UW-Bound Conrad Can Concentrate On Golf
Bob Conrad can finally give playing the game of golf his undivided attention after several months of playing the game of choosing a college.
Which is especially encouraging to him, especially with the 1992 state high-school boys golf tournament coming up May 29 at Tacoma's Fircrest Golf and Country Club.
And with the first round of U.S. Open qualifying on May 11.
The Sammamish High School senior, who finished second at state last year, put an end to the pressures of the recruiting season by giving an oral commitment to play at the University of Washington.
"I've been thinking about it for a long time," said Conrad, a 3.83 student. "It's a big relief. I'm glad it's chosen and done with."
Conrad shot a par-70 to win the KingCo Conference golf tournament by one stroke last October at Mount Si Golf Course.
He finished two strokes behind champion Jared Jefferies of Spokane's Mead High at last spring's Class AAA state tournament at MeadowWood in Spokane.
Conrad chose Washington over the University of California at Santa Barbara. Washington State had also expressed interest.
"The UW gave me a scholarship," said Conrad, who added UCSB doesn't provide scholarship support until the sophomore year.
"And I just thought if I was going to live around here my future life I could get better business connections if I go to the UW."
The spread-out golf season, which starts with tournaments in the fall and picks up again with some in the spring, appeals to Conrad.
"I want to play as much as I can," said the right-hander, who has a membership at Overlake Golf and Country Club.
He's playing as much as he can in hopes of doing well during U.S. Open qualifying next month. In hopes, some day, of doing better than that.
"My dream is to be on the Tour if I'm good enough," he said.
Until then, he'll play as much as he can. In his back yard. Trying to help the middle-of-the-pack Huskies improve their lot during the next four years.
"Hopefully they're going to be on the rise now," he said.