Golf captain talks Tiger Woods and holes-in-one

This text is a part of a operating collection The Each day sports activities workers shall be publishing on seniors.

As a present Stanford males’s golf group captain initially hailing from New York Metropolis, Ethan Lawrence Ng believes that this week’s NCAA championships may very well be the group’s 12 months to take the dub, which they final received Ng’s freshman 12 months in 2019. With a scoring common of 72.68, Ng just lately posted his career-best at Regionals, securing a fourth-place end with an 18-under 198. He led the group to their college better of 57-under, breaking their 2006 document of 42-under. Ng additionally excels within the classroom and made the Pac-12 Tutorial Honor Roll in 2020, 2021 and 2022. By his pals, Ng is thought for his fixed toothy grin, loose-clothed fashion and laid-back perspective. The Each day’s Annie Reller sat down with Ng to replicate on his time at Stanford.

The Stanford Each day (TSD): Ethan, thanks a lot for this interview. My first query is fairly easy: What number of hole-in-ones have you ever had in your life?

Ethan Ng (EN): Three hole-in-ones, however most notably, I had a hole-in-one the identical day Tiger Woods received the 2019 Masters. Tiger Woods is my golf hero, I love his golf achievements. I additionally had a hole-in-one this 12 months; it’s on the Stanford golf Instagram.

TSD: At what age did you understand that you just had been really good?

EN: I’ve by no means realized (laughs). In all probability once I was round six or seven. The story allegedly goes, once I was round three or 4, my dad took me out one weekend when my mother couldn’t care for me, to the golf course to hold with him and his boys. And I simply fell in love with the sport. And I might ask him  each weekend if I might go together with him, and he’d begrudgingly say okay. I’d simply get on the market and whack balls. And I actually appreciated it, after which he purchased me my very own set of golf equipment and it snowballed from there.

TSD: How outdated had been you whenever you hit a zero handicap?

EN: I don’t know once I grew to become a scratch golfer, in all probability eight or 9. However there’s a notable story there; my dad used to play golf on a regular basis. After which once I was actually eight or 9 years outdated, I nonetheless have the scorecard, I beat him straight up. And he had performed one of the best spherical he’s ever performed in his life. After which he give up and began teaching me from there.

TSD: So why did you belief a coach who’s worse than you?

EN: That may be a nice query. Oh, he’s my dad. So after all I’m going to belief him.

TSD: As a child, how a lot was golf in your life?

EN: Not loads of D1 golfers come out from New York. I can solely consider one different child, in a very good college, who comes from New York Metropolis. Most children had been {golfing} day-after-day. I grew up simply taking part in on the weekends, they name {that a} weekend warrior. After which over the summers I attempted to golf day-after-day with my dad. However on weekdays, I used to be the varsity captain of the swim group. Though golf was an enormous a part of my life, it solely took up just a little little bit of time.

 TSD: And the way outdated had been you whenever you began getting recruited?

EN: That’s a superb query. I bought my first provide, a full scholarship, from Wisconsin once I was 12 years outdated. I used to be in sixth grade.

TSD: Who’re your greatest supporters?

EN: My household, and my girlfriend, Nicole. My dad particularly has been my greatest supporter. Every thing comes round to my dad. For the document, I credit score all the things to my dad. He bought me into the sport of golf. He’s paid for each set of my golf equipment. He’s pushed me throughout the nation to tournaments. He flies throughout the nation to return watch me play. He’s my primary supporter.

TSD: So why did you decide Stanford?

EN: Stanford was at all times the dream college, clearly. My dad used to play this Tiger Woods documentary once I was actually younger, and Tiger went to Stanford. And I at all times was like, wow, I need to go to that faculty as a result of he went there, and he’s one of the best golfer of all time. Additionally, I wished to go to Stanford as a result of I knew it was a very good college. And that’s my mother, teachers. The significance of teachers comes from my mother.

TSD: What does it really feel wish to characterize Stanford? Do you determine as a consultant?

EN: Each time we go away campus, I really feel that. It’s the greatest honor. I might say these previous 4, 4 and a half years, have been the most important honor of my life. And I’m very proud to put on the “S” on my shirt every time we exit and compete. It’s at all times been my dream to return right here and it’s exceeded each expectation I might have needed to play for the college and be right here.

