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SUNNY Temp: 50 °F Wind: ENE at 3 mph Friday, June 7, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Cyberchef E The People Golf Job Network Headbone Zone Wellness Connection Movie Times Newspaper in Education Oregon CarZone Outdoor Journal Personals Prime Times Real Estate Tempo A & E TV Times W3 Magazine CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Destinations Automotive Communities Employment Entertainment Publications Real Estate Recreation Shopping Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Jobs @ Mail Tribune Email Story to a Friend May 25, 2002 Caplan wraps up a solid high school golf career If this indeed was Nic Caplan’s swan song as a competitive, tournament golfer, he certainly went out in style. The St. Mary’s High senior made a hole-in-one recently on the first day of the Class 2A/1A state tournament, then won the thing on Day 2 despite stumbling down the stretch. That he’d built a lead large enough to withstand playing the final three holes in 4 over par is testament to the strength of his game. Whether that game winds up in mothballs, to be taken out only for recreational purposes, remains to be seen. Caplan, a strapping, 6-foot-4, 200-pounder who also played soccer and basketball for the Crusaders, is headed to the University of Missouri. He’s been invited by the golf coach to participate in the school’s walk-on tournament but hasn’t decided yet if that’s the route he wants to go. "I don’t know if college-level golf is for me," he says. "The school I’m going to is really competitive. I don’t know if I’d have that much fun. If I were going to a smaller school, it’d be less competitive and more fun." Caplan is clearly about having fun. He doesn’t seem to get too up or too down about anything. He showed it when he made his hole-in-one and most of the celebration was by his playing partners. "I think it was the first time they’d seen one, too," he says. He showed it when he took the first-day lead at state, shooting a 76 at the Oregon Golf Association’s Members Course at Tukwila, then not losing a lick of sleep over the prospect of bringing it home. "Of course, you get the little jittery part," he says, "but you get that feeling just from stepping up to the first tee at state. Sleeping at night was no problem." And he showed it as he talked about his golf future, which might be more about fleecing his freshman colleagues at Mizzou than trying to win a Big 12 Conference championship. "It’ll be all leisure, all for fun," he says. "I’ll be telling a few guys in college that I have a little bit higher handicap so I can get a few dollars out of them." Whatever path he takes, golf, in some form, will be a part of it. Frank Phillips, who has coached St. Mary’s golf for more than a decade, hasn’t seen any players come through with more ability. He’s convinced that any NCAA Division I coach who took a gander at Caplan’s game would love to have him, love to have the chance to cultivate it. "He’s got a ton of natural talent," says Phillips, noting that Caplan spent a couple of years being coached by Todd Couch. "He hits the ball a mile and is actually a smart player for a high school player. He keeps the ball in play and never makes big numbers." Caplan has the ability to overpower a course, taking on long par 4s and leaving relatively short irons in or attacking par 5s in two shots. That said, he leaves his driver in the bag for the most part, choosing to use a 4-wood off the tee to enhance accuracy. He hits it 260 or 270 yards, he says, and often is the last to hit to the green. His irons are long, too. He used a 9-iron from 160 yards — into a breeze and with rain falling — to make his hole-in-one on the 13th hole. It hit, bounced, checked and trickled into the cup. "How much can you say about a hole-in-one?" says Caplan. "It’s kind of dead luck, but it was just the perfect time for it to happen. I think I was more surprised that I got it during state, not that I actually got one." It jump-started his round. He had played well on the front side but was coming off a double bogey. The ace prompted a solid finishing stretch. He shared the lead with Jeff Nigro, a super sophomore from Santiam Christian expected to dominate state this year and for the next couple of years, says Phillips. On the second day, nothing terribly eventful happened for Caplan until the final three holes, when he missed the greens at 16 and 17, then missed par- saving putts, and when he doubled 18 after hitting into a hazard off the tee. Even his good nature was put to the test. "I wasn’t too happy about it after I finished 18," he admits. The other top individuals were a half-dozen or so groups back. Caplan was certain one of them would blow by him and win the title by a couple of strokes. The charge never came, and his two-day, 154 was good enough to beat Ben Sisler of Santiam Christian by a shot. Nigro managed only an 83 and was third at 159. Caplan has one more event planned, a Ryder Cup-style matchup with the other top seniors in the state next month at Black Butte Ranch. The top four 4A finishers will take on the top three 3A placers and Caplan over two days. He’s looking forward to playing a couple of nice courses and meeting the other players. "I think it’ll be a blast," says Caplan. "More than anything, it’ll be fun." Of course. Have a local golf story? 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