The current top-ranked collegiate player in the country is Michael Johnson of Auburn University. He and his teammates will once again be participating in the Amer Ari this February. Is it possible that Hawai‘i Island galleries will have a chance to see the next Jordan Spieth roaming the fairways at Waikoloa Beach Resort? If you ask Johnson, the answer is a resounding yes.
“My main goal in golf is to play on the PGA Tour,” he says. “I can see myself playing on Tour for a long time. The success of Jordan (Spieth) doesn’t surprise me at all. Everywhere he has played he has won; he is a special player. So it really wasn’t a big surprise to me. It just shows me that if you work hard and are a competitor you can win. It doesn’t make me work harder it really just makes me want to win more. I want to get out on Tour and compete with the best.”
ASU’s Mickelson — whose brother Phil has had a Hall of Fame PGA Tour career — says his goal is to have his players work and prepare just as the Tour pros do so they are prepared for professional golf after their four years in college.
“I believe that there is no substitute for hard work,” he says. “If you put in the right type of work, the right amount of work, truly dedicate yourself to your goal, and have some fundamentals, then we feel that will give them the best chance at a successful professional golf career.”
Photo: Stanford’s Maverick McNealy