It seems like every time Mike Van Sickle placed his ball on a tee, he set some sort of new record.

Van Sickle, a Marquette University senior, has earned himself a place in the school's annals, establishing both career and single-season records for scoring average, par-or-better rounds and tournament finish percentage.

He won five of 11 events this season, including nine finishes in the top five. During the fall portion of the season, he won four of six events, including the prestigious All-America Classic in November. He shot 210 to finish second at the Big East Championship; while Marquette came up just short in it's bid to repeat as team champions.

Van Sickle, the NCAA Division I leader with an average of 69.67 strokes per round, was named the league's golfer of the year.

"Its been a very exciting year for me," Van Sickle says. "I got off to a real good start in the fall, winning four of six events including the all-american event. That was a real big confidence-booster for me, being able to play against the top dogs in college from schools like Oklahoma State and USC."

He's expected to earn an invitation to the NCAA Tournament later this week and will also get the chance to represent is country next month at the Palmer Cup, which matches the best American and European golfers in a Ryder Cup-style event. This year's tournament is set for June 3-5 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado.

"It's the first time that I've ever had an opp to represent the county." Van Sickle says. "As my season progressed, it became a goal of mine. To be named to the team is very exciting. It's very satisfying and I'm very grateful that this opportunity has come along."

Van Sickle's love for golf blossomed at an early age. His father, Gary – a University of Wisconsin graduate, former Milwaukee Journal sports writer and current golf writer for Sports Illustrated – had his son swinging a club while still an infant. As the younger Van Sickle grew older, Gary took him out to various courses.

"He had teeing me out in the fairway about 100 yards from the green and I'd play in from there," Van Sickle says. "That's where I developed my love for the game; just going out with my dad."

As his father knew golf, his mother played a part in introducing him to Marquette. Betsy Van Sickle served as the school's sports information director during the 1980s. Wisconsin, with its seemingly-endless winters and overall unpredictable weather, isn't the most ideal locale for an up-and-coming golfer, Van Sickle found Marquette to be a "perfect fit."

During his official visit, he recalls meeting with athletic department officials that remember first meeting him as a youngster, accompanying his mother to the office.

"They all told me they knew me when I was two years old," Van Sickle says. "They'd hold their hands up to their knee and say they remember seeing me when I was that tall."

Even with the childhood memories, there's no getting around the climate. Van Sickle admits that improving ones game isn't always easy in these parts. Still, he and his teammates made do. They work out a lot at the Currie Park golf dome during the winter, and also took two trips to Florida before the season. The Golden Eagles have a practice putting green, which is good, because Van Sickle says the short game is what needs the most work.

"To some extent, its a bit more challenging for us to get our games honed right away," he says. "When we come back from trips, typically we're not playing golf outside. It's difficult, especially for the short game, to keep it as sharp as you'd like.

"You hate to use that excuse all spring long. It's cold up here but you still have to find a way to keep your game in shape. At the end of the day, the only person you can blame is yourself if you're not ready."

The weather aside, Van Sickle is fond of numerous area courses. When asked to pick a favorite, he says Ozaukee Country Club is close to the top of the list, though he admits that selection may have a bit of bias; Van Sickle shot a 61 there during his freshman year.

"You get biased when you play well," Van Sickle says. "But the course is fantastic. I love Brown Deer, too. It's one of my favorites … a great municipal course; something you don't say very often."

Van Sickle could get a chance to play Brown Deer again in the very near future. He's hoping to take part in this summer's U.S. Bank Championship, set for July 13-19. Though not a member of the PGA Tour, Van Sickle is hoping to earn a sponsor's exemption.

If he were to make his Tour debut at Brown Deer, he'd follow in the footsteps of Tiger Woods, who was given an exemption and made his debut at the 1996 tournament – then known as the Greater Milwaukee Open – just weeks after wrapping up his collegiate career at Stanford.

"I'm really kind of hoping they'll look kindly about me and my local-slash-hometown connection to Milwaukee," Van Sickle says. "It's something I'd absolutely love to have a chance to do. If it doesn't happen, there's a lot of talented players out there that they can give exemptions to. I'm just hoping that maybe they'll consider me. I'd love to be playing here in July."

Post a comment / write a review.