In New York, Conor McKenna has picked up right where he left off last season, enjoying an excellent start to his sophomore year with St Thomas Aquinas College.
McKenna hit the ground running with two top-five finishes in his first two events, highlighted by a superb display to secure a runner-up finish in Pennsylvania during his second tournament. This stellar performance builds beautifully on a remarkable maiden season in the States, where he recorded four top-five finishes and earned a national division ranking of 389.
Meanwhile, over in Texas, Jayden Tucknott has also enjoyed an excellent start to his final year at junior college with North Central Texas College.
Tucknott opened his campaign strong with a top-10 finish at the season opener in Oklahoma.
Following that up at altitude in New Mexico, he carded some exceptional early-season golf to finish his second event two under par.
His week there was highlighted by a superb, college personal-best 67 (five under par) in the final round, clawing his way up the leaderboard in a low-scoring thriller where the winning score was a remarkable 18-under par.
Over in the Carolinas, another former junior Island player, Charlie Bowen, hit the ground running as he made his collegiate debut for the University of Mount Olive.
It was Bowen’s first time playing at this elite level of competition at Edgewater GC, a course measuring over 7,000 yards.
Showing great composure, he improved every round shooting 76, 75, 74 with a total of nine birdies to finish nine over par in a tie for 23rd place – an outstanding effort for his opening weekend in the US college ranks.
Across in the Midwest, Jack Gilbey is due to make his debut for DePauw University at the Wabash Invitational in Indianapolis.
Due to the quality of the competing field, the tournament has been designated as a World Amateur Golf Ranking event.
The course, Broadmoor, which has been used for US Open qualifying, provides a great test, renowned for treacherous, lightning-fast greens.
The Tigers have enjoyed an excellent start to the season, beating 43 other teams to win their last event in Wisconsin.
US College golf is home to the most competitive amateur golf leagues in the world, and student-athletes typically compete in internal qualifying to try and make the travelling team for each tournament.
There are currently five young Sarnians playing college golf across the pond.
Tanner Austin, meanwhile, has been named a Golf Coach Coaches Association of America 'Cobalt All-America scholar’, one of the most prestigious awards in college golf.
Austin plays for the DePauw Tigers in the North Coast Athletic Conference.
The national award combines golfing and academic excellence, and recipients also have to demonstrate ‘high moral character’.
Austin has taken a break from golf this summer and is studying in Austria this term. He will be returning to college golf next year.
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