Sam Udovich didn’t get much of a chance to celebrate with his team.
Only minutes after the awards ceremony at the Class 3A boys golf state tournament on June 11, the Cretin-Derham Hall senior posed for a few photos and then walked briskly to the parking lot.
“We got a flight to catch,” Udovich said, chatting on his way to the vehicle.
Wearing two blue-ribbon medals around his neck to signify his place as the 3A state individual and team champion, Udovich was already off to his next destination: college orientation at Texas Christian University, where he will play for the men’s golf team.
It was all part of a banner week for Udovich, the All-Minnesota Player of the Year in boys golf. He was named Minnesota’s Mr. Golf on June 8, took a lead into the final day of the state golf tournament at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids and then won his second individual golf championship while helping his Cretin-Derham Hall team to its first team title in program history.
“I think this year he just took on a little bit more of a leadership role,” Raiders coach Bob Kinne said. “[He] took pride in trying to get everybody together, and just continuing to work really, really hard. His scores obviously show that.”
Udovich shot rounds of 66 and 68 to secure his state championship, three years after he first won in 2A as a freshman. The second day of the tournament brought some steady rain in the middle of the round before the sun eventually appeared.
Besides the talent Udovich has in his golf game, the biggest part of his improvement this season came between the ears with his mental game.