VG : What have been some of your biggest challenges in navigating the pandemic , both from an academic and playing standpoint ? BC : Cornell has done a tremendous job in navigating this pandemic to reopen for the fall semester this year , but losing two full seasons of golf has been very tough . The Ivy League cancelled all sports for this current season , but thankfully the golf course at Cornell is still open and my teammates and I can play and practice unofficially . It ' s hard to practice hours a day knowing there will be no tournaments in the foreseeable future , but we hold team matches amongst each other to keep our competitive edge for next spring . |
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CORNELL UNIVERSITY |
VG : You ’ re from northern Virginia but spent three school years in Dubai . What was it like being thrust into a foreign country like the United Arab Emirates as a kid , and how did you work to keep improving your game while you were there ? BC : I spent my 8th – 10th grade years in Dubai and it was challenging at first , but looking back it was a special experience that I was lucky to have . I learned so much about the world and am very thankful . I was able to maintain my game overseas quite well and even had the opportunity to play in a high school event where my team flew to India ! It did sidetrack my ranking since I was not able to compete in many qualifying tournaments , but I would not trade that experience .
VG : How did playing in VSGA Junior Golf Circuit events and championships help you grow as a player ? BC : The VSGA was very impactful on my junior golf career . I first started playing in Junior Golf Circuit events in elementary school and continued them until I graduated high school . The VSGA provided perfect environments for me
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to compete and develop my game as a junior from individual circuit events to the Junior Stroke Play . To be honest , if I had not had these opportunities to compete as a junior golfer , I may have focused more on basketball or baseball than golf . I still have all of my VSGA flags and trophies and will always be thankful for what the VSGA has done for my game , as well as for awarding me a VSGA scholarship in 2019 , thank you .
VG : We talk a lot about hole in ones , but we understand you recently scored your first albatross . Tell us more about that . BC : A couple of weeks ago in a four-ball match with my team , I had 241 from the center of the fairway and ripped a 2 iron that landed on the front edge and trickled into the hole . It was uphill a bit so I couldn ’ t see it go in , but my teammates who were further up started going crazy . I figured they were just messing around , but I walked up to the green and I was in for a two .
VG : What are some of your long-term academic and golf goals ? BC : Our team ’ s goal for the future is to
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win an Ivy League championship . We felt we had a good chance last spring , but the championship was cancelled so we will definitely be looking forward to this spring . Personally , it ’ s a goal of mine to play in the VSGA championships every year . Academic wise , I ’ m double majoring in Statistical Science and Economics and wish to pursue a career in data analytics .
VG : What do you like to do away from the course ? Any other hobbies ? BC : I played basketball for my high school and play pick-up frequently at school , but with my course load at Cornell combined with the time on the golf course , I don ' t have that much time . I also enjoy collecting sneakers .
VG : Who ’ s your favorite professional golfer ? BC : I ’ ve always been a Tiger fan and I always will be . My most prized possession is a signed photograph of him that was gifted to me through my fourth grade teacher and the legendary Mr . Clyde Luther . Tiger wrote a brief message on the picture addressed to my name .
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