Fresno State Athletics
Off the Links with Nick Watney
2/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Feb. 28, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. - When you think of the All-American kid Nick Watney should come to mind. A leader on the Fresno State golf team not only on the course but off the course as well. Watney works hard to achieve everything he has in his short career as a Bulldog. He knows that hard work is an integral part of becoming a success on the links, and it has paid off for him.
It was only a year ago when sophomore Watney enrolled at Fresno State, but it has been a journey that many student-athletes don't travel in an entire career, and he is just getting started.
It is hard to believe, but there was a time when his uncle, head coach of the Bulldogs golf team Mike Watney, considered redshirting Nick. Instead, Nick brought a smile, a positive attitude and a golf game that energized the senior-dominated team that reached the NCAA Championships. Watney was voted the Western Athletic Conference freshman of the year last season. He helped the senior dominated team to a 13th place finish at national championships. Since last season, he qualified and won the first round of match play at the 2000 U.S. Amateur Championships and became the first `Dog since his cousin Josh four years ago to win a tournament.
"From almost redshirting to having a good college season to this (U.S. Amateurs), is pretty awesome," Watney said. "I think watching the four great seniors last year helped me so much- learning how winning golf is played."
Watney has made some heavy footsteps on the Bulldog golf team, and the road only continues on from here.
