Nurski and Thrasher: Two friends share the spotlight
By Jacob Meikel
Following St. Joseph native Brad Nurski’s fourth Missouri Amateur Golf Championship, one of the first people he embraced on the green, was a man he’s known most of his life.
Matt Thrasher was the caddie for Nurski throughout the entirety of this past week’s tournament at St. Joseph Country Club. Nurski put the trust of having his longtime friend alongside him during a dominant performance in the tournament and it paid off.
“Him winning four and just absolutely putting on a clinic this week in match play, it was phenomenal to watch,” Thrasher said after the win on Sunday.
During the trophy ceremony on the back patio of the St. Joseph Country Club on Sunday, Nurski gave a speech thanking everyone who made the amateur golf tournament possible. He then took the time to take photos with the trophy, and insisted Thrasher join him for a photo opportunity, signifying the appreciation he has for him.
“He has full rein to rein me in or pump me up, and he’s just an extra special guy,” Nurski said. “We do everything together. We travel together, we hang out together, we live two neighborhoods away from each other.”
Thrasher is the head coach for Missouri Western men’s and women’s golf. Nurski also helps coach the team as an assistant which is just another opportunity for the two golf fanatics to hang out and work towards a common goal. The experience Nurski has and the way he carries himself on the course makes for a great asset to the young golfers he mentors according to Thrasher.
“He preaches to the kids on our golf team about how hard it is and how much you got to work in practice,” Thrasher said about Nurski. So it’s talent, but it’s also work ethic. He has the will to prepare and he does it each and every day.”
Nurski earned an exemption for the U.S. Amateur Tournament in Minnesota in mid-August, which is right around the time that Missouri Western’s golf season revs up, but Thrasher says he will probably be there to support his longtime friend in Nurski.
