When Tony Brandt first picked up his golf clubs as a youngster, it didn’t take long for people to take notice.
“I picked golf up about sixth or seventh grade, and people would say, ‘oh, you really hit that far,’ and that sparked my interest.”
It’s hard to say why Brandt gravitated towards golf as much as he has.
From kindergarten through tenth grade, Brandt grew up as a Bolivar Liberator. In Bolivar he was invested in just about every other sport including basketball, baseball, football and soccer.
“Bolivar was really fun,” said Brandt. “I had a good group of friends with Connor Sechler, Brandon Emmert and those guys, who are really good athletes. We bonded through sports. I was always doing something active. We were always competing, and I think that helped me grow into the person I am today.”
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But as a result of his parents’ divorce, Brandt moved in with his dad in Springfield and transferred to Greenwood Laboratory School for his junior campaign.
There was certainly an adjustment period. Aside from a more rigorous workload in the classroom, the enrollment is much different between the two schools. In Bolivar, Brandt’s graduating class would have numbered in the hundreds. But at Greenwood, he will graduate with around 40 classmates.
“It’s easy to get knit tightly to your friends here,” Brandt said. “[Greenwood] has been absolutely fantastic. I’ve made a lot of friends really quickly.
“The schoolwork keeps you busy and having something to do. It's not easy at all. It’s very different from a public school, they grade a lot tougher. All the classes are basically AP. And being on the Missouri State campus, they allow you to take college courses. Instead of duel credit, they send you on campus and you’re just like any other college kid. Chemistry is my favorite class.”
When he moved to Springfield, Brandt and his dad were able to spend a lot of time at a local golf course. That gave him a chance to open some new doors in the world of golf.
“We’re members at Highland Springs Golf Course, and I thought that would be a good opportunity to help me get a college scholarship.”
It’ll help. But the attention Brandt is getting from colleges is because of his talent.
In his first year as a Greenwood Blue Jay, Brandt leaped to the top spot on the golf team and finished third overall in the Class 1 state golf tournament at Fremont Hills Country Club this fall.
The tournament was shortened to just one round because of terrible weather. Brandt still managed to shoot a 76 in the lone round, just two strokes back of the leader.
“Actually, I was coming in with the mindset that the rain would whittle out the players that didn’t have good attitudes,” he said. “It was hard to hold on to your grips and that was frustrating. I’d have to say I’m happy with the way I played. I’m happy with the way I fought the conditions.”
He hasn’t made his decision on where he’ll attend college yet, but one thing is certain; Brandt has his sights set on the PGA tour.
“Right now I still think there’s a slight glimmer of hope that I’ll be able to be a pro golfer. I hope to get into college and get into some good tournaments,” he said.
Brandt has had some special help from a friend he met at Highland Springs. Kevin Kring – a pro golfer, who was born in Springfield and played in college at Colorado – has grown close to Brandt and offers tips and advice on a regular basis.
“[Kring] has given me fantastic advice,” Brandt said. “I’ve really improved with him helping me, even in the last month or so. He's helped me in my golf game, but also with course management and things like that.
“I want to conquer my dream of qualifying for the PGA tour one day. Kevin and I have been hanging around and I’ve been watching him… I’ve tried to pick his brain every chance I can and he's really helped me out.”
Until then, Brandt will look to improve upon his third-place state finish in the state tournament his senior year. Hopefully he’ll have a chance to play two full rounds this time around.
