Not too long ago, Cal State Stanislaus golfer Teddy Schrier had little confidence in himself. He was still making the transition from high school to college, where tough competition is everywhere at every tournament.
But he’s not like that anymore. Now, the sophomore is one of the top golfers for the Warriors, who are coming off a season that finished with a sixth-place showing at the NCAA Division II National Championships. Schrier looks to be a big contributor this season.
“He was going through the learning process,” coach John Cook said, “trying to juggle everything with school and play with the high level of college golf. But he kept getting better and better.”
Schrier was trying to pinpoint the moment when everything changed for him, when he discovered that he can compete at this level — regardless of the fact that he wasn’t the standout at Buhach Colony High, where he failed to make NorCal Championships four times. But it was more like a series of moments.
Yes, that six-place finish helped him realize that he belonged on the Warriors roster. Then came the summer, when he made a run at the U.S. Amateur Championships in Tulsa, Okla. in August 2009. He walked around the golf course and noticed all the talent around him.
“I struggled that first year a lot,” he said. “I definitely don’t like that. I’m very competitive. I knew I was a lot better than that. Overall, once I got used to it, I felt more comfortable with each and every tournament and I know that I’m comfortable with my game.”
Schrier has yet to win a tournament as an individual. He has collected top five finishes and he’s considered the No. 2 golfer at Stanislaus behind sophomore Trevor Blair, the leader at the Cal State Bakersfield Spring Invitational starting on Monday. His coach believes Schrier’s day will come.
He’s still growing and learning.
“The firsthand experience is not watching golf on TV,” said Schrier, who posted an average score of 73 in three fall tournaments. “The firsthand experience of playing college, of playing in the big tournaments — that was the next step in seeing what I needed to do. That was the main thing, seeing it firsthand. If you want to be there, it kind of changes your mind-set.”
To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.
But he’s not like that anymore. Now, the sophomore is one of the top golfers for the Warriors, who are coming off a season that finished with a sixth-place showing at the NCAA Division II National Championships. Schrier looks to be a big contributor this season.
“He was going through the learning process,” coach John Cook said, “trying to juggle everything with school and play with the high level of college golf. But he kept getting better and better.”
Schrier was trying to pinpoint the moment when everything changed for him, when he discovered that he can compete at this level — regardless of the fact that he wasn’t the standout at Buhach Colony High, where he failed to make NorCal Championships four times. But it was more like a series of moments.
Yes, that six-place finish helped him realize that he belonged on the Warriors roster. Then came the summer, when he made a run at the U.S. Amateur Championships in Tulsa, Okla. in August 2009. He walked around the golf course and noticed all the talent around him.
“I struggled that first year a lot,” he said. “I definitely don’t like that. I’m very competitive. I knew I was a lot better than that. Overall, once I got used to it, I felt more comfortable with each and every tournament and I know that I’m comfortable with my game.”
Schrier has yet to win a tournament as an individual. He has collected top five finishes and he’s considered the No. 2 golfer at Stanislaus behind sophomore Trevor Blair, the leader at the Cal State Bakersfield Spring Invitational starting on Monday. His coach believes Schrier’s day will come.
He’s still growing and learning.
“The firsthand experience is not watching golf on TV,” said Schrier, who posted an average score of 73 in three fall tournaments. “The firsthand experience of playing college, of playing in the big tournaments — that was the next step in seeing what I needed to do. That was the main thing, seeing it firsthand. If you want to be there, it kind of changes your mind-set.”
To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.
