In the Spotlight: Kyle Mueller
9/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Sept. 17, 2014
After winning the Wolverine Intercollegiate in his very first collegiate event, one would think that Kyle Mueller would be on top of the world. Instead, he was calm and collected and really just looked forward to the next opportunity to go out and play. That he did. He and his teammate, Chris O'Neill, led the Wolverines at the challenging and U.S. Open set up at the Olympia Fields Country Club/Fighting Illini Invitational, both posting top-25 finishes. So, to say Kyle's college career has gotten off to a great start is an understatement. Four of his first six rounds have been under par, and he leads the team in scoring. However, if you asked Kyle, he wouldn't even know his stats. He would rather tell you about a teammate and what they did. It's this type of attitude that has already made a huge impression on the team as he will be the first to tell you U-M is looking forward to big things this season, not just what he does. As the Wolverines continued their prep work for the Windon Memorial Classic, Kyle took a few minutes from practice to talk with MGoBlue.com's spotlight segment.
On if he imagined a better start to his collegiate career ... "Yea, it has been fun. I could not have asked for a better start to the year. I know we didn't play as well as we wanted to in our second tournament of the year, but we are looking forward to this week in Chicago. Hopefully, we can walk away another victory."
On if he feels the start to his career his highlighted too much individually ... "No I don't feel that way at all. I am just one of the guys on this team. I just try to go out and play the best that I can each and every week. Everyone is trying to do the same thing, and that is play well for each other. We don't really focus on individual results but rather what we do as a team."
On how he describes his game ... "I am known for my scrambling and scoring. I am not the best ball striker. I putt decent. I just scramble around the course. So, course management is the key for me."
On how he has capitalized on his in-round adjustments over the first two events ... "Over my high school and beginning of my collegiate career here, you just realize that you are going to hit bad shots, and it's how do you bounce back from them. You cannot really let them get in the way of the next shot. You just have to settle down and focus on the next one. It's literally just one shot at a time."
On an early comparison of Athens, Ga., to Ann Arbor, Mich. ... "I have loved it so far. Ann Arbor is a lot like Athens. It just has that same feel. Winter has not come around just yet, so I cannot really talk about that yet (laughing). However, it has been great so far. Making the adjustment has not been an issue."
On if he has ever experience snow ... "I have experienced two days of winter. Winter for us down south is 38 degrees, and every couple of years you get a chance of snow."
On having parents in Ann Arbor for the Wolverine Invitational and witnessing his first collegiate win ... "It was great. It was really, really special having them here. It was the first tournament they have been able to get to in quite a while, but for me to get that victory was just a wonderful moment. I just wanted to make them proud."
On if winning his first collegiate event has really sunk in yet ... "Not really. It still hasn't really sunk it. I feel like when the season is over and I take a look back at it, it will sink in. Right now, I just want to concentrate on having that same result every week."
On comparing Georgia's Sanford Stadium to U-M's Big House ... "Well it is certainly not as many people. The Big House is definitely a big atmosphere. I mean it is the Big House. How can you really go wrong with that?"
On something we don't know about him ... "I love to fish. I went and bought a fishing pole the other day. I debated about bringing mine up here. There are just too many good ponds around here not to throw in a cast every now and then."
On what is it about fishing that is so special to him ... "There are just so many things about it. It's just a little bit of everything. I just really enjoy it so much."
• Previous Spotlight: Bryce Evon
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
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