Mays swings toward first this year

Matt O'Brien

Monday, March 9, 1998 | 10:37 a.m.

When the prep golf season officially tees off Tuesday, one of the most talented group of local golfers in recent years will be on display. And of this deep and gifted group, Bishop Gorman's Tyler Mays looks like the early favorite to rise above the crowd and capture the 1998 state title.

High expectations are nothing new to the sweet-swinging senior. Since finishing third in zone as a freshman, Mays has been a marked man. Now, he appears intent on capturing this year's individual state title.

"It's one of my biggest goals coming into the season," said Mays, who finished second in the 1997 state tournament. "Any time you come that close, you want to improve and give it another try. The next step is winning."

Not one to be satisfied with second place, Mays worked diligently on his game over the summer. He participated in several junior national events and finished 29th in a field of 250 in the prestigious Junior World Golf Championships in San Diego.

Between tournament appearances, Mays could be found at the Las Vegas Country Club, lending an ear to the local pro or honing his skills on the golf range.

"Tyler won a tournament once when he was a freshman or a sophomore," Gorman coach George DeFrancesco said. "And when it was time to present the trophy, no one could find him. I finally went to look for him and found him at the practice range, working on his swing. He's always looking for ways to improve his game."

DeFrancesco is not the only local coach impressed with Mays' development. Dwaine Knight, head coach of the top-ranked UNLV golf team, thought highly enough of Mays to offer him a full scholarship.

Mays is equally ecstatic about attending UNLV.

"I can't wait to get there," he said. "The golf program at UNLV is great. They have top-notch facilities, and Coach Knight does a great job. I just want to be able to go there and compete and hopefully help the team in some way."

Before making the transition to major-college golf, Mays has some unfinished business to attend to. Ben Auten, Mays' longtime friend and rival, stole the individual title from Mays last year at state while propelling Bonanza to a second-place finish, two shots ahead of Gorman.

"I've known Ben since we were eight or nine years old," Mays said. "We've always been competitive. There's definitely a rivalry there. We really want to beat each other."

Mays and Auten will not be alone in the southern zone. Robert Hasman of Gorman and Dallas Massey of Green Valley are strong candidates for player-of-the-year honors and should contend for the state title.