Zachary Willard '19 Recruiting Profile

Chisholm Trail High SchoolFort Worth, TXMen's Golf

College Coach? Log in to get contact info

Height5'11"

Weight165lbs

Age24

Primary PositionGolfer

Dominant HandRight

Video

June 2017

Personal Statement

My primary goal is to play collegiate golf at the Division 1 Level and further my education. My academics are just as important to me as golf. I feel that if I let my grades slip, I will let my team down.

I have been playing golf since I was 12. I was pretty much self taught until my freshman year at Chisholm Trail High School due to my dads many deployments in the military. I have made First Team All-District as a Freshman, Sophomore and a Junior and I'm looking forward to doing it again as a Senior. I also helped the team qualify for Regionals for the first time in school history along with qualifying individually my Junior year making the All-Region team as a medalist qualifying me to compete at the State level!

Other than school, I volunteer at the First Tee of Fort Worth and I am a member of the North Texas Junior PGA (NTPGA), Fort Worth Junior Golf Tour (FWJGT), Texas Junior Golf Tour(TJGT), Hurricane Junior Golf Tour (HJGT) and the All American Tour (AAT). I am in my senior year of high school and I have averaged a score of 75.4 and with the amount of practice I put in, it's only going down.

I believe that the amount of practice needed for golf is more than any sport that I have played in the past. I realized that when I saw my scores dramatically drop from the beginning of my freshman year to now. When I am practicing, I try to treat every shot as if it were a tournament shot. This helps me with my focus and concentration. I am a team player and I want to be part of a team that has the same goals. That goal is to “WIN.” I am ready to make a positive impact on a college campus both academically and athletically!

Athletics

High School Information

Years w/ Varsity
1 year
2016 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
1st Team All-Conference
Team Awards
Conference 2nd Place

