Senior competes at states for golf
Swinging to victory: Senior Kyle Mauro celebrates during a match against Radnor. The boys’ golf team qualified for districts as a runner-up
By Juliana Yao, Staff Reporter
Senior Kyle Mauro eyed the leaderboard on the final day of the District 1 golf state qualifiers. Even though he knew that he was a contender to make states, Mauro still needed a strong finish to ensure his spot. As he played the final holes, he managed to do just that, qualifying for the first time in his career and as the first ’Stoga golfer at states in three years.
Mauro competed for one of 21 spots to go to states in District 1 — one of the most competitive districts in Pennsylvania. He narrowly made the cut after two solid rounds.
“I was super excited. That was my first reaction,” Mauro said. “And my second reaction was relieved since (the match) was very close.”
The PIAA Individual Golf Championships were held at Pennsylvania State University on Oct. 18 and 19. Mauro competed in the boys class 3A, tying for 30th and finishing nine over par. e two day competition proved to be a test of perseverance for him.
“First day, I couldn’t really get any momentum,” Mauro said. “I gave myself numerous, makeable putts, and I didn’t make a single one.”
Not only did the long round wear Mauro down, but his score of 82 had also put him near the bottom of the rankings, only adding to his pressure. But such situations were commonplace for Mauro due to the inherent nature of the sport, and he had come to thrive in them.
“I don’t think there’s a sport that challenges you mentally as much as golf, and I love and hate that. One day it can be the easiest sport. Another day, it can feel like you haven’t played in years,” Mauro said. “But I would say I love competing and I love succeeding under pressure.”
Mauro’s amount of experience in these conditions allowed him to rebound. He used his first day to improve his playing, getting a score that was better than most other athletes that day. For boys varsity golf coach John Jones, Mauro’s playing during the second round was representative of his abilities as a golfer.
“You have to forget about when things don’t go your way on the previous shot, or whole previous round and be able to hit that reset button, but still have that focus and confidence that you can do well,” Jones said. “I’m really proud of how he finished.”
Juliana Yao can be reached at [email protected].
Juliana Yao is a senior and the Co-Opinion Editor of The Spoke. She was previously the Co-Sports Editor and often writes for the Sports and Opinion sections....
