Incoming eighth-grader Lauren Beckwith recently won her sixth tournament on the West Texas Junior Champions Tour by posting a 98 at the Diamondback Golf Club in Abilene. PHOTO BY CLAY WHITTINGTON Coaches love to see their players compete during the offseason.

Perhaps the only thing they enjoy more is when they win.

That may explain why Lampasas golf coaches are so happy this summer.

Eight local golfers are on track to qualify for the West Texas Junior Champions Tour Championship in their age divisions, and the number could increase as several more are participating in the 27-event, twomonth tour.

“It would be real nice to pull up to the course in Eastland for the tour championship and have eight or 10 kids from Lampasas playing in it,” said Stuart Beckwith, Lampasas High School head girls’ golf coach. “That would be real exciting.

“The future of Lampasas golf [as a whole] is pretty exciting right now.”

Leading the charge to the twoday championship, scheduled for July 29-30 at Lone Cedar Country Club, is Lampasas Middle School eighth-grader Lauren Beckwith, who already has amassed six wins in her first six tournaments of the tour.

Competing in the 12-14 girls’ division, Lauren’s most recent victory occurred Tuesday at the Diamondback Golf Course in Abilene, where she shot a 98.

Surprisingly, she considered her field-low round to be a bad day.

“It started out bad, and it stayed bad for a while,” she said. “It just wasn’t a very good day at all. I was really lucky to pull out the win.”

While the golfer might chalk up the victory to luck, her impressive tour showing cannot be perceived simply as a series of good fortunes.

Prior to her recent win in Abilene, Lauren earned victories at the tour kickoff event West Texas Junior Open in Abilene before dominating the field at tournaments across the state including San Saba, Lampasas and Eastland.

Three tour victories automatically qualify players for the tour championship. Excluding exemptions, players must finish in the top 15 of their age division to qualify.

“I really don’t think it has exactly sunk in about all the wins, but I think it has sunk in about how my game is improving over the summer,” Lauren said.

And she is not alone in taking her game to the next level.

Lauren’s LMS teammate Morgan Rogers, who also is competing in the 12-14 girls’ division, is on pace to qualify for the tour championship with 45 points.

The duo has placed first and second in two events this summer.

Their middle school counterparts are excelling as well during the summer months.

Lampasas High School students Lauren Davis, above, Byler Lindeman and Carmen Gonzales, right, have all won at least one tournament this summer, and each is sitting in the top 15 of their age divisions. Three members from the LMS district champion boys’ golf team are ranked in the WTJCT standings. Blake January and Blake Graham are both in the top 15 of the 12-13 boys’ division, and Trent Holloman is working his way up the standings.

January, who has one tour victory under his belt, has accumulated 45 points to date, and Graham has 28. Holloman, who has been unable to compete in as many tournaments as his teammates, has seven points.

“They are very self-motivated,” Michael Molinar, LMS head boys golf coach, said. “To be honest, they just love the sport, and they want to do well.

“Now, they are even more motivated because they’ve tasted a little bit of success [by winning the district championship.]”

At the high-school level, Byler Lindeman (14-15 boys) is just one victory away from earning an exemption after picking up tour victories in San Saba and Lampasas. His 55 points have him tied for seventh place in the standings.

His sister Kinsley Lindeman is in sixth place of the 6-8 coed division with 30 points.

Three varsity Lady Badger players (15-18 girls) are in the running to reach the WTJCT championship.

Sophomore Lauren Davis is sitting in 11th place with 38 points, while 2010 state qualifier Carmen Gonzales, a junior, is just three points and one place behind her teammate. Both have earned one victory on the tour so far.

Brittany Graham has 23 points and sits in 19th place in the age group.

While winning in the summer is a thrill for Coach Beckwith, it is the effort his players are putting forth that pleases him most.

“We play eight tournaments during the school year, and they are getting two or three years’ worth of experience out there this summer,” he said. “It is going to pay off in the long run. They are excited about the possibilities, and they are recognizing the potential of what they can do.”

The excitement is not contained to just the team.

Despite being a year away from high school, Lauren Beckwith has high aspirations for the varsity Lady Badgers.

“I really like seeing the Lampasas girls out there [on the tour], and I know it is going to improve our golf program a lot,” she said. “We have a lot of potential coming up at the high school level this year and the year after that.

“I think we really have a chance to go to state in the next couple of years.”

As for her individual goals this summer, Lauren hopes to extend her tournament win streak to perfect 11 for 11 and walk away with the tour championship.

“I want to win everything I can,” she said.

So far, she is living up to her expectations.