MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama men's golf team added to its 2010-11 recruiting class Thursday when head coach Ben Hannan announced that Tyler Klava signed a National Letter-of-Intent.
Klava (pronounced KLAH-vah) comes to the program from Pace (Fla.) High School, where he competed in the state championship each of the last three years, with four seasons of eligibility. He joins Lane Hulse of Fordyce, Ark., in the Jaguars' recruiting class for next year.
Klava finished in a tie for 11th place at this year's state 2A championships with a two-round total of 145 after firing a 2-under-par 70 on the final day of the event. He qualified for the tournament with a 71 - which was good for a tie for third place - at the region championships.
He helped the Patriots advance to the 2008 state championships with a team-leading 74 at the region tournament, which was tied for third individually. Klava was part of a PHS squad that won the district championship by three strokes that fall as well. As a sophomore, he tied for 12th at the state tournament after carding a 72 in the second of two rounds, helping the Patriots qualify for the event for the first time in school history after advancing to a playoff individually at the region championships with a 69 - his 74 at the district tournament that fall was the best score on the team as well. Klava also helped Pace win the district title by seven shots his freshman season.
Klava is rated 92nd nationally in the 2010 graduating class in Golfweek's junior rankings, and he was twice named the Northwest Florida Player of the Year.
Over the summer, he finished 10th in a field of 116 individuals at the 29th annual Bubba Conlee National Junior Golf Tournament with a 212 three-round total after firing a 68 in between scores of 72. Less than two weeks later, Klava was fourth out of 223 players with a total of 213 at the 60th annual Press Thornton Future Masters, where he posted a 68 again in the second of three rounds. He was sixth in qualifying for the United States Golf Association Junior Amateur, while also collecting a 72 in the second round at the Nationwide Insurance Junior presented by Memorial one week later.
Last winter, Klava shot a 72 in the second of three rounds at both the 13th annual Florida International Junior Golf Championships - where he placed fifth out of 41 competitors - and the Doral/Publix Junior Classic, and he also qualified for match-play competition at the 2008 U.S. Junior Amateur after recording a 150 two-round total at Shoal Creek Golf & Country Club in Birmingham.
"I saw Tyler play at both the Bubba Conlee and the Future Masters," commented Hannan. "He impressed me immediately with his athleticism. Tyler hits the ball very long, and he is mechanically very sound. He is a quality student-athlete who is a solid addition to our 2010-11 recruiting class."
"The competition that USA plays against is the biggest reason why I signed," Klava said. "The school has small classes so that you can get a great education, and it's the most competitive school I was interested in that is close to home."
USA won the Memphis Intercollegiate in October during the fall campaign, adding two other top-10 finishes as well.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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