The Advance

Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: Sports

Golff is a sport that pits its competitors against a course and not each other like most sports do. For senior Rio Deal, it is her opportunity to showcase her talents as Kansas Wesleyan's lone female golfer. She has finished at least tenth in both tournaments in which she has played in so far this year. With the regional tournament right around the corner she is saving her best for last.

Rio Brooke Deal was born in Concordia, Kansas. She began playing golf as a young teen with her father and brother. What started out as casual fun, just hitting the ball began to turn into the passion that she has for the game today. Rio states, "I used to hate golf. I thought it was a dumb game."

Deal, who is also part of Kansas Wesleyan's tennis team began playing competitively during her sophomore year when the school started its inaugural women's golf team. Since her sophomore year her game has improved tremendously. Her best game so far in her young career is a two over par.

Unlike previous years it is only her and coach Ryan Showman left to do battles with the course. In her first tournament she finished seventh out of 40 competitors. Her second tournament which consisted of several division II schools and a total of more than80 competitors, she finished 10.

With the last tournament quickly approaching, Deal expects to finish within the top five, and if her A game is on, she hopes to win the whole thing. When asked what she will miss most about her college experience, she said without hesitation, "My friends."

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