AMATEUR TOURNEY GIVES SE GOLFER CONFIDENCE

Bryan Johnson did not win last week's Missouri Amateur Golf Championship, but the performance he had should certainly set the stage for a big senior season at Southeast Missouri State University.

At least that's the way both Johnson and Southeast coach Carroll Williams see things. Johnson reached the semifinals of the prestigious event before losing to eventual champion Mark McBride 1-up in 20 holes.

"I was really pleased. I played really well about every match," said Johnson, a native of Thayer, Mo. "Last year I made the quarterfinals, then I had my best year yet at SEMO. I thought that was a good springboard to the college season and I think this will be the same thing."

According to Williams, Johnson is the first Southeast golfer to reach the semifinals of the Missouri Amateur while he was still playing for the Indians.

"To my knowledge, nobody while they were in school for us has ever gotten that far," Williams said. "Chad Bradley (who competed at Southeast several years ago), the year after he graduated, did it."

Not that Williams was surprised by Johnson's performance at Sunset Hills in St. Louis that saw him post four victories in match play before being edged out by two-time champion McBride.

"Bryan is just an awfully good young player," said Williams. "He's worked so hard in all areas of the game and he has come a long way in his mental approach to the game. His first two years with us, he did okay, but last year he really had a good season."

Johnson, who won a state co-championship in Class 1A as a senior at Thayer High School, had a banner junior season for the Indians last year, earning all-Ohio Valley Conference honors as his 73.4 average for 18 holes was the second-lowest of the spring season among OVC golfers.

Williams is looking for even better things from Johnson during his final campaign with the Indians.

"He ought to be an NCAA qualifier next year," Williams said. "It's hard to do that individually, but I think it's a realistic goal for him."