Coach Nicole Bayle with assistants Sam Moore and Debbie Olson.
(Photo courtesy of Jer’s Photography)
By Scott DeCamp
LocalSportsJournal.com
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – In school, Sophia McCollum’s favorite class is math. Her reasoning: “It’s just not that boring.”
On the golf course, the Reeths-Puffer High School junior has learned that one can solve problems – or prevent them from compounding – by having a short memory.
If only golf were that easy, but McCollum sure made it look that way oftentimes during her magical season, which she capped emphatically.
McCollum captured the MHSAA Division 2 individual state championship Oct. 17-18 at Bedford Valley Golf Course in Battle Creek by shooting a 1-over 73 in the first round and 3-over 75 in the second round to clear the rest of the field by four strokes. She is Reeths-Puffer’s first golf state champion since Karina VanDuinen stunned many by winning it all as a freshman in 2015.
McCollum’s feat is not too surprising, given the eye-popping resume she’s assembled this season with top-10 finishes in all 16 events she played and victories in 11 of them. Still, it’s a very
difficult feat to pull off.
“When I won, I was really happy and excited because I have always wanted to win a state title,” said McCollum, who tied for 17th in the Division 2 state finals last year. “It really didn’t sink in until later in the day or maybe even the next day. I am just super proud of myself and very happy.”
It was a fitting finish to a spectacular season for McCollum, whose notable highlights included medalist honors in these events: Greater Muskegon Athletic Association (second straight year), OK Green Conference, regional and, of course, the MHSAA state finals.
McCollum opened her state finals first round with a bogey, par, and double bogey in the first three holes. She regrouped quickly, playing the next 15 holes without a single bogey and posting a pair of birdies.
“It was the best stretch of golf from tee to green that I have seen at this level,” Reeths-Puffer coach Matt Pallett said. “I hate to use the word ‘easy’ when talking about golf, but the way she played that 73 was easy.”
According to Pallett, McCollum would be the first to say that she did not putt her best in the first round, otherwise her score could’ve been even better.
McCollum’s second round at the state finals started much differently, as she played 1-under golf through her first five holes.
“She had a couple of challenging moments on day two, but all year she answered with big shots when she needed to. She did that again on day two,” Pallett said.
“It was an incredible two days and an incredible year. As good of a player that she is, she is even a better person.”
The 16-year-old daughter of Jake and Karyn McCollum is an excellent student, carrying a GPA pushing 3.9.
Reeths-Puffer junior Olivia Ambler, who qualified for the Division 2 golf state finals as well this season, is one of McCollum’s closest friends. Ambler met McCollum when they were in seventh grade, but Ambler said they didn’t really become friends until their freshman golf season. They grew even closer as sophomores with golf being a common bond.
“I love her. She’s such a bubbly person and she’s very outgoing and open,” Ambler said.
“Socially, she doesn’t automatically go out and do things. She needs a little push, but then once she’s out there, she’s not really afraid to do anything. If she’s with her friends and with people she knows, she’s the type of person you want to be around because she’s fun and she makes you laugh.”
When it comes to golf, McCollum is super serious. She runs track at Reeths-Puffer and participated in cross country in middle school, but golf has always been her No. 1 sport and it’s not close.
Grandparents Wayne and Janet McCollum lived at Stonegate Golf Club when McCollum was little, so she picked up the game at an early age. These days, McCollum works part-time at Stonegate.
She credits her father for her fierce competitiveness and for teaching her the game as well.
“He has a great personality. He has just always taught me to have confidence and to always want to win,” McCollum said.
“I hate losing. It’s, like, the worst thing ever. My dad is really competitive, so I think I get that from him. It’s just so frustrating to lose, especially when you put in a lot of work and stuff.”
McCollum is constantly working on her game. Rick Content of Fremont is her swing coach.
During the summer, she plays on the Callaway/Meijer Junior Tour. She said that practicing and playing a lot helps one learn weaknesses and what needs to be worked on.
McCollum noted that last winter, she began lifting weights with Yosef Johnson, who is an athletic trainer/consultant for Reeths-Puffer. Despite being on the diminutive side at 5-foot-4 and 117 pounds, McCollum said that strength training has paid big dividends for her, especially off the tee, as she’s gained 35-40 yards on her driving average, which is now in the 235-yard range.
“She gets a lot of swing speed, a lot of time on the range making good contact,” Pallett said. “But, yeah, for a little thing, she hits the ball long and she’s got a real good short game to go with it.”
This season, McCollum averaged 77.5 in 18-hole events and 37.4 in nine-hole OK Green jamborees. Her best score was a 1-under 71 she shot in winning the GMAA tourney at Chase Hammond Golf Course, where she came within a foot or so of acing No. 17.
McCollum is interested in playing golf collegiately. She enjoys watching LPGA star Nelly Korda: “Her swing is amazing and she’s just a great golfer. Like, she hits the ball far. She’s really good.”
McCollum appreciates how golf can be an individual and team sport. She admits there is pressure but finds the game relaxing and a great way to meet people.
According to Pallett, maturity and the mental approach to the game are two areas where McCollum has really grown.
“She’s always had the ability, the game. She’s always been really good at chipping and putting, things like that, but in the past she would let a bad shot ruin her round, let it linger,” he said. “Now, she just (let’s go of it) and she just battles right back.”
Added Ambler: “If she has a bad hole, she automatically comes back from it. It’s not something that, like, drags on for the whole round. The mental part’s a huge part because if you hit one bad shot, you’re like, ‘Crap,’ and then the whole hole can go bad. (The mental component) is a big part of it.”
Pallett just completed his fourth season as Reeths-Puffer’s head coach for girls golf. He teaches at Reeths-Puffer Middle School and met McCollum there. He knew he needed to start building the golf program, so he urged middle-school students to pick up the game: McCollum being one of those students.
You might say that McCollum was already well familiar with golf, so she was on board with Pallett’s plan to grow the program.
Now, look at what she and the Rockets are accomplishing.
“Obviously, we are very proud of the year that she had. It is quite remarkable to play that great of golf and that consistent of golf all year. Golf is not an easy sport,” Pallett said. “She actually had a little injury early in the season that many people do not know about.”
Said McCollum: “I’m really proud of myself and the season I had. It was a really great and exciting season. I’m really happy with what I accomplished. I expected to have a good season, but definitely not as good of a season that I had.”
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