Corey Conners looks back on a busy summer

By Corey Conners
Senior

Looking back on my summer, I am very proud of my accomplishments. My schedule was very busy travelling around Canada and the United States, but I still tried to find time to relax with friends and family.

Playing in the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open was probably the highlight of my summer. It was great to play on the same stage as many of the players I aspire to be like. I played quite well but made a few unforced mistakes and missed the cut by two strokes. Playing in a PGA Tour event is very motivating for me to continue to work hard and try to earn a spot out there one day!

Another exciting moment came at the Canadian Amateur. I was tied for the lead late in the final round but finished one shot short of the victory. I was disappointed to have not pulled through, but it still felt great to finish runner-up in the national championship of my country.

My summer concluded at the U.S. Amateur, which is arguably the world’s top amateur event. The first practice round was the day after the Canadian Amateur, so I definitely had some fire under me and was motivated to do well. I had struggled a little with my putting at the Canadian Am event so improving that was my main focus entering the U.S. Am.

I made it through the stroke play portion of the event but not without some stress. I was playing great but started giving away a few shots very late in the second round. I was luckily able to escape disaster and was really looking forward to match play with the other top 64 competitors.

I won my first 4 matches, knocking off many other great players and landing in the semifinals! There was a lot riding on the semifinal matches, as the winners not only put themselves into the finals, but are likely to receive invitations to the most prestigious event in golf – The Masters.

Despite all of this, I felt very relaxed playing in front of thousands of spectators. Unfortunately, I ran into an exceptional player and eventual champion, who hit some of the most unbelievable shots I had ever seen. I was happy with how I played and was simply beaten. Being so close to another title stung a little, but looking back, I am very proud of how I played and gained a lot of confidence knowing I can compete with the best in the world.

While I enjoyed much success over the past few months, I still recognize areas of my game that need improvement and have seen what it takes to continue getting better. I am really looking forward to my senior season here in Kent State. In addition to playing great golf, I will be finishing up my actuarial math degree. Our team has very high goals for this season as we have added a couple of great players to the team and the underclassmen from last year have continued to evolve and polish their games.

We will get to test our skills on some really great golf courses against very good competition. Our team is currently conducting qualifying to see who will get to travel to the first event and there have been some exceptional scores that I hope we will be able to translate into success throughout the season.

Personally, my goal is to win some tournaments and to have another All-American season on the golf course and in the classroom. We are very lucky here to have such a great coaching and support staff, as well as some amazing fans!