Bowling Green, Ky. — Western Kentucky University men’s golf coach Brian Tirpak announced Wednesday that four high school seniors have signed to play for WKU in 2008-09.
Will Beard — a senior from Bowling Green (Ky.) High School — will join his father Dr. Craig Beard on the Hill. Dr. Beard serves as one of the team’s physicians for the WKU football program. Beard finished 35th in the 2006 Leachman Buick&GMC/KHSAA Boys State Tournament. In ’07 Beard completed his run in 39th place while helping the Purples finish the event in second place. He was also a member of the 2006 Kentucky Ryder Cup Team. Beard received the Academic All-State Golf Team honor roll award during the 2005-06 season.
Andrew Heiser, a native of London, Ky., will join the Hilltoppers following graduation from South Laurel High School, where he earned all-state honors in 2006. He finished 30th in the ’06 state tournament while winning the region championship. Heiser won two of the events he has played in and has five top-five finishes to his name. Recently, he finished fifth at the FCWT in Wintergreen, Va., and sixth at the ’07 PGA Callaway Series at Kearney Hills. Heiser is a member of the National Honor Society and an honor roll member at South Laurel.
Logan Edelen from Bardstown, Ky., will appear in the red and white after graduation from Bardstown High School. He qualified for the 2007 Kentucky Open and was a member of the Kentucky Challenge Cup Team. Edelen won the fifth region All “A” Individual Championship in ’06 and finished second in ’07. He won two of the three Pepsi Tour events to qualify for the tour championship in ’06. Edelen has lettered in varsity golf since seventh grade, winning the coaches’ award in 2003. He also participated in soccer for the Tigers, earning the best defensive player award as a freshman. Edelen kicked for BHS football and his team was ranked number one during his junior year — he also played basketball during that year where his team finished runner-up in the All “A” Tournament.
Doug Kleeschulte, a native of Kingston, N.Y., will join the Hilltoppers in 2008. Kleeschulte recently played in the 2007 U.S. Amateur Championship where he finished 218th — WKU senior Brent Long also competed in the event. During qualifying for the event, Kleeschulte finished second. In the nine national tournaments he has participated in, Kleeschulte has compiled six top-10 finishes. During his senior year, Kleeschulte finished second at the New York State Section 9 Championship and fourth at the NYS High School Championships. In 2006, he finished first at the NYS Section 9 Championship. In eight prep appearances, Kleeschulte has six top-five finishes. In addition to playing golf for five years, he swam for three years and played two seasons of soccer. Kleeschulte was a 2006 and 2007 all-state award winner in golf and has served as team captain for two years. He has helped his school win five consecutive regional championships. Off the course, Kleeschulte is a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society.