Coach References

High School Head Coach
Phil Schwartz

Events

Camp/Event
Spartan Invitational
10/26/18 to 10/27/18
Day 1- With a 30 minute fog delay, there was no warm-up on the range. The coaches decided that we get to play 19 holes. A warmup hole to begin with and play the same hole after the round and take the best score. Hitting 13 greens in regulation, you would think a birdie putt is bound to drop sooner or later. Well, that wasn't the case. 7 of my 12 birdie putts within 8 feet resulted in lip-outs on either the high or low side and the other 5 ran by the edge. No birdies, 15 pars and 3 bogies resulted in a disappointing 75. Day 2- No fog delay this time, we are able to get 45 minutes of putting and 20 minutes on the range. Focus today was definitely on my putting stroke. On my first hole, a hard lip-out from 17 feet, I think to myself just stay focused. As the round continues, I start to understand the greens more and start hitting it closer therefore making more putts! I ended up shooting a -2, 70. I shoot a new school record of 145!
Camp/Event
Lubbock Invitational
9/21/18 to 9/22/18
With the weather forecast for the weekend not looking to good, we make our way up to Lubbock for our first high school tournament of the year! Day 1- Never seen Shadow hills in my life but my coach said he played it 37 years ago so that is all the knowledge I had heading into the round. A hard mist and heavy winds start the day. my group and I get through 8 holes, I stand at +1 with a 6 foot birdie putt on number 9 straight up the hill. Suddenly the lightening horn sounds and we were not able to finish our first round because the rain has made the greens unplayable and there is lightening in the area. Day 2- The Rawls course is a very familiar course to me having played the course for regionals. the 7,200 yard course always plays longer with the wind from the south. Finishing my front nine holes at -2 with an eagle on number 9, the back is a struggle. i shoot a +5, 41 on the back with a total score of 75. This puts me in 10th place out of 140 players and an exceptional start to my senior season!
Camp/Event
NTPGA at Fossil Creek
6/28/18 to 6/28/18
A hot and humid day but mostly just dry heat, I just play my own game. Having reasonable birdie chances on the front nine, 7 of 8 lip the hole! Only one birdie fell. The backside is a whole different story, I had 2 double bogeys, two bogeys and a birdie. My up and down ratio was not acceptable and I got some tough breaks involving my playing partner(s). Overall, off the tee i was golden, but my approach shots not so much. I ended up shooting a (+6) 78 and T-3. Time to get back to practice!
Camp/Event
Metro Medalist at Bridalwood GC
6/20/18 to 6/20/18
Starting the day with a little overcast and a slight breeze, I hit my first tee shot of the day. Shooting a (+2) 74, I come in second place. It doesn't really help when you are -1 with 4 holes to play and you bogey 3/4 of them. All in all, I was proud of the way I played. Looking forward to the rest of my summer season!
Camp/Event
Starburst Junior Golf Tournament
6/11/18 to 6/13/18
Day 1, on this par 70 course, 77 was a great score. With very windy conditions and lightening fast greens, Ridgewood CC gave our flight of 17 Champions Division a run for our money. Day2, The worst golf I've played in my high school career! Shooting an 86, I just couldn't figure out why. Usually I'm good at recovering and fixing my own mistakes but today I couldn't figure anything out! Not a difficult course at all by any means, I just started terrible and it didn't get any better by the end. Day 3, Again, very windy. The only thing I was thinking about was one shot at a time but I made today fun. I shot a 78 which put me in a tie for 22nd. I had another great experience at the Starburst Junior Golf Tournament and I'm very excited to play in it again one final year!
Camp/Event
Major Championship at Bridalwood
5/19/18 to 5/20/18
Having Districts here last year, I am very familiar with this course! The weather conditions are great and there is very little wind. Heading into this tournament confident, maybe a little to confident, I double bogey the first hole. Way to start a round right! Well I end up shooting a 79 putting me in 3rd place. The second day was a debate on if we were going to be able to play due to the weather that rolled in over night. The courses condition was wet with a lot of standing water in the fairways and pools in the bunkers. The tournament directors cave us a new rules sheet for the day and said "Good luck because you guys are either playing now or having a shotgun at 3:00". Again, double bogey on number 1. The weather ended up being beautiful but was humid with all the water evaporating. I ended up shooting another 79. This kept me in 3rd place for the tournament and has given me the opportunity to play at the December Championship in Florida!
Camp/Event
UIL State
5/14/18 to 5/15/18
