Nemacolin Collegiate Invitational 5-6 Oct. 2026
Nemacolin impressed us from the moment we arrived. It’s one of the best layouts I’ve played in college golf, and the conditions matched. Unfortunately, I caught a cold before the event, and it hit me hard on the first day. I knew I had to fight through it and work with what I had.
In the first round, poor decisions on my second shots into par 5s cost me, and my wedges and putting weren’t sharp enough to make up for it. The second round brought more consistent iron play, but off the tee my imagination and decision-making weren’t where they needed to be for that situation. I didn’t choose the right swing for how my body felt at that point. As a team, we dipped in round two as well, a trend we’re still working to solve. On the final day I made better decisions, but I wasn’t able to adjust to my body in time. There’s a certain skill to posting a good score when you’re not feeling well. I didn’t handle the situation terribly, but I learned a lot about what it takes.
Still, I contributed to a strong team finish that came within one shot of the win. Losing by one is tough, but we gave everything in the last round and were simply outplayed. The damage was done in round two.
Chicago Highlands Invitational 21-22 Sep. 2026
Despite heavy rain during the practice round, Chicago Highlands was in outstanding shape, just like last year, with greens rolling at PGA Tour speed. The wet conditions carried into the first day. I started steady with a solid long game, but my putting wasn’t quite sharp yet. In the second round the putting and long game came together a little better and I finished the day at -4. The team also found its rhythm and moved into second place heading into the final round.
In round three I couldn’t tighten my driver dispersion quickly enough and gave away shots early. As a team, a rough nine-hole stretch cost us a shot at the top two, but we all finished off the round solid.
One thought carried me through the week: everything that led me to this exact moment. All the hard work brought me right here, right now. That let me play more freely and with more love for the game, because it became about being grateful for the moment and living it to the fullest. That feeling outweighs the discomfort of pressure.
I came away with valuable lessons about my tendencies and how to adjust when my A game isn’t there from the start.
Bombs Darts Birds Collegiate 7-8 Sep. 2026
Heading into my first tournament of the college season, expectations were high — for me and for the team. We're coming off a stacked qualifying week of 7 rounds, where a score of -14 or better was needed just to earn a spot on the travel team, and the talent on this roster is really good.
I also knew I wasn't a freshman anymore, and that pressure to play like an experienced college golfer gave me a shaky start to Round 1 — I struggled to settle my nerves and adjust to the drop in confidence.
But all week I kept reminding myself I had the tools and experience to handle this moment; I'd been here before. Instead of letting ego take over and playing scared not to mess up, I chose to embrace mastery of the game. That shift settled me into the 36-hole day and got me closer to a flow state.
Round 2 was quiet — not necessarily a bad thing in golf, especially off the tee — but I couldn't back up strategic shots with sharp putting, carding 17 pars and a bogey. After Day 1 I was tied with my score from a year ago, but I'd gotten there in a far more advanced way; the scorecard just hadn't caught up yet.
I carried that momentum into Round 3, trusting that smart shot-making would eventually pay off — and it did. I shot my lowest round of my college career, staying patient and having the most possible intensity for each shot: true mastery of the sport. I finished T17, earning an exemption into our next tournament at Chicago Highlands.
