The future is now for the Wright City girls’ golf team.

That statement is doubly true because the team’s top golfer, senior Morgan Nute, returns for a final season of high school golf after having placed third at the Class 2 state tournament as a junior.

Also, after Nute and fellow senior Alexa Robertson, the core of the Wildcats’ squad this fall is comprised of freshmen.

Nute said that her state experiences, which include a fourth-place finish as a freshman before third-place finishes in both her sophomore and junior years, can be of benefit to those around her as she chases one final state medal.

“I would say a great part of all of my experiences with tournament golf is that I can show the younger players on the team that it’s a hard game,” Nute said. “Even after playing for years and years, you have bad days, and that’s okay.”

Nute hasn’t had too many bad days, though, especially in late October, and she looks to improve upon the two-day total of 166 she shot last year.

Wright City Coach Stephen McClain said that, even though Nute has state tournament aspirations, once again, the great thing for the entire team is that everyone will grab their clubs and head out to the links each day with the same thing in mind.

“Morgan's goal structure will be no different than the other girls on the team,” McClain said. “Improvement is all we can work for. I think wins follow improvement as a by-product. If she sets different expectations for herself, that's another thing, but I am not here to decide those for her.”

Even though she’s worked diligently over the summer to improve her game as her final high school season begins, Nute said that an important progression has come not on the course, but between her ears.

While a sharper mental approach should help this season, Nute added that she’s also trying to live in the moment and enjoy the game she loves.

“I feel like I am becoming more mentally tough on the course each season,” Nute said. “I’ve been working on keeping a good mindset and attitude to continue playing well. That's probably what's improved most since last season. Because it’s my last year, I’m just trying to stay in the moment throughout all of my matches this season. I am looking forward to state and really just trying to improve little parts of my game to ensure I play well there this year. I’m very excited for my last season; I hope it’s the best one yet.”

Wright City’s season is scheduled to begin on August 28 at the Boonville Par 3 event.

While he’s excited for the ride Nute will take this year in her final high school season, McClain added that he can’t help but be excited for the program’s future. That’s especially true because an approach he took for the 2025 season will continue this fall.

“My expectations for this team last year were to keep chipping away at personal bests,” McClain said. “I think I will continue this level of coaching again this year. Last year, all five girls made significant progress on their scores. Wins came as a result of individual improvement and attainable goal setting. The morale is high. Having three new freshmen sets up for a long-term improvement plan for the team. Last year, we only had juniors and seniors, so it is a bit of a change from the norm.”