CAK senior Kaleb Wilson (left) and West senior Carson Kammann are the 2021 5Star Preps Boys Golf Co-Players of the Year.
BY JESSE SMITHEY
Kaleb Wilson and Carson Kammann took vastly different routes to reach success on the high school level.
Nevertheless, here both golfers are, about to step into 2022 when they will begin their college careers at big-time programs.
And, both share 5Star Preps Boys’ Golfer of the Year honors. To have picked one over the other would have been a disservice to the one not chosen.
They were both that good in 2021.
Kammann, a standout at West High School, won the 5Star Preps Masters in late July, kicking off his senior season by winning the 36-hole event in 9-under-par 135. After breezing through the regular season, Kammann shot a 67 in the District 3-AA Tournament at Sevierville Golf Club.
He followed that with a 71 in the Region 1-AA Tournament to earn his spot in the state tournament.
And at the state tournament, he shot rounds of 67 and 69 to wind up at 8-under 136. He birdied his last hole, shot a back-nine, 4-under 32 and finished just one stroke out of first place.
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“If I had won state, it probably would be a different answer. But as far as high school golf goes, I don’t leave satisfied,” Kammann said. “I really wanted to win state.
“I felt like I did everything I could (in the final round) and I just got beat. But there will always be a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth when I look back on it, wishing I would have won. But I’m proud of the way I competed.”
Still, not bad for a prep golfer who struggled to find consistency in his game in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Physical maturation had much to do with that, though.
Kamman, who is now 6-foot-3, grew 11 inches from midway through his freshman year to the start of his junior year. As his frame stretched, numerous equipment and swing changes ensued.
“I went through, like, four sets of irons,” said Kammann.
Once that all tabled off, Kammann started doing big things — and doing it often. He made first-team All-5Star Preps in 2020 as a junior when he finished fourth at state thanks to a final-round 66.
He qualified for and played in the U.S. Amateur in August 2021 and will play for East Tennessee State in college.
“(All the growing) basically took a year of competitive golf away from me. But I think it’s going to be good for me in the long run,” said Kammann. “It’s going to make me a better player, because I know how to deal with frustration and adversity on the course.”
Wilson entered the season already an accomplished player, having already been twice named 5Star Preps Player of the Year (2019, 2020) and already having had won three team state championships and an individual TSSAA state title (2020).
The West Virginia signee did little to slow down that pace in his final go-around.
He helped CAK win another state championship — the program’s fifth in a row — and he tied for first in the Division II-A state tournament, carding rounds of 71 and 67. He lost his title defense in a three-man playoff.
But that did little to diminish his postseason, which also included Wilson shooting a 68 in district play at Three Ridges.
“I’m really never satisfied, but I’m alright with what I did do in high school golf,” Wilson said. “I think it’s pretty cool I was able to win four state championships with our team and win capture that individual title last year and fall short in a playoff this year.
“I did a lot of cool things, made a lot of good friends. The only thing I wish I would have done is shoot 29 in a (nine-hole) match. I got really close. I shot 30 (at Dead Horse). Other than that, that’s pretty much the only thing I wanted to do that I didn’t get to do.”
But as both players recently reflected on their high school careers with 5Star Preps, each shared one common trait that pushed them from really good prep golfers to elite.
Work ethic.
“I work my butt off from sunrise to sunset. Talent will catch up with you. Work will keep pushing you ahead,” said Wilson. “I think that’s something that has motivated me — and seeing others play better than me motivated me.
“Always wanting to try and be the best I can be definitely pushed me ahead.”
Kammann went into grind mode, as well, spending an estimated 75 percent of his practice time, he said, from 100 yards and in.
“When I practiced, I practiced with a purpose. Not just goofing off,” said Kammann.
“That just came with maturity.”