March 30, 2007

It's a simple formula for sophomore Rob Chappell and the Dayton Flyers, hard work equals results.

Chappell, who struggled early in the spring season, has followed through on the little things to elevate his game. Known as a hard-working, quiet leader, Chappell has quickly evolved into a centerpiece player.

The Dayton Flyers return to action from a two-week layoff to participate in the Eastern Kentucky Spring Intercollegiate on Friday and Saturday. Chappell understands that patience in golf is a virtue.

"In the fall, I was putting better than I ever have before, probably due to the hard work that I put into my mental approach," Chappell said. "I was disappointed with my performance in the fall because my ball-striking was not up to the standards that I have come to expect. The reason my scores weren't as low as I would have liked them to be is because of some wayward shots, especially off the tee, that resulted in double and triple bogeys."

Chappell started off the spring season slowly shooting in the low-80s. By shortening his swing and working on his short game, Chappell has started to play back to form.

His last performance at the Samford Intercollegiate raised some eyebrows after he fired a 77, 72 and 78. During the fall season, Chappell's average round was 74.09 and he tallied a season best 68 during the second round of the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational. In September, Chappell also set the new course record on the NCR North Course, shooting a seven-under par 63.

"At the Samford Intercollegiate this spring, I drove the ball extremely well, setting up a number of birdie opportunities and easy pars," said Chappell.

Chappell's talent is unquestioned. He was the Flyers' Most Valuable Player as a freshman and named team captain as a sophomore. He also became the first Flyer to earn Rookie of the Year honors at the 2006 Atlantic 10 Conference Championship.

Although he is not a loud, boisterous type of leader, Chappell has bought into head coach Drew Tyrer's goal-oriented method and coaching style.

"There is a huge difference in the team this year since Coach Tyrer has been with us," said Chappell. "Practice is much more structured and more is expected from us this year than last year. Coach Tyrer has made us more goal-oriented in our approach to practice and tournament play. Our schedule has also gotten better this year, and it will continue to improve over the next few years."

A Retief Goosen style of player, Chappell plays the game relaxed and shows little emotion on the course. However, Chappell is a powerful player with a smooth tempo in his golf swing.

Over the past couple of years, Chappell has dedicated himself to improving his short game and becoming a more consistent putter. Although there are a couple of Flyers who can drive the ball further than Chappell, managing the course and being aware of the mental aspect of the game has helped him evolve as a player.

"I try to focus on playing the best I can every round rather than dwelling on whether I am playing in the 1 or the 5 spot," said Chappell. "My swing feels really good right now. I am going to continue to work on that as well as my mental game."

For now Chappell continues to work at not only making his game better, but positioning the Flyers to exceed expectations at the Atlantic 10 Championship in early May.

"I am going to work hard for the rest of the season to get my putting back to where it was in the fall," said Chappell. "When I get the putter going my scores will drop even more, and hopefully I will reach my peak performance at the time of the Atlantic 10 Championship."