USD Magazine Summer 2008

TORERO ATHLET I CS

When Tim Mickelson was hired in 2003, he brought a heartfelt desire to win with him. It paid off: USD won its first-ever WCC golf title this year.

[ b u i l d e r ]

THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED Gol f coach T im Mi ckel son’s des i re i s to br ing a nat ional championship to USD

by Ryan T. Blystone G azing out at the lush and very private Del Mar Country Club golf course, feeling the heat of the sun along with a slight Santa Ana wind, Tim Mickelson appears to be living the life. Unlike thousands of San Die- gans stuck in traffic, this man — looking sporty in his Pebble Beach cap and wraparound sunglasses — is happy to be just where he is, even though it’s well before 8 a.m. on a Monday morning. In truth, the 30-year-old is liv- ing the exact scenario he pitches to University of San Diego golf recruits as the school’s fifth-year head coach. “Weather and loca- tion are important and, obvious- ly, at USD you’re going to get a great education. It also helps that the three major golf companies — Titleist, TaylorMade and Cal- loway — are 30 miles away, mak- ing it easier to get equipment faster. And our guys can get fit professionally at their test cen- ters.” The Toreros’ roster proves the effectiveness of those selling points. “We have kids here from all over the Pacific Northwest and one from England. We’re bring- ing in a kid from Hawaii and one from South Africa next year and possibly one from Finland. While we could just recruit locally, we’re very global with our recruiting.” Going international at USD fits in well, especially with San Diego’s current golf scene. From June 12- 15, Torrey Pines’South Course in La Jolla will host TigerWoods, Phil Mickelson and the world’s other

TIM MANTOANI

take stuff to the players’ cars, basically anything the pros need for their day to go a little better.” Dale Smith, a USD sophomore from England, is enthusiastic about the experience: “It’s a chance for us to see a little bit of what life is like on the PGA Tour. It’s definitely motivating to see the players. The type of lifestyle they lead shows that if you really want it, you have to go after it.” Mickelson, a member of Ari-

top golfers in the U.S. Open. It’s the first time one of professional golf’s four major tournaments will be played in San Diego. Torrey Pines also hosts the PGA Tour’s Buick Invitational, an annual event where Mickelson has continued a USD golf tradi- tion started in the 1990s. Team members serve as locker room volunteers during the PGA event. “They clean golf shoes, deliver packages, pick up dry cleaning,

zona State’s 1996 NCAA national championship team, a record- setter at Oregon State where he graduated in 2000, and an assis- tant coach when San Diego State reached the 2003 NCAA Tourna- ment, wants to get USD’s pro- gram to the top level. “My whole reason for coaching is to win a national championship. I would never take a job at a school unless I thought there was a chance of that happening.”

14

USD MAGAZINE