TSD: How do your friendships at Stanford range with non-athletes versus athletes?

EN: Coming into Stanford, I used to be very anxious about making pals and whatnot. However being on a group right here, you have got a built-in good friend group. Everybody on the golf group are my greatest pals, my brothers. However exterior of golf, so much from my freshman dorm, these are a few of my pals that I’ve had ceaselessly. My girlfriend, all her pals are my pals now. However yeah, it’s exhausting to steadiness social time and golf. It’s simply all about time administration. It’s one thing that I’m nonetheless engaged on.

TSD: What was it like being captain of the lads’s golf group this 12 months?

EN: It’s simple when you have got such a superb group of fellows. It’s very easy to verify everybody’s in line and it doesn’t really feel like an obligation in any respect. We’re on the market actually having fun with being ourselves with one another and simply being pals, so it doesn’t really feel like there’s an enormous hierarchy of management. It simply feels natural, which is sweet.

TSD: Is the group aggressive inside itself? Are you attempting to beat the opposite individuals in your group?

EN: Yeah, completely. School golf is attention-grabbing, as a result of golf clearly may be very individualized. However there’s a group part and clearly the group issues extra. In qualifying for each event, now we have three or 4 qualifying rounds to find out what the lineup is for the precise event, and it will get actually aggressive. Since everyone seems to be of excessive caliber and might play very well, scores get actually low. Clearly there are heated moments when coaches make choices to take a participant over a unique participant. However all in all, we at all times know we’re taking part in for the group. So though it’s aggressive, and we need to beat one another, there’s by no means any animosity.

TSD: Do you have got any event rituals or superstitions?

EN: Earlier than each spherical, I attempt to do a couple of minutes of meditation, visualize my first gap. I get very nervous earlier than so I simply attempt to calm myself down. I additionally don’t take articles of clothes off, even when it’s scorching. I’ll maintain it on, as a result of taking off a layer will make my swing really feel totally different. If I’m taking part in nicely with a sure ball, I received’t change balls. I’ll at all times have my ball marker the identical facet up if I’m placing nicely, going through the identical route.

TSD: Do you speak smack to different gamers on the course? Is there that sort of competitors, or as a result of it’s a respectful sport, is there much less of that?

EN: Nicely, with faculty golf, you grew up taking part in towards everybody else in Junior Golf. It’s a fairly small neighborhood. All my teammates, I’ve recognized them for some time. Particularly for those who’re going to an influence 5 college, these are huge names.

TSD: Who’re attention-grabbing individuals that you just’ve gotten to fulfill by means of the game?

EN: There are loads of cool folks that observe at our facility, so we rub shoulders and we get to choose their mind each occasionally. We had been invited to the White Home in 2020 after we received the 2019 championship and bought to fulfill Dianne Feinstein and Trump. There was loads of controversy round that, however I wasn’t gonna move up a possibility to go to the White Home. I’m not the most important fan of Donald Trump. So once I met him, I tickled his wrist in a small act of revolt. 

TSD: What does it really feel wish to be an individual of coloration in a predominantly white sport? 

EN: Oh, that’s an attention-grabbing query. Though golf is a really white sport, there are such a lot of Asians that play golf, that I virtually don’t really feel like a minority. However I feel the larger concern I’ve with golf is the tradition surrounding golf, it’s very dominated by white individuals, the wealthy and elite. There’s loads of entitlement that comes with golf tradition, and that bugs me, but in addition, I’ve made a few of my greatest pals by means of golf. And I feel golf has introduced me to locations that I’d by no means thought had been possible. So I might by no means give it up.

TSD: Okay, so what’s subsequent for you? And the way do you are feeling about graduating?

EN: I’m actually, actually unhappy to be leaving the golf group as a participant. It has been the most important honor and privilege of my life. I couldn’t think about a greater expertise. However I’m excited to return again as probably the graduate assistant coach and end my Grasp’s and be capable to spend yet another 12 months on campus.

TSD: You’ve an enormous factor forward of you quickly. How do you are feeling in regards to the upcoming event, NCAA Nationals?

EN: We really feel actually good. I personally am coming off my profession greatest end at regionals, I shot 18-under, fourth place. However the group is feeling actually good. We bought loads of confidence getting into and we actually really feel we are able to win this 12 months.