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“They’re like gym rats, only on a golf course,” said Thunder boys’ golf coach Peter Moody, “and it’s not just they’re on the course every day, they’re practicing.”

Desert Vista can use that kind of dedication in the two-day, 36-hole 5A Division I state golf championship that opened this morning at the Aguila Golf Course in Laveen.

When Moody calls Witte a golf rat and Michelson a golf nerd, he means it as a compliment.

“I think Andrew spends all his spare time watching the Golf Channel,” Moody added.
Michelson doesn’t dispute this image.

“Yeah,” Michelson said, “I watch the Golf Channel maybe a little more than I should, but you can learn a lot of technique; how to think about the game and how to make shots. Most of it is thinking about the game.”

It must work because the Desert Vista senior shot a seven-under 101 to earn medalist honors at the Tempe City Tournament at the Ken McDonald Golf Course in September. He was also third individually at the Super Region qualifier for the state tournament.

“Being able to put the ball on the fairway just helps your confidence,” Michelson said. “Before, putting the ball on the fairway wasn’t my thing and I had to come back with my irons. I’m playing a lot better than last year, so obviously I’m happy.”

Michelson, who played club soccer until his freshman season when he dropped the game to concentrate on golf, was a surprise to Moody this season.

“Kevin has been the most consistent the past two years,” Moody said, “but Andrew exceeded my expectations. He has really matured and just came out of nowhere this season. He had been shooting 74 or 75 and now his lows are 66 to 68 and his average has been around par.”

Witte has been playing in the No. 1 spot for the Thunder this season, which had the junior playing head-to-head with some of the best golfers in the state this season.

“I think that’s helped,” said Witte, who plans to have a busy summer in the Arizona Junior Golf Association circuit. “I hadn’t played in tournaments before, but this season has helped my confidence.”

Moody said Witte has started to make a name for himself in state golf circles the past two years.

“Right now,” Moody said, “Kevin is arguably one of the best juniors in the state. He’s a natural and has one of the best swings I’ve seen in a long time.”

Before Witte turned into a golf rat, he was taking swings at a hockey puck.

“I played hockey when I was younger, but I had been playing golf my whole life,” Witte said. “When I was about 12 I started getting serious about golf and I didn’t want to get hurt, so I dropped hockey. Now I’m on the range every day and I love it.”

Desert Vista finished 11th last season and seventh in 2005, but Moody is hoping the Thunder crack the top five this week.

“We’re going to have to play extremely well to be in that area,” Moody said, “and if we can put it together as we have a few times this year, we can play with them. If not, we’ll fall back into the pack. We’re deeper than other teams think we are and I’m excited to see how we stand among the top teams.”


Larry Ward can be reached at (480) 898-7915 or at lward@aztrib.com.