High Five: Pam Pack golfer ready to be a Mountaineer
Published 5:17 pm Thursday, March 23, 2023
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Washington High School senior Rob Bergevin has extra time to pursue his passion this spring in preparation for collegiate competition this fall. The National Honor Society member with a 4.5 GPA has two classes, Statistics and British Literature, to complete before graduation. That leaves time for extra driving, chipping and putting.
- The recruiting process for golf is not like it is for football or basketball. Describe it for us?
Rob: Starting in the fall of my junior year, I sent 150 or 200 emails to college golf coaches in North and South Carolina and Virginia. I attached videos of my swing and other technical parts of golf and told them about my grades and my golf background. I kept following up and Appalachian St. finally contacted me. I put everyone else on the shelf after that, because they were my first choice from the beginning.
- Why the Mountaineers?
Rob: My dad graduated from there and we’ve been going to football games and had other trips to Boone my whole life. I love the mountains, the fresh air and the college town atmosphere in Boone, so I was very excited to hear from them. It will be great to play courses at different altitudes. The views are awesome from some of them, so it’s going to be a lot of fun.
- What led to App St. making you a scholarship offer?
Rob: Coach Alan Cress replied to my emails and arraigned to come see me play the Pinehurst #8 course this past January. I shot 75 in the wind and he made the offer right there. It was really exciting for me and my family.
- What are you going to major in?
Rob: Innovation and Entrepreneurship, but it could change. I might like to operate my own business like my dad does, but I’m not sure yet. I’m open to a lot of things right now, so we’ll see where it goes.
- If you could have a meal with three people, living or dead, who would they be?
Rob: My grandad, who helped me get started playing golf, who passed aways two years ago, Tiger Woods and Adam Sandler. Obviously, there would be a lot of golf talk, but I think I would just sit back and let them roll. I would serve steak, baked potatoes, asparagus with chocolate cake for dessert.
Bonus question: What is the hardest part of golf for you?
Rob: Learning to push through bad shots and move quickly to the next shot. I used to get really stressed out after a bad shot and let it affect the rest of my round. I work with a sports phycologist, Josh Nichols, who tells me I have to accept the results of my shots, good or bad, then move on. I have to stay level and focus on the present. I’m getting better at it, but there’s still room to improve.