- September 2016
Personal Statement
When I first picked up a golf club at the innocent age of 12, golf was magical. I remember thinking that the driver felt like a sword and swinging it made me feel like a knight. However over the next few years, the golf club became a weapon of a different kind, and the game of golf became an obsession—a challenge—and I love a challenge.
As an athlete, I am highly competitive. I love to win, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to reach the heights of my ability. There is no sacrifice I will not make to improve my performance. I guess that is why my coaches say I am coachable, which I take as a great compliment. But really, I just want to continue to improve and I see their assistance as a means to an end.
I believe that athletes must be focused and humble. I feel that I am both of these things. Perhaps it is due to my heritage, but I am able to tune out the world around me when I approach the ball, look straight down, and begin my motion. Then, it is only me and the ball. The club disappears, and the noises around me become silent. And I am humble. I understand that I am competing in a sport that has been around in one form or another for more than 1000 years and has been played by thousands of magnificent athletes across the world. Only arrogance could make anyone feel that they have conquered this sport and that there is no more room for improvement. Until someone shoots an 18, improvement is always possible and should always be a golfer’s primary objective.
I will always strive to improve as an athlete. However, another reason I want to compete in college is to be part of a team, to support my teammates and coach, and to stand up for the honor of my college. In high school, I often use the energy of competition and teamsmanship to improve my performance. I almost always perform better during team matches than during individual matches, because I feel that doing so brings honor to my team and to my school. In fact, this year, I won all of my matches, and my school went 4-1 overall, one of its best years ever. I will continue to strive to compete at the highest level and to improve my game not only for myself, but for the honor of my teammates, my coach, and my college.
