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Williams Happy to be Home
August 24, 2015 01:57 PM | Golf
As the West Virginia University golf team is less than two weeks from beginning its first season in more than 30 years, the squad will be led by a group of transfers that includes sophomore Chris Williams.
A native of Scott Depot, West Virginia, Williams grew up a Mountaineer fan and always had the dream of representing the Mountaineers on the golf course. There was only one problem; WVU did not have a golf team.
At Winfield High, Williams established himself as one of the top young players in West Virginia, winning five tournaments on the West Virginia Golf Association’s (WVGA) Top Flite Junior Tour and being named the 2012 WVGA Junior of the Year.
The success brought colleges calling and Williams decided that Coastal Carolina would be his best bet, committing early during his junior year.
“I would’ve come to WVU for sure. This is where I always wanted to be,” Williams recalled. “There had always been rumors that they were going to start a program, but when I first went to Coastal, I had no plans of coming here. “
What attracted Williams back to the Mountain State?
“Once I saw coach (Sean Covich) on social media, I followed him and that’s what prompted my interest,” Williams said. “It’s attracting a lot of kids. He’s posting all these great pictures of courses and our players. It shows how interactive he is.”
Williams enrolled at WVU last spring, becoming the fifth Covich recruit. With the addition of three freshmen and transfers Alan Cooke and Avery Schneider, the team is now fully stocked heading into 2015.
“We only had five guys the one semester I was here last year, but we all bonded right away. They made me feel like I had known them forever,” Williams said. “This year with the five new guys, I knew some of them before, but we’ve all had a quick connection and coach makes it easy for us to.”
Williams is most excited about getting back on the courses he played during the junior circuits that include Pete Dye Golf Club, The Pines Country Club, The Greenbrier Resort, The Resort at Glade Springs and Stonewall Jackson Resort.
“Playing in West Virginia is a different atmosphere. The people are more welcoming and when you are more comfortable you play better,” Williams explained. “West Virginia golf is underrated. People know The Greenbrier and Pete Dye because they’ve held professional tournaments, but Stonewall, Glade Springs and The Pines are great tracks.”
Williams is described by his coach as one of the longer hitters, driving the ball between 290 and 300 yards on a regular basis. Additionally, Covich calls him the most consistent player, whether it is in the weight room, classroom or on the course.
Williams believes that the weight room has become an important part of collegiate golf and Covich agrees, as he had the team run Law School Hill for the first time last week, something the squad will do after each loss.
“It’s an incentive to play our best,” Williams said. “Golf has really established fitness in the past few years, and walking 36-hole days you definitely don’t want to be John Daly.”
On the course, Williams relies heavily on his mental approach to steer him in the right direction. While college players and professionals may hit the same shots, the professionals do not let the bad ones get to them.
“Temperament plays a big role in it,” Williams said. “When you’re young you tend to let things affect you more. As you get older you realize that it doesn’t help you to get mad at shots. You learn how to be more strategic.”
The season is set to begin the weekend of September 6-7 at the Tiger Turning Stone Invitational in Verona, New York. The squad of 10 will rely heavily on its six transfers to pave the way for the freshmen.
“It’s good that we have the experience playing college golf,” Williams said. “You of course have the freshmen that have to get adjusted, but having the transfers makes the transition a little easier. We know what to expect.”
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