NORTH PLATTE—Gothenburg senior Jackson Graham started the 2012 golf season with a bang on Friday, shooting his personal best 18-hole round in the first meet at Iron Eagle in North Platte.

Graham scored 35 on the front nine and 38 on the back to finish in a three-way tie for first place with 73.

That put him in a playoff with Andrew Holloway of Scottsbluff and Cale Bensen of Grand Island.

Holloway shot par on the extra hole while both Graham and Bensen hit bogeys.

A scorecard tie-breaker gave Bensen second with Graham earning third place.

“I think it was a great confidence booster for Jackson,” said coach Don Graham. “I also think the other kids got a little out of it too.”

The Swedes were ninth in the team standings with an overall score of 360.

While the coach would have liked a higher place, he was pleased with vast improvement in the team score.

“A year ago at this same meet we shot 402,” Graham said. “A lot of that has to do with having the opportunity to practice.”

Last spring the Swedes struggled to get outside for practice early in the season due to poor weather conditions. Mild temperatures have allowed the players more swings on the course.

“Any time you compare one year to another, you can interpret the statistics any way you want,” Graham said. “But I think the kids have gotten better and there’s still room to improve.”

The Swedes will be back on the links for a dual at Lexington on Thursday. Tee time is set for 4 p.m.