Eric Jorgensen isn’t used to this kind of attention.
The MSU senior golfer can’t drive a cart 10 yards at Forest Akers West Golf Course, home of the MSU golf team, without someone stopping to congratulate him on his successful summer.
It began in May, when he became the first Spartan to win the Big Ten Championship. He followed that with a win at the oldest and most prestigious amateur tournaments in the country, the North and South Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, N.C., in June.
On Tuesday, he ended his run in the top amateur tournament, the U.S. Amateur Championship, at the Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills.
Now he has 8-year-olds asking for his autograph, his name on a plaque next to Jack Nicklaus’, and a whole new level of expectations to meet. Not bad for a self-taught player who said he was “nothing special” coming out of high school.
“It’s been pretty cool to have people recognize me,” he said. “When I get done with my round, I’ll have people come up to me to ask how I did. I’m doing more interviews this summer, and it’s been really fun.”
But all that interest means Jorgensen has a reputation and a past to live up to - not that he has a problem with that.
“I love it,” he said. “I don’t feel pressure. I have high expectations for myself, but it’s not really pressure. But I do have guys looking up to me and I do plan on playing even better.”
To do that, he’ll stick to the plan he began a year ago.
He runs 10 miles a week to keep in solid all-around shape. He puts hours into the weight room and can out-lift all his teammates. When other players go home after an hour of practice, he stays for two more, junior teammate Casey Lubahn said.
But it’s the mental side of golf that Jorgensen said he’s truly tackled in the last year and that’s led to his success.
“I can control what I think and relax when I’m on the course,” he said. “I really work at making sure to think positive thoughts and not let a bad shot get to me.”
That mind-set helped him rebound after shooting a 5-over 76 in the opening round of the U.S. Amateur Championship on Monday. He came back Tuesday with a sharp short game to shoot a 2-under 69.
“To not have my game be there when you’ve worked toward that for so long, and then move on and bring it back is great,” he said.
The rest of the MSU golf team is taking notes, Lubahn said.
Lubahn, one of Jorgensen’s roommates, said the entire team has had to work harder to meet the standards of success and hardwork Jorgensen is setting.
“Everyone on our team wants to beat Eric every day,” he said. “They want to beat him so bad. He doesn’t feel bad for us either, because that’s what competitors do, they push each other.”
It’s a trend that began last season. Jorgensen and senior John Koskinen went back and forth in the No. 1 spot, until Jorgensen pulled away at the end of the season.
And Lubahn directly credits his roommate and teammate with his own recent improvements. The two were a round away from playing each other in the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in July, when both were knocked out before the match play round.
“I never would have been there if it hadn’t been for him pushing me,” Lubahn said. “This summer a lot of us had successful tournaments, and he’s been pushing us all. As competitors, when he gets that good, you want to be that good too.”
The result of all the extra work and motivation might be one of the best MSU golf teams in years.
The team lost one senior, Nathan Clark, who tied for 10th in two tournaments last season. But with the defending Big Ten Champion, two All-Big Ten players, a squad that tied for 16th in the NCAA East Regional last year, a new recruit and a new reputation to support, head coach Mark Hankins said, yes, the team should be in good shape.
“It’s the result of the team being competitive,” he said. “We had five different guys be the top player for us in different weeks throughout last season. We had our highest ranking ever (27th).
“To say the team is going to be better than the last one, well, we got everyone but one guy back. But it’s a different team dynamic, different tournaments. But I think we’ll still be a good team.”
