Having finished his last three high school golf seasons at the Mark Twain Golf Course in Elmira, NY, EHS junior Kevin Wang knows a bit about playing in the New York State Championship event.
On June 3, Wang continued his tradition of stellar play in Elmira, shooting a 146 (+2) during the two-day event and finishing ninth out of 99 golfers to earn his third-straight All-State selection.
Beyond his individual accolades, however, Wang came home with something else; a state championship medal for his contributions to Section 1’s big team win.
Coming into the final day of the event, Wang—who shot a 75 on Sunday—found himself in 20th place on the individual leaderboard while his Section 1 team sat behind two other teams in third place. But after shooting a blistering 71 on Monday, the veteran golfer was able to race back into the top-10 while leading his Section 1 team up the leaderboard for a historic first-place finish.
Wang credits his Monday showing to his experience playing in big tournaments, noting that he simply had to limit his mistakes and play steady golf—to finish one stroke under par for the day.
“As the player on the team with the most experience in the state championship event, I told myself I need do something for our team, and my target was to shoot under par,” said Wang. “After I finished the round on Monday, I learned that our team had a huge lead and I felt very proud to be state champion.”
Eastchester golf coach Frank Fiore said that Wang’s Monday showing was emblematic of his growth as a golfer over the last several years, explaining that the junior’s decision to tee-off with his 3-wood on the tournament’s final day showed tremendous maturity and paid off in a big way for the Eagles’ golf star.
“I think the mental part of the game is what he has improved on the most since I first saw him play in the eighth grade,” said Fiore. “Up at states, everyone can hit the ball 300 yards down the middle, like Kevin, everyone can make that 10, 15, 20-foot putt. But it’s his ability to bounce back after a tough hole or a tough round that is really a testament to his growth.”
As an All-State selection and a State Champion, Wang has earned an invitation to play in the prestigious Carter Cup, a Metropolitan Golf Association Junior that will be held at Winged Foot Golf Club this summer.
But while there are always more tournaments and challenges to prepare for, Wang said he will give this latest triumph a little time to settle in.
“This was an impressive victory,” he said. “It’s an event that I will remember forever.”
