Freshman Jack Mulligan of UR Men’s Golf was honored as Men’s Golf Rookie of the Week by the Liberty League last week. Mulligan landed 55th place at the Jekyll Island Invitational last weekend. This will be Mulligan’s fifth recognition by the Liberty League.
When did you first become interested in golf and why?
Most of my family always played, so I got into it at a young age. Particularly my grandpa and dad started to teach me about the swing and how to play. I played lots of team sports as a kid, but started to become interested in the individual aspect of golf. I liked that having a personal score could always keep myself accountable for how I play. Once I started HS, I began to strictly focus on golf.
What have you enjoyed about your first year on the UR team so far?
It has been great interacting with people of differing ages and backgrounds. I think this is representative of the Rochester experience as a whole. I feel like I have become really close with all of my teammates, and it is also nice being able to have some close friends that are juniors and seniors. They have been helpful in advising based on their experience and I really value that.
What is your favorite moment in your golf career?
Definitely qualifying for and playing in the state tournament with my high school team for junior and senior year. It was something that we had worked toward and talked about since we were really young. It was awesome to be able to achieve that with some of my closest friends. I think our team here has really great potential and I look forward to playing NCAAs with them.
What does it mean to you to be honored by the Liberty League?
It means being a part of a group of really successful athletes and students. The Liberty League is made up of lots of good schools that are consistently successful on a national level. Rochester has so much success in the Liberty League and it is cool being a small contribution to that.
What do you hope to improve on throughout your career at the U of R?
I would say for myself, just taking baby steps. Improving my golf game and all aspects of my life a little bit each day will make a huge impact on the end result. Though, the bigger focus would be becoming even closer with my teammates and figuring out how we can push each other to be better. As much as I enjoy the individuality of the sport, this is my last opportunity to play in a team setting. Coming to Rochester, I really looked forward to being on a consistently top-tier team and we always have room to get closer and compete for each other.
Do you have a favorite professional golf player, and if so who?
Jordan Spieth, without a doubt. I admire how he has handled such great success at a young age. He has amazing mental strength, which I think is necessary to be a great athlete. He isn’t that fancy of a player, yet he has managed to already win a lot on the PGA Tour with many years ahead of him.
Do you enjoy playing any other sports? If so, what?
Baseball and basketball. Unfortunately, I’m not so good at baseball anymore but still enjoy watching the MLB. I can still scrap it around a bit on the basketball court. Actually, the UR Golf intramural basketball team is currently in the third round of the playoffs, so look for some noise out of the golf team on the court.
Do you enjoy playing mini golf?
Yes I do. My Grandma always wants to play mini golf when my family visits them in the summer, so it probably reminds me of her. It’s definitely a fun way to mix things up and makes it more interesting for people who find conventional golf boring.
