The Nixa golf team has shot its way to three top-five team finishes to begin the 2026 campaign.

Will Johnston has played a pivotal role in the Eagles early success. 

In the season opener, the senior helped propel Nixa to a runner-up finish at the St. Louis University High School (SLUH) Bantle Memorial Tournament, against a highly competitive field that featured some of the state's top teams, including the defending state champions and host, SLUH. 

On the Par 71 course at Glen Echo, Johnston shot +4 to tie for third place to lead the Eagles. He was three strokes behind the tournament individual champion and just one stroke behind the state champion from a year ago, both from SLUH. 

"Will hit the ball very well all day and put himself in great positions on a day that had some very difficult conditions with the wind and speed of the greens. It was a great start to Will's senior season and I'm very excited to see him continue to improve as the season progresses," said head coach Scott Miller.

Following the season opener, Nixa finished fourth at the Missouri State University (MSU) Relays on the Par 70 course at Fremont Hills and fifth at the Bolivar Invitational on the Par 72 course at Silo Ridge.

The Lenoir-Rhyne University and Florida-bound linkster shot +7 at the MSU Relays, helping Nixa finish fourth of 23 teams, and +8 at Bolivar, where the Eagles finished fifth out of 19 teams.

Miller foresees continual growth for Johnston each outing, due in large part to his mentality. 

"My outlook for Will for the remainder of the season is to continue improving each week and building towards our big tournaments at the end of the year: conference, districts, and state competition," he said. "The greatest attribute that he brings to the course is his mental approach to the game. He is able to stay positive throughout his round, looking at scoring opportunities that still lie ahead to get back dropped shots."

Johnston is no stranger to the big tournament, as the two-year letterman was a member of Nixa's 2025 sixth-place state team where he finished 66th overall in Class 4 at +14. The linkster has already left an imprint on the program, with six tournaments still to be played out in his final go-around before postseason.

"Will has a huge impact on our program. He models a great work ethic and serves as a mentor to the younger golfers on the team and is always available to them, and is a great teammate who every time I talk to him during a tournament, is always quick to ask how his teammates are doing that day during their rounds.

"I am extremely blessed with great senior leadership on our team, and Will is one of those leaders," said Miller. "I always know that he will show up to practice each day and work hard to improve whatever aspect of our game we are working on that day. When I give the team various challenges during practice, he sees their value and attacks them."

Excelling on the course, Johnston also resembles the similar characteristics in the classroom, according to Miller. 

"As a person, Will is hardworking in the classroom, and he is a great student-athlete. He is very friendly to other students and is a big supporter of his friends and classmates at various sporting events," he stated.