Boone Grove’s Nicol poised to improve

Updated: June 9, 2011 7:38PM

It took some time, but last year’s boys golf state finals is now a distant memory for Boone Grove senior Tyler Nicol.

After shooting a first-round 70 at The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin a year ago, Nicol carded a 2-over 74 on the second day to finish tied for 17th.

“After I shot 70 in the first round, that put me in the top five and I was doing pretty good in the second round until the last four holes,” said Nicol, who will lead Boone Grove into the LaPorte Regional on Friday morning at Beechwood Golf Course. “I had a bogey and a double bogey in those last four holes. I’ve definitely forgotten about those two holes now, but it took a while to forget.”

Also, he hasn’t entirely forgotten. In fact, the sting of dropping out of the top 10 after doing well for most of the tournament was a big motivator this season.

“That’s all I’ve been working toward, is getting back down to state and doing better,” said Nicol, who has improved his putting from a year ago and feels like a better player overall. “I just hit a few bad shots on the last three or four holes last year and that’s what did it. I know I can do better this year.”

First Nicol will have to advance past the LaPorte Regional after shooting a 76 last week at the Boone Grove Sectional — tying for third individually with junior teammate Drake Devereux. Nicol wasn’t satisfied with that score, despite it helping the Wolves win their fifth straight sectional team title, and knows he’ll have to be better this week if he wants another crack at The Legends course.

“Last year, I actually thought there was more pressure in the regional than there was at the state finals,” Nicol said. “I feel pretty confident, though. Having experience always helps. I just want to shoot pretty good, keep it in the 70s and I should have a pretty good chance (to qualify for state).”

Weather reports are calling for rain in Northwest Indiana on Friday (should the event be postponed, it will start on Saturday with a 1 p.m. shotgun start), so his attitude of just posting a solid round in the regional is probably the best way to approach it.

Regardless, Nicol is sure to have a familiar look on his face Friday morning — one that Boone Grove coach Gary King has come to know very well over the past four seasons.

“He’s kind of on a mission to get himself back down there to the state tournament and prove he can do better,” King said. “He’s a very determined young man. You can just see it in his eyes when he’s on the golf course. He’s determined to shoot a good round and grinds everything out.”

That’s what he’ll be looking to do again Friday at Beechwood, where a year ago he shot a 71 but lost top medalist honors to friend and rival Nick Grubnich — a Crown Point senior who tied for fifth at the state finals last season.

“When the pressure is on him, that’s when he usually plays better,” King said of Nicol. “That’s what I like about him. He’s got that no-quit attitude.”

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