WHEN KING'S RIDGE JUNIOR JACK SCHOENBERGER THINKS ABOUT GOLF, HE SEES RED.
"Tiger Woods is the first guy I wanted to be like growing up," he said. "The 'Sunday Red' is what I first remember watching on TV. I'd watch Tiger and then go out and copy what he did when I was practicing."
Schoenberger, who ironically now plays for the Tigers, sets the pace for the King's Ridge golf team as they have their eyes on the state tourney in May.
"So, my dad put plastic clubs in my hands when I could walk," he said. "But I'd only play a few times a year because I was playing baseball, basketball, and football. About three years ago, I started getting into competitive tournaments and fell in love with it. I fell in love with practicing and just went all in."
While he has unfinished business in high school golf at King's Ridge, Schoenberger is thinking big.
"I want to take this to the highest level," he said. "The next step is Division I golf and then I want to play professionally and be successful at that level. That's the ultimate goal."
He has a dream school but is relatively open.
"The University of Michigan is my favorite," he said. "My family is from there and I've loved Michigan since I was young. But I'd love to play at any school to get me to where I want to go."
He prides himself for getting a lot of distance for his "size and age", but says his short game is his strength.
"That's what produces good scores for me and also can save a round," he said.
Honing his game takes a lot of time as well as the travel it takes to play elite golf.
"You have to sacrifice if you are going to be good," he said. "I'm practicing all the time… but I love it. That's what I've signed up for.
