The Mississippi State men’s golf team won its first ever tournament hosted by MSU. The team placed fifth in at the SEC Tournament, and head coach Clay Homan, who played golf at MSU from 1991-1995, is in his 10th season as head coach.
Q:How did it feel to protect your home course in your first ever hosted tournament?
A:I think it’s harder to win at home because expectation levels are a little higher. Even though you feel like you should win, it’s one of those you kind of have everything to lose and not as much to gain because everyone expects you to win, especially us having the year we’re having, and we were the highest ranked team, so we were the favorite, but sometimes being the favorite is a little tougher.
Q:Do you feel like this team is where you have always wanted a team to be?
A:When you recruit these kids, you know what their potential level is, but you don’t know whether or not they’re going to reach that potential. Last year we had pretty much all the same guys on the team, except Joe (Sakulpolphaisan), and we didn’t have a very good year last year. We missed regionals by a little bit and had a poor showing at the SEC Championship. But the potential was still there. And just a few key things were number one we were able to sign Joe, who was the number one junior college player in the country, so he has come in and done what we expected him to do if not more. He has been super consistent; he works hard, and he’s a good team guy, so he is one of the key components of this team. The other two key components are the level of play from Axel Boasson and Robi Calvesbert because they were both on the team last year, but Robi only traveled a time or two, and Axel only traveled five or six times. Those two guys really have improved the most of anybody from last year to this year. And of course Chad Ramey was an All-SEC performer, and he just continued to get better.
Q:Can you talk more about Ramey and his leadership on the team.
A:Chad is just a steady player. He goes to practice everyday, does what he needs to do. He leads by example. He’s not a very vocal leader, but he leads by example. He stays on top of his game. He’s very humble, sometimes too humble, so he’s the kind of role model we need for this team to show the other players this is what you have to do … Golf comes first for him, and it shows
Q:How does Mississippi Sate golf compare now to when you played here?
A:When I was playing SEC golf was still very good, but it was not as competitive as what you see now … All the programs now have made a commitment to golf. They’ve built facilities; they’ve built practice areas. Being in the southeast, these programs have no problem recruiting the best players in the country and internationally, as well. It’s super competitive – the SEC.
Q:Do you still play a good bit of golf?
A:I haven’t played much this year at all. I was able to win the State Amateur the last two years. I love to compete whether I’m coaching or playing, so I have to compete a little bit to fuel that energy there. But the older I get and the more obligations I have with my family and young children, the less time I spend playing on my own. I certainly get satisfaction from playing well just like I do with these guys playing well and me coaching them, but my golf is certainly tapering off over the last few years.
Q:What is the update on the new golf facility?
A:We’ve made a lot of progress in raising money for a golf team-only building with hitting bays and locker rooms and coaches offices and meeting rooms, so we can have a place to meet as a team and have a place to call home. That’s something that most good programs have and we’ve been lacking for a long time, so now we’re going to have that. It will become a reality hopefully within another year.
