IN THE FAIRWAYS — Members of the Fairmont Cardinal boys golf team scheduled to open the season by playing host to Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther and Butterfield-Odin on Tuesday, April 9, at Rose Lake Golf Course in Fairmont include, front row (left to right): Grayson Baker, Christian Selbrade, Hudson McKean, Colton Wells and Macklain Anderson. Back: Klay Beemer, Mathew Cone and Tyler Heckman. Not pictured: Harmon Schrunk, Noah Bettin, Ruben Pena and Isaac Laidig. (Photo by Charlie Sorrells)

FAIRMONT — Fairmont “director of golf” Brad Haugen and boys golf coach Billy Brooks will depend on a youthful roster to rebuild the program with only three upperclassmen returning to the putting greens this spring.

Mathew Cone, the only senior penciled in on the ledger, and junior Harmon Schrunk bring solid scoring marks to the clubhouse, while junior Tyler Heckman will hit the fairways after winning the Cardinals’ junior varsity tournament a year ago.

Cone generated a nine-hole scoring average of 41 to rank as the best returning player from 2023, while Schrunk and Heckman produced nine-hole clips of 48 and 49, respectively, for Fairmont.

Cone garnered 14th place by tallying an 18-hole total of 82 during the Big South Conference Meet, while Schrunk collected an 87 during league meet action.

Schrunk, however, managed to flip-flop spots with Cone by qualifying for Day 2 of the Section 3AA Meet by recording an opening-round 18-hole mark of 76 at Oakdale Golf Course in Buffalo Lake.

Schrunk, who fired a 86 during the final 18 holes of the two-round event, earned a share of 16th place at the sectional competition with a 162.

“Both Chewy (Cone) and Harmon (Schrunk) possess all the physical skills required on the golf course, but now need to put it all together over the course of two days if they want to reach state,” said Haugen. “They both need to work a little bit on their course management, and can’t let one bad shot affect the rest of their rounds.”

Haugen and Brooks will turn to sophomores Colton Wells, Macklain Anderson, Noah Bettin and Klay Beemer to contribute counting totals to Fairmont’s effort.

Christian Selbrade, Hudson McKean and Isaac Laidig will represent the freshman class of golfers, and will be joined on the roster by eighth-grader Grayson Baker and seventh-grader Ruben Pena.

“Our boys team just missed by two strokes of advancing to Day 2 of the sectional tournament last season,” said Haugen. “We ended up finishing in sixth place with a 332.

“Maybe the combination of myself, Billy and Dylan (Post) working with both the boys and girls players can get them on the right track.”

Brooks possesses a long rich history with the game of golf, and is looking forward to helping get Fairmont back to its winning ways.

“I basically grew up on golf course since I was 5,” said Brooks. “By age 17, I served as the superintendent at Minn-Iowa Golf Course in Elmore and did that role for a number of years.

“It also doesn’t hurt that my dad taught golf at Elmore High School when it was separate from Blue Earth Area back in the 1980s.”

Brooks is self-described as an avid golfer and enjoys the game every chance he gets the opportunity to tee it up.

“Fairmont has always had solid golf teams through the years, and I’d love to be part of continuing that tradition,” said Brooks. “In order to rebuild the program to its glory days, we (coaching) have to keep our younger kids involved in golf.”

Fairmont opens its season by playing host to Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther and Butterfield-Odin at Rose Lake Golf Course outside of Fairmont on Tuesday, April 9.