Ryan Vermeer has long envisioned a storybook ending to his fairy-tale collegiate golf career.
“This is the way I always pictured it the NCAA Finals being my last tournament as an amateur,” says Vermeer, Kansas University’s senior golfer from Omaha, Neb.
“This is how everybody wants to go out. It would have been hard to bow out any other way.”
Vermeer who’s won 11 of 53 tourneys as a collegian and has had 28 Top Ten finishes will take a school-record 71.31 stroke average into this week’s NCAA Tournament at Auburn University’s course in Opelika, Ala.
After the meet, Vermeer will turn pro.
“Professional golf is something I’ve wanted to do ever since I can remember. Since I was 4 or 5 years old I wanted to be a professional golfer,” Vermeer said. “To make a putt on the last hole to save $2,000 is something I want to get used to.”
He’s felt pressure as a collegian, perhaps never more than this week as he enters NCAAs as KU’s No. 1 golfer.
The Jayhawks have a team goal of attaining the best finish in school history. KU placed 11th back in 1950.
“It’s been a great season,” Vermeer said. “We won three times going into the Big 12. After winning Big 12s last year, we go in this year, didn’t play our best and still finished second,” Vermeer said. “It shows last year was no fluke. To finish second … it shows what this program is all about. We were right there.
“I’m excited about our chances at NCAAs. This team has done a good job of meeting goals. There is cohesion, just like last year.”
Vermeer has been KU’s solid No. 1 player with Andy Stewart, Conrad Roberts, Casey Harbour and Jake Istnick averaging 73.59, 73.72, 73.89 and 74.28 strokes respectively.
Harbour has been torrid of late, placing fourth at the Big 12 championships and knocking in a hole-in-one at regionals.
The Jayhawks’ stroke average of 72.68 is best in school history.
“We obviously can play well,” Vermeer said. “As far as the NCAAs … I heard it’s a great course (Lake Course Grand National), but the greens are very tricky. The Nike Tour was there a couple years ago and Matt Gogel (ex-Jayhawk) was wondering where the windwills were and the mounds. He thought it was tricked up (like a putt-putt course). Everybody’s got to putt the same greens. So nobody has an advantage.”
Vermeer placed 23rd at NCAAs a year ago. After a solid summer, he’s had an All-America type senior year.
“I’m proud of my (71.31) average. It shows a lot of where my game has come in four years,” he said. “In fall, everything was right there for me. It was like I could play in my sleep, my game was so on.”
Indeed, he won Nebraska’s Firethorn Invitational, the Kansas Invitational and Missouri’s Purina Classic all first semester.
His second semester highlight was victory at Colorado’s Stevinson Ranch Classic, plus a round of 63 at the Western Intercollegiate at San Jose State.
“In the spring, I struggled striking the ball and had to rely on my short game. It’s given me confidence that I don’t have to hit 15 greens to have a great round.
“I wouldn’t change anything,” he added, referring to his career. “My freshman year, I had trouble driving in the fairway. Over the last year especially, I’ve gotten to where I can drive it in the fairway again. It makes it so much easier. And my short game has improved a ton in the past year. For the most part, everything has fallen into place.”
KU coach Ross Randall is eager to watch Vermeer’s pro career blossom.
“Ryan is always there,” Randall said. “He’s a full-shot lower than anybody ever at KU. That is pretty impressive. I think he’s going to do very well out there.”
The Jayhawks will play practice rounds today and Tuesday in Alabama with the meet beginning Wednesday morning. After Thursday, the field will be trimmed from 30 teams to 15 with the finals Friday and Saturday.