Day 1 started a little rough but the conditions were great! Off the tee, usually my strong suit was very poor which let to a 78. Day 2 was even worse. starting off with 3 bogeys in a row, I was very upset with myself. Being down on myself carried over for another couple holes and it got a little better after I birdied 9 and 10 and then went back downhill on 11 and 12. I shot an 82. Although I was very upset with how I played, the experience was about all I could have asked for! I ended the tournament tied for 42 out of 72 players. Time to put in some extra work and grind over summer!
Camp/Event
Regionals
4/23/18 to 4/24/18
Day 1- What a beautiful day to play golf! With great weather and a helping south wind, I shot a 73! Short game was my strong suit for the day but other parts of my game also contributed to my score. Day 2- A little chilly to start off, but it warmed up after about 5-6 holes. The wind was starting to pick up after about the ninth hole and it kept increasing from there. The hole locations were much more difficult in tucked and sloping areas of the greens. I shot a 78 (breaking my 2 day total of a 153 by 2 shots) I shot a new 2 day total of 151 and qualified as the third medalist to advance to State. Overall I came in a tie for fourth place and I couldn't have been happier with my results!
Camp/Event
District 6-5A Tournament
4/02/18 to 4/03/18
Rough, windy and wet first day, I shot a 78. I had at least 5-6 mental mistakes due to short game and 1 on a par 5. Not my best round but it put me at second place as an individual heading into my second round. Round 2 wasn't any better. As the wind picked up the sun came out and completely dried out the course. Heading into the back 9, I could start to feel the nerves creeping up on me. The pressure got to me and I ended up shooting a +8, 80. Although the team did not advance, I was lucky enough to be the second player to make regionals outside of the top two teams. Regionals will be at the Rawls course in Lubbock, Texas April 23-24!
Camp/Event
27 Hole Chgallenge at Squaw Valley
3/29/18 to 3/29/18
With a 45 minute fog delay, we ended up teeing off at 9:15. We got no warmup on the range so the tournament director gave us a warmup hole to start off so in the first round, we technically played 19 holes. As the air started to clear toward the end of the round, I could see my shots getting closer and closer! I broke my own school tournament record shooting a low round of -2, 70! I couldn't have been any prouder of myself! After our first round, we took a 30 minute lunch break and we were off to play our final 9 holes. I shoot a +1, 37 to give me a final score of 107 to put me in 5th place as an individual with a total of 11 teams and approximately 60 players. A well grouped round as I prepare for districts this Monday and Tuesday!
Camp/Event
District 6-5A Preview
3/23/18 to 3/24/18
With a rough, wet and windy first day, I could not get an approach shot any closer than 20 feet. With a total of 6 three putts, I shot an 83. My up and down ratio was unacceptable to the amount of work I have been putting into my short game. The only thing I could do better is bounce back with a better score. Day 2. Dryer conditions but still very windy, 30 mph winds was the factor of the day. With a +6, 78. My putting was way better then the day before and my approach shots were a lot closer. A few shots got away from me on a stretch of holes but most the time I recovered. By the time Districts rolls around, I will be ready!
Camp/Event
Highschool Tournament
3/02/18 to 3/03/18
Day 1- A wet and windy day at a course that I am seeing for the first time ever! With very little roll out due to the conditions of the weather, a round of 81 was the number for the day. Today was tee times and I teed off at 8:40. The greens, despite the rain that came through the night before were still slick and I like that! However, my irons and short game were not working in my favor. Day 2- Heading in knowing that another day of good golf is to be played, I focus on my short game all morning and hitting about 45 balls on the range. Today is a shotgun start and I started on hole 13. The conditions of the course have dried out but the wind is still there causing for more roll out on the 7,000 yard course. With the greens the same speed as the day before, and my up and down percentage on 100% I now hold a new school record of first player in school history to shoot under par, I card a 71!
Camp/Event
Highschool Tournament
2/23/18 to 2/24/18
This tournament was canceled due to weather. No make up tournament has been announced.
Camp/Event
Hurricane Junior Tour
2/17/18 to 2/19/18
Day 1 : Cold and rainy, with a few easily correctable mental mistakes, I shot an 81. Chipping was not my best and putts were either lipping out on the high side or just missing on the low side. Not my best but put me in a 4 way tie four third place. Day 2 : Cold and windy with rain during the last 3 holes. A well rounded 79 with a much better short game than the first day. Again, more missed putts that lipped on the high side or just missed on the low side, staying in a tie for third. Day 3 : Super windy! With a +2 (38) on the front, I am confident heading into the back. Sadly, that is not how it ended up heading into 15. I "choked" you could say and ended up in 4th place out of 12 kids shooting an 80. Not a bad weekend but I knew I could have done better. Just preparing for my school tournament on the 23rd!
