GAMES
RANKINGS
State or Bust: Jezek, Clements on the Path For More Hardware
THE CLEMENTS RANGERS GOLF TEAM HAS BEEN PICKING UP STEAM THROUGHOUT THEIR IMPRESSIVE SEASON BY CONSISTENTLY PLACING HIGH, IF NOT WINNING, THE MAJORITY OF THEIR TOURNAMENTS.
At the beginning of their Spring season, the girls’ team ended up performing exceptionally well in the CHS Invitational at the Quail Valley Golf Course. Despite cold and rainy conditions, the Rangers finished in the No. 1 spot, which is an indication of what to expect from the team going forward.
Jason Jezek enters his 19th year as the head golf coach for Clements and is anticipating another special year for his talented group. Considering all the time he has spent molding the individuals that pass through the Clements’ golf program, it should go without saying that he has a special connection with the players.
“It’s an honor to gain the trust of the team,” said Jezek. “People that don’t know golf kids don’t know how much time they put in. I know at Clements we’ve had a lot of success, but all these kids in all these programs have worked their tails off. They’re great representatives of their school. It’s cool, you know —it’s an honor. But, it’s more of a testament to these kids and how much passion they put into the game.”
The Rangers consistently advance to the Regional Round of the UIL postseason, with occasional individuals and teams going to the State Tournament. This year should be no different.
“We’ve been to State a few times,” Jezek said. “I’ve had a boys’ individual champion [Blake Redmond-2007], a girls’ individual champion [Portland Rosen-2009]. We’ve had some really strong teams, but timing is key. Teams get hot at the right time when only three teams advance to the State Tournament out of the entire Region. We’ve had some really good opportunities, and we’re young but incredibly talented.”
This year, the UIL-6A State Tournament will be held at Legacy Hills Golf Club in mid May. Don’t be surprised if you see Clements shooting for birdies and a title.
DUSTING OFF THE CLUBS: Clements Freshman Zhou Rallying Back On Course
CLEMENTS FRESHMAN KUAN ZHOU IS MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME.
Zhou started playing golf when his father, Wei, bought him a kid’s set of clubs and would bring him to the driving range to hit balls when he was five-years old.
Zhou became enamored with the sport.
“Somedays, I feel like I can spend up to four or five hours on the course,” he said. “Just being by yourself and relaxing. Not every second of it is intense like other sports, so there’s a lot of time to yourself.”
But when Wei left for work overseas when he was six, Zhou put away the clubs. He didn’t have anyone to mentor and guide him like his father. Zhou didn’t pick up a club again until he was 10-years old, when his father returned home.
“I had practically forgotten the game,” Zhou said. “I had to improve my game really quickly in a short amount of time. I got hooked again. The first two weeks was a struggle, but I actually enjoyed practicing and getting better. I really started to dig deep into the game.”
Zhou is now a blossoming prospect for the Rangers, ranked in the Top 100 as a player in the Class of 2025. Hungry to move up the rankings like he does tournament leaderboards, the 13-year-old Zhou is aware he has to make up ground.
Every day after school, he heads straight to Sweetwater Country Club, putting in many hours on his own after the team practices.
“I’m still on an upward track,” Zhou said.
Zhou, whose family moved to the United States from China when he was twoyears old, said he has no hobbies. Golf is his life. His irons and approach shots are accurate. He can drive the ball straight and far, up to 285 yards.
He enjoys watching the pros. His favorite is Justin Thomas. Zhou admires Thomas’s approach shots and pays close attention to his, and others’, decision-making, etiquette and how they plan and manage the game.
“Seeing the difference between their game and mine is a wakeup call for me,” said Zhou, who wants to play at UCLA and go pro. “It shows me how much I would like to improve in order to be considered pretty good at the game. I consistently work at that.”