Every time Wayne Trace senior Kenadie Daeger tees off a round of golf, breaking the school record could be on the end of her club.
Kenadie has returned to the links on a tear, setting the Raiders' round scoring record three times so far this season.
“My first match, I really wanted to break the record,” Kenadie tells ParkviewSportsMedicine.com. “Once I broke it, I was more relaxed. Being more relaxed helps me every time.”
Kenadie opened the season August 7 with a 75 at the Montpelier Invitational, breaking the 18-hole mark of 78 set by Gracie Gudakunst in 2017. Twenty-four hours later, at the Defiance Invitational, Kenadie lowered her record to 74. Two days after that, Kenadie did it again: shooting the current record of 69 at the Lincolnview Invitational.
The journey to the top of the leaderboard has had its bump for Kenadie, who started golfing 8 years. In January, she had surgery on both of her wrists.
“She’s put in a lot of hard work,” Jeremy Daeger, Kenadie’s dad and Wayne Trace girls golf head coach, says. “Last year didn’t go the way she wanted.”
Kenadie pushed through discomfort in the latter-half of her junior season, leading Wayne Trace to its fourth straight Green Meadows Conference championship and a sectional championship. While the Lady Raiders missed the state finals last season by 4 strokes, Kenadie advanced to state individually, shooting a 96 in the first round before withdrawing from competition.
“In her eyes, she has unfinished business,” Jeremy says.
Kenadie says her success is as simple as practice. She’s focused on hitting more greens in regulation, putting herself into position to card birdies and pars. She’s relied on the advice of her dad, whose always been her coach, competition from her sophomore sister, Riley, the support of her grandparents often spotted at matches, and the recognition from the Wayne Trace community in getting her back to top form.
That drive has spilled over to her teammates—including 3 other seniors—many of whom have shaved about 20 strokes off their personal bests in the last year.
“State was a good experience (for me),” Kenadie reflects, “But now that they are right here with me, it’d be a great experience to go with all of them.”
After high school, Kenadie is undecided on her college choice; but would like to play collegiate golf at the next level.
Wayne Trace is one of 26 high schools that partner with Parkview Sports Medicine for athletic training, sports performance, nutrition, athletic rehab and other sports medicine services for student-athletes. Learn more at www.parkviewsportsmedicine.com.
photos contributed by Kevin Wannemacher