High School Golf Team's Clubs Stolen Before Big Tourney

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A high school golf team is hoping to find the people responsible for stealing their golf clubs -- just before their biggest tournament of the year.

The Le Sueur-Henderson High School golf team played the first day of the Section 2AA golf tournament in New Prague Friday. They had to use borrowed golf clubs after theirs were stolen out of their home golf course's pro shop overnight Wednesday.

"Depressing," junior Carson Stepka said. "I don't know who in their right mind would steal a high school team's clubs, especially a day before section tournament here."

Freshman Alex Wilson is the number-two male golfer for Le Sueur-Henderson. He had his worst round in two years Friday.

"It's challenging because I've never played with [the clubs] before," Wilson said. "I don't know any of the distance on them."

Seven of the team's 12 members, including five boys and three girls, had their clubs stolen. Aside from the thousands of dollars the clubs are worth, some lost clubs of sentimental value.

"One man was playing with third-generation golf clubs," Le Sueur-Henderson High School activities director Dave Swanberg said.

The team had 24 hours to find replacement clubs to use for their end-of-the-year tournament. The school's activities Facebook page posted Thursday asking for help. The community rallied, donating clubs.

"How the community can back up a high school team like us, it really shows our town really cares for things going on in the community," Stepka said.

The boys who advance will play again next week, when the girls will also play their first section round.

The boys were able to get their golf bags back. They were found abandoned in a cornfield Thursday, but there were no clubs in them.

The Le Sueur County Sheriff's Office is offering a $500 reward to anyone with information that leads to the arrest of the people responsible.