2023 All-Area boys' golf: Meet the first team
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2023 All-Area boys' golf: Meet the first team
Reis Claybrooke
Mahomet-Seymour junior
Why he made the first team ... Claybrooke was the area's highest finisher at state this year, placing 16th after being one shot off the individual lead going into the second day. Claybrooke ended the season with a 74.71 18-hole scoring average, the second-lowest average for Mahomet-Seymour golfers in the last 23 years, which led the Bulldogs to a seventh-place team finish at the Class 2A state tournament in their first state appearance since they won a state title in 2010.
He needs tickets to see ... the NCAA men's basketball Final Four.
Before he competes, he eats ... Jimmy John's.
His dream career is ... a professional athlete.
His favorite school subject is ... sports marketing.
His favorite athlete is ... Gabe Cupps.
His favorite thing to watch on YouTube is ... Bob Does Sports.
If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Bobby Knight, Mark Cuban and his late grandfather, Jerry Funkhouser.
Three things on his bucket list are ... playing Harbor Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, attending the Super Bowl and sitting courtside at an NBA Finals game.
Wilson Kirby
St. Thomas More senior
Why he made the first team ... Kirby's 4-over-par 18-hole scoring average led St. Thomas More to a team appearance in the Class 1A state tournament, where he finished 20th individually. Kirby carded the Sabers' lowest score in 15 of their 16 matches and won medalist honors in three of the team's five nine-hole matches. He was an All-Illini Prairie Conference selection and placed second at regionals and third at sectionals.
He needs tickets to see ... game seven of the World Series.
Before he competes, he drinks ... plenty of water.
His dream career is ... a professional golfer.
His favorite school subject is ... math.
His favorite athlete is ... Justin Fields.
His favorite movie is ... "Remember the Titans."
If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Joe Rogan, Elon Musk and Albert Einstein.
Three things on his bucket list are ... attending the Masters, going snowboarding and running a marathon.
Caleb McCullough
Judah Christian senior
Why he made the first team ... McCullough was Judah Christian's No. 1 golfer all season with an 18-hole scoring average of 77.8. He finished first at the Mia Gordon Memorial Tournament with a 73, third at regionals with a 73 and seventh at Urbana's Tiger Kickoff with a 79. The All-Champaign County player has plans of playing college golf but is undecided about where.
He needs tickets to see ... Sunday at The Masters or the 2026 World Cup.
Before he competes, he eats ... an egg, ham and cheese sandwich and then drinks Drip Drop.
His dream career is ... a pilot.
His favorite school subject is ... history.
His favorite athlete is ... Dansby Swanson.
His favorite movie is ... "Inception" or "Happy Gilmore."
If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Devin Hester.
Three things on his bucket list are ... playing golf at Augusta National, playing golf in all 50 states and all seven continents and going to the Olympics.
Leif Olson
Mahomet-Seymour senior
Why he made the first team ... Mahomet-Seymour coach David Sebestik called the "almost irreplaceable" Olson a "once-in-a-decade" player. Olson's 75.5 18-hole scoring average is the sixth-lowest in the last 23 years of the program and a 4.88-stroke improvement from his All-Area First Team performance last year. He was an All-Champaign County, All-Apollo Conference and All-Section selection and finished tied for 43rd in the Class 2A state tournament.
He needs tickets to see ... The Smashing Pumpkins.
Before he competes, he ... likes to stay as hydrated as he can and packs a couple granola bars for the turn.
His dream career is ... a professional golfer or mechanical engineer.
His favorite school subject is ... English.
His favorite athlete is ... Viktor Hovland.
His favorite movie is ... the old version of "Tombstone."
If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Arnold Palmer, Wayne Gretzky and Edgar Allan Poe.
Three things on his bucket list are ... going skydiving, attending a Pantera concert and winning at Augusta National.
Maddux Quick
Monticello junior
Why he made the first team ... Quick set a new Monticello 18-hole record with a 70 this season and averaged a score of 75.6. After getting bumped up to Class 2A this year, the Sages just missed out on a third consecutive state finals appearance, but Quick qualified as an individual and finished 37th. He earned second place in the Illini Prairie Conference Tournament and was low medalist in multiple events throughout the season.
He needs tickets to see ... a Drake concert.
Before he competes, he eats ... fettuccine alfredo.
His dream career is ... a professional golfer.
His favorite school subject is ... math.
His favorite athlete is ... Gehrig Quick.
His favorite TV show is ... "Impractical Jokers."
If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant and Adam Sandler.
Three things on his bucket list are ... attending a major golf tournament, attending a March Madness game and going to Cedar Point.
Chris Timmons
Champaign Central senior
Why he made the first team ... Timmons had an 18-hole scoring average of 78.9. He said he didn't start the season as well as he would have liked, but he went on to be the only area golfer competing in the Class 3A state tournament. Timmons shot an 80 and an 81 to finish tied for 49th at state.
He needs tickets to see ... an Ohio State-Michigan football game.
Before he competes, he eats ... a Snickers bar.
His dream career is ... something to do with sports.
His favorite school subject is ... math.
His favorite athlete is ... Blake Wolters.
His favorite movie is ... "The Hangover."
If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... his mom, dad and brother.
Three things on his bucket list are ... going on a safari, going to the Masters and going to an Ohio State-Michigan football game.
