Nov. 13, 2007
The following story appears in the November edition of KnightVision. Produced 10 times per year, KnightVision is the official publication of the UCF Athletics Asssociation. Each issue includes stories about UCF teams, student-athletes and coaches. To order 10 exciting issues from August through June, call 1-888-877-4373 (ext. 121) or 336-768-3400 (ext. 121).
Thanks to top ten finishes in all five of its tournaments this fall, the UCF men's golf team is ranked No. 23 in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin performance index. For junior college transfer David Johnson, the opportunity to play for a nationally-ranked program is something he does not take for granted.
"I think the next few years are going to be really good for UCF golf," Johnson said. "We are ranked in the top 25 in the country right now. We have the potential to come out of this next semester and compete for a national championship. I'm really excited about being a part of that."
UCF's third-place team finish at the UNCG Bridgestone Collegiate Championship in late October wrapped up a fall season for Johnson that saw the newcomer post a trio of top-20 finishes, including a season best tie for sixth at the Prestige at PGA West. Johnson posted his low-round of the fall out in California, carding a 69 (-3). He finished the semester with the second-lowest stroke average on the team at 72.58.
Following close to a four-month break, the Knights will return to play on February 17 at the John Hayt Invitational in Jacksonville, Florida. In the meantime, Johnson and his teammates will continue to put in the hard work that saw them crack the top 25.
"We're in the off-season right now, so it's a little bit tougher than in-season," Johnson said. "We lift a lot of weights. We work out three days a week at 6:30 a.m. It's pretty grueling, some of the stuff we have to do."
Johnson says the life of a college golfer is often misconstrued. "[A lot of people think] it's an old man's sport, or it's not really a sport at all," Johnson said. "People can have their own thoughts obviously, but a lot of people just see the benefits we get. They don't see the time we put in."
Those benefits include traveling to tournaments in places like Palm Springs, Calif., and Chicago, Ill. Johnson appreciates the experience.
"I'm not from a real wealthy family, so I'm not normally exposed to country clubs and all of that. It's a privilege for me to be able to [travel.]"
In his first year at UCF after transferring from Brevard Community College, Johnson understands the demands of playing at a Division I university. "It's a lot different from where I was before. We didn't work out at all. We just kind of showed up and played golf," Johnson said. "The demand is a lot higher here. With workouts, class, practice, and everything, it's just a bigger step."
Johnson is the son of a former UCF baseball player, but the 20-year old says his father had little to do with his choice to play for the Knights.
"At first, it kind of made me think, `Oh, I'm not going to go where my dad went,' but when it came down to it, the biggest influence to come to UCF was the sports programs, the school, and how big it's getting," Johnson said. "The amount of recognition UCF gets has shown that this school is really growing. I think athletics here are going to be a really big deal coming the next couple years, and I definitely wanted to be a part of it."
-Stephanie Shaw