WINFIELD — Humboldt sophomore Connor Newman has good reason to believe his reign over Kansas high school golf has only just begun after winning the 2A state championship Wednesday at the Quail Ridge Golf Course.
After finishing runner-up in 2025, Newman brought home the state title with five birdies to finish one over par for the par 72 course, carding a 144 for the two-day tournament and a distant five strokes ahead of runner-up Cair Paravel junior Caleb Cleverdon.
“From what I’ve heard, I’m the first individual champion in Humboldt boys golf,” Newman said. “Coming into it, I wanted to play with a lot of perseverance and resilience. Second place was great for my freshman year, but I knew coming back I wanted to win.”
For Newman, winning a state title required keeping calm throughout the tournament. He finished the first day of play atop the leaderboards with a 71. With birdies on the fourth, eighth, ninth, 10 and 12th holes on day one, and already leading Cleverdon by five strokes, Newman had to replicate his performance in day two, which he said was easier said than done.
“’At state, when it’s two days, you can’t win it the first day, but you can for sure lose it the second,” Newman said. “Coming out on that first day, I was just putting myself in contention and giving myself a good glimpse of the course, looking at where I missed it and the holes I played well.”
Connor Newman, Humboldt sophomore golfer, poses with his father, Todd, and his mother, Kayla, during a celebration welcoming him back from his state title run Thursday in Humboldt.
As the second day began, fatigue set in for many golfers. Like many, Newman’s scores were slightly down from day one, but birdies on the ninth and 12th hole kept Cleverdon in his rearview.
“Today (Wednesday), I struggled a little bit on the front nine,” Newman said. “As the back nine came, I found a little bit more of a stride in my play and the result was really good in the end. It really hasn’t set it yet. I’m still in the moment. It’s starting to set in. All of the hard work, all of the hours spent on the golf course and all of the times where things didn’t go my way built up into one big win.”
FOR NEWMAN, the victory marks three generations of state titles in the family. His father, Todd Newman, won a state title as a senior for the Humboldt Cubs, and his grandfather, Craig Newman, won a state title back when the Cubs played Sand Greens Golf.
“My dad and his team won their team state championship in 2002,” Newman said. “In 1978, my grandpa and my uncle (Grant Newman) won the two-man sand greens state championship.”
And there may be even more names to add to the list. Newman’s little brother Lane will be a freshman during Connor’s senior year.
Newman wraps up 2026 with eight golf medals, including the state and regional championships, and two silver medals. As a freshman, Newman tallied five gold medals, including a regional title, as well as a silver and bronze.
“It’s not like riding a bike; in golf, if you stop working hard, you’re not going to see the results you want to see,” Newman said. “This summer, I’m going to keep working hard and knowing the sky is the limit. If you attack every day with a good mindset and work hard, great things will happen. I’m looking forward to next year. I’m just dwelling in the moment right now.”
