Golf can be a very frustrating sport that requires a lot of practice and perhaps even more patience. Katie Webb, a senior at Heber Springs, has demonstrated those attributes and more since age 11, when she won the 11U Jr. PGA state championship.
Ever since, she has taken the state by storm, placing in numerous individual junior tournaments and leading Shirley and Heber to state championships.
Webb first picked up a golf club at eight, but didn’t become an avid golfer until age 10. “I got my start at Lost Creek all thanks to my dad,” said Webb. “My dad [Chris] would always go play golf in the mornings with some of the members there at Lost Creek and I would go to drive the golf cart because when I was younger I thought it was the coolest thing in the world to watch my dad play golf.
“Then eventually I started to pick up a club and play with my dad and the other members at Lost Creek. My dad taught me to play and we would go play all the time. I just had so much fun playing with my dad, I grew to love the game and wanted to start playing tournaments and that’s where it all began.”
Webb followed her 2003 11U championship with another Jr. PGA state title in 2004, this time in the 12-13 year old division. By 2006, Webb was ready to compete at the high school level as a freshman and continued to improve.
As a freshman, Webb earned medalist honors at district, regional and state tournaments and was honored as 2A-All State. Along with her sister Kristen, Katie led Shirley to the 2007 state title at Turkey Mountain Country Club in Horseshoe Bend.
Katie continued to tear through the links in 2008, claiming medalist honors in all three postseason tournaments for the Lady Blue Devils while being named All-State for the second straight year. Shirley placed second in state that season but Katie won another individual state title, claiming the 14-15 year old PGA Jr. State championship at Greystone Cypress Creek Country Club in Cabot.
Webb began traveling to more Junior events the following summer of 2009, winning four tournaments, placing second in six and earning medalists in one while averaging a score of 77 through 11 matches.
That summer, Katie won the Conway Jr. Stroke Tournament at the Conway Country Club, the Monticello Jr. Stroke Tournament at the Monticello Country Club, the Burns Park Jr. Invitational at Burns Park Golf Course in North Little Rock and the Chuck Morton Memorial at Big Creek in Mountain Home, where she fired a summer best round of 70 for two under par and finished the two-round tournament with a total of 144 for Par.
Also during the summer of 2009, Webb finished runner-up at the Greater Little Rock Open at War Memorial Golf Course, the Greers Ferry Lake Invitational at Red Apple in Heber Springs, the First Community Bank Jr. Stroke at River Oaks Golf Course in Searcy, the Ben Mayo Memorial at Hardscrabble Country Club in Fort Smith and the Tom Milikan Memorial at Harrison Country Club. Webb was named runner-up for ASGA Player of the Year.
Katie transferred from Shirley to Heber during the middle of her sophomore season and competed for the Lady Panthers golf team during the her junior season. She led Heber to the 4A State championship with a low round of 74 for two over Par at Eagle Mountain Golf Course in Batesville.
During her junior season, Katie racked up 4A All-District and Regional honors while earning medalist at state. She was named to the All-4A State team and played in the Arkansas Overall State Championships.
“Leading Shirley and Heber to state were just some of the best memories I’ll ever have. I couldn’t have ever asked for better teammates. They are so supporting and great and without them I wouldn’t have one state title,” said Webb.
This summer, Webb has continued to make strides and hopes to land a spot on a Division 2 college golf team. “I’m not sure where I am going to go but out of the visits I’ve made so far I am leaning towards Harding.”
Webb’s scores have dropped into the lower 70’s as she has won seven tournaments this summer, was named co-winner in two and took runner-up in four. She also played into the semifinals of the ASGA Match Play Tournament at Fox Wood Country Club in Jacksonville and took fourth in the AWGA State Championship at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock.
Her seven tournament wins this summer include the Bruce Jenkins Memorial at Rebsamen Golf Course in Little Rock, where she shot a final round of 73, the Burns Park Junior Stroke, where she fired a final round of 72, the Tom Milikan Memorial in Harrison, where she finished with rounds of 71 and 72, the Randy Beavers Rolling Hills Memorial at Rolling Hills in Cabot, where she shot rounds of 69 and 71, the Greers Ferry Lake Classic at Red Apple, where she finished with scores of 72 and 77; and the ASGA Mountain Valley Water Jr. Stroke Tournament at Texarkana Country Club, where she tallied rounds of 82, 83 and 81. On Wednesday, Webb wrapped up her seventh title of the summer by shooting one under Par (71) during the final round of a tournament in Maumelle. Katie also tied for first place at the Ben Mayo Memorial at Hardscrabble with rounds of 75 and 72 and the Chuck Morton Memorial at Big Creek, where she fired a pair of 74s.
She placed second at a Hot Springs Country Club Tournament with a final round of 74, took second in the “Big I” National Qualifier with a final round of 75, which qualified her for a national tournament at Olde York Country Club in Chesterfield, New Jersey. Webb also took runner-up at the Conway Jr. Stroke Tournament with scores of 77 and 72. She tied for second in the USGA Junior Amateur Qualifier.
All of her accomplishments this summer combined landed her ASGA Jr. Player of the Year honors and a spot on the AWGA Jr. Girls Tri-State team.
Katie gives credit to her parents, Chris and Kathy, and Red Apple pro Trey Miller for helping teach her the game. “My favorite place to play in Heber Springs is Red Apple. Trey Miller, the pro there, has been a huge influence on my game and he has helped me so much,” said Webb.
But without her parents’ support, Webb would have had a hard time playing in tournaments spread throughout the state. “I want to thank my parents for taking me to all these tournaments over the years and buying me equipment and always supporting me,” said Webb.
“Especially my dad, he has been the biggest influence on my game and I wouldn’t be half the golfer I am without him. Over the past seven years he has never said anything but positive things about my game and he has really kept me going when I felt like quitting. He gave up all his time to take me around to all these tournaments.”
Webb has built an amazing resume on the golf course and has a knack for the game of softball too.
Harding University would be fortunate to add such a nice person and hard working, talented player to their team.
