golfers in Class AA. He's recorded three top-five finishes and led the Kernels to a dual win over Yankton on Tuesday.
"I knew that I would have to put a lot of work in this summer and early this year to try and get to where I need to be to win that state title," Carpenter said.
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The Mitchell senior golfer tied for 21st at last year's state tournament, after being tied for 10th after the first day.
"My goal last year was to be top-10 and I achieved it after the first day, and kind of fell apart the second day," Carpenter said.
Now, Carpenter is motivated to turn in a better performance at the state meet this season. This year's Class AA state golf meet is Oct. 3-4 at Moccasin Creek Country Club in Aberdeen.
Over the summer, Carpenter was committed to improving his game. He competed in several South Dakota Golf Association junior golf events over the summer, along with the Mitchell City Tournament. When he is not golfing, he is working at the Wild Oak Golf Course pro shop, which is near his home on the east edge of Mitchell.
"He is definitely our leader this year," Mitchell coach Mark Horan said. "He is our No. 1 player. He shoots the best scores. He's played junior tournament events since he was about in eighth or ninth grade. He has put in all the work all the years."
Horan has seen it first-hand. Horan and Carpenter's father, Travis, were golfing buddies and Cade would tag along when he was younger.
Therefore, Cade Carpenter and Horan's relationship extends past golf.
"We give each other a hard time," Horan said. "The school vehicle is a lot of fun going to and from tournaments."
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But that also means Horan has seen Carpenter improve his golf skills through the years.
"He is a great driver of the golf ball," Horan said. "He hits it long and quite often very straight."
Carpenter agrees his driving accuracy is a strength. He can hit the ball between 290 and 300 yards, but he wants to improve in other areas.
"I have been working on hitting more greens and lagging my putts better," Carpenter said. "I have too many three-putts. I suppose that is what I need to work on."
Carpenter hopes to play college golf, but first, has his sights set on big things this season.
"I hope he has a good season," Horan said. "He deserves it, because he has done all the things we have asked him to do."
Mitchell will play in the Chamberlain Invitational today at the Chamberlain Country Club in Oacoma. The Kernels will host a quadrangular on Friday at Lakeview Golf Course in Mitchell.
