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.
Great Lakes Amateur
17-19 Jul. 2026
This tournament was played on our Eastern Michigan University home course but it was not a college tournament yet. In the first round, I was able to carry over some of what I'd learned in Scotland and England, shooting -7. On day two, I struggled with putting and my short game on the front nine but bounced back to post 3 under on the back, taking the lead into the final round.
I'd reflected a lot over the summer on past tournaments where I'd led going into the last round but wasn't able to close it out, and that reflection paid off — I had a better plan this time. I responded well to pressure early in the round; it felt like I was slightly more comfortable being uncomfortable. That's something that takes time, reflection, and self-awareness to build.
What held me back from winning were small setup and swing issues I wasn't aware of in the moment, which cost me a few shots. Still, I finished the tournament at -11, good for second place, and I'm proud of how I handled the pressure better than I have before.
I also had a lot of fun playing with Arsit in the last round, one of my new teammates this year at Eastern. He's a great guy and a very strong player who simply beat me that day.
British Amateur Championship 15-21 Jun. 2026
With everything I'd learned in Scotland, I was excited to head into the best amateur field in Europe. This year's British Amateur was held at Royal Liverpool and West Lancashire Golf Club. Traveling with the Swiss team, we had Daniel Wunderlin with us as captain of the European Amateur Team Championship.
I had Dani on the bag for my first round at West Lancashire, and we got off to a rather slow start. Dani and I are a good team, mainly because we both stay calm — he's great at reframing any situation into something useful, which keeps me supported but also focused on the next task. After an eagle on 11, I was back to even par, fighting it out.
Unfortunately, on 15 I hit my approach shot way right into the tall grass, and we couldn't find the ball. I made my double and moved on to the next hole. I wasn't crushed or disappointed in myself — I knew I'd prepared as well as I could before hitting that approach shot, and I'd simply lacked a bit of situational awareness and self-knowledge in the moment. I kept fighting, purely focused on the task in front of me. Unfortunately, it was my putting and short game that let me down again over those last three holes — but I was still proud of how I handled a tricky situation.
The next day, it was clear a low round was needed. With perfect weather conditions, I was able to shoot 3 under par, which ended up being two shots short of the cut line. There were a lot of things that went well in the tournament, and a few small things that didn't — but those small things made the big difference. What's clear is that my short game and putting need more work, and that will be my focus in training this summer.​