Camp/Event
NTPGA
2/10/18 to 2/10/18
A well rounded 77 with the weather being 34 degrees but feeling like 21 with the wind chill and a thirty minute drizzle. Though there were 6 WD's in the middle of the round, I fought through the elements and pulled out a tough win in my first tournament of the year!
Camp/Event
The Pecan Pie Classic (High School)
11/11/16 to 11/12/16
I've played this course a couple times in the summer and won a Tournament here. I headed into this tournament just as confident as my last one. The first day I shot a 79, but could have been at least 5 shots lower if I got up and down and didn't quad my first hole! In the end the first day was good and I was in a three way tie for the lead. The second day I knew I had to play my heart out with all the competition and I did! I shot a 75 and won the tournament by two shots and beat my old personal best two day score by 1 stroke! My contact with the ball both days was very solid and consistent. I don't think I could have done it any better.
Camp/Event
Campaign Classic
11/04/16 to 11/05/16
This two day tournament was held at our home course. I was very confident heading into the first day! Being our home course I knew exactly where I could and couldn't miss, my putting was sensational and my up and down ratio was remarkable! The first day I shot a 75 breaking our school record individually by 1 shot and earning a " Golden Jacket " only given for breaking 80. The second day I was excited but not nearly as much as the day before. My up and down ratio decreased which cost me some strokes and I ended up shooting an 80. Again my approach shots weren't as good and consistent as I had been practicing all week. That weekend was a great weekend and I now hold the lowest score in school history!
Camp/Event
Halloween in the Hill Country ( High School)
10/29/16 to 10/29/16
We played the Ram Rock course and I shot a team best score of an 80. We came in second place as a team and I drove the ball really well and hit most of the fairways. If anything went wrong that day it was my wedge play and putting. The greens were very slick and I was running the ball quite a ways by the hole and I just couldn't get used to them. I was proud of the contact I was making with all of my irons and I have to keep at that short game!
Camp/Event
Highschool Tournament
10/04/16 to 10/04/16
We came in 3rd place overall as a team. Individually I shot a +9 (81) which put me in the top 7 for individual scores. I battled all day to recover from a quad bogey on my third hole. Struggled on the greens a bit and missed several birdie putts. I hit 10/14 fairways, but only 8/18 GIR. I didn't get up and down as much as I would've liked. I know that I need to put more emphasis on my short game during practice.
Camp/Event
Metro Medalist M606 (NTPGA)
9/25/16 to 9/25/16
This tournament got cancelled due to the weather
Camp/Event
Next Gen DFW002 (Showcase Jr.)
9/24/16 to 9/24/16
This tournament was cut short by the weather. We only got 7 holes in before they called it.
Camp/Event
Metro Medalist M601 (NTPGA)
9/03/16 to 9/03/16
I was off to a shaky start with a double and triple bogey in my first four holes and ended up with a 42 on the front. I recovered on the back with a 39, but I very easily could've been even if I didn't make some mental mistakes. I ended up shooting an 81 and tied for 7th out of the 20 competitors that were entered. Keeton Park is a Par 72 and played at 6511 yards.
Camp/Event
FWJGT Tour Championship
8/09/16 to 8/10/16
Final tournament of the summer for the FWJGT shot a 86 on the hills course at pecan valley for the first round of the FWJGT Championship but rebounded the second day on the River Course at pecan valley with a 78 to take fourth place in the two day tournament.
Camp/Event
Fort Worth Jr Golf Association Championship
7/18/16 to 7/21/16
Out of over 300 participants, I placed in the Top 50. This was a qualifying tournament. After the 1st rd, the top 120 were placed into Div I and II. After the 2nd rd, we were placed in flights (Champ - 3rd). The top 16 from each flight after the 3rd rd qualified to play the 4th rd at Colonial CC. I shot an 81 in my 1st rd at Woodhaven (Par 71, 6700 yds), a 78 in rd 2 at Diamond Oaks (Par 70, 6700 yds), a 77 in rd 3 at Meadowbrook GC (Par 71, 6400 yds) and a 93 in my final rd at Colonial (Par 70, 6600).
Camp/Event
FWJGT
7/06/16 to 7/06/16
I took 1st place with a score of 81 on the Par 72, 6600 yd Hills course.
Camp/Event
NTPGA Metro Medalist: M421
6/22/16 to 6/22/16
This was my first NTPGA Win. I shot a personal tournament best 74. The course played 6400 yds and was a Par 72.
Camp/Event
FWJGT Junior Championships
6/13/16 to 6/14/16
This was my first tournament win. I finished with a 159 total. I shot a 1st rd 79 on the River course. It played 6600 yds and is a Par 70. I followed that up with a 2nd rd 80 on the Par 72 Hills course that also played 6600 yds.
Camp/Event
NTPGA Metro Medalist: M406
6/08/16 to 6/08/16
I shot an 81 and finished T-6. The course was a par 72 and played 6500 yds.
Camp/Event
NTPGA Metro Medalist: M405
6/07/16 to 6/07/16
I shot an 80 and finished T-4. This was my first summer tournament. The course was a par 70 and played at 6600 yds.