When it comes to professional sports, men’s golf is known as a gentleman’s game for the mature audience.

For Oakland University Men’s Golf newcomer Evan Bowser, it was a natural attraction to a sport that takes the backseat to many other American favorites.

“Ever since I was young, golf has always appeared to be a fun sport,” Bowser said. “I frequently watch it on television and enjoy both playing and watching.”

 

An early attraction

For the average elementary kid, when asked what their favorite sport might be, they might answer with basketball, football, baseball or hockey. A large portion of television attention is directed toward those four major sports.

“Golf has always been the sport I have excelled in,” Bowser said. “It’s not always about shooting a low score on the course for me as it is also about having fun.”

Learning golf wasn’t always fun for Bowser.  The business of learning the sport that requires long walks and a test of patience presented some of his bigger challenges in life.

“Golf’s challenges have always brought out the best in me not only on the course but also as a person,” Bowser said. “The sport has led me to expect more out of myself.”

 

Patience is a virtue

As a student at Dearborn High School, Bowser was a four-year honor roll student, as well as, a member of the National Honor Society. He also played dual sports, lettering in golf and as a defenseman in hockey.

His high school career also saw accomplishments that included posting medalist honors at the Mega-Red tournament as a freshman, earning medalist honors in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons at the conference championship and being elected to All-State Dream Team by MIGCA (Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association) as a senior.

As easy as it would be to reel off such achievements, Bowser considers it easier said than done.

“I always strive to be the best both athletically and academically,” Bowser said. “Keeping up with my grades and playing a sport all throughout high school was sometimes challenging but it made me a better person today.”

That hard work eventually paid off before graduating high school as Bowser was named the Van Patrick Award recipient given to the top athlete in Dearborn after senior season.

The honor is something that he serves as a humbling experience that perhaps showed that he could be ready for the college level of sports after being inducted into the Dearborn Sports Hall of Fame.

“It is incredible to think of all the talented athletes that went through the city over all the years and being able to join the City of Dearborn Sports Hall of Fame,” Bowser said.

“Every school day for all four years of high school from November to June required me to attend over two hours of practice time and many other weekends with hockey games.”

 

A hole in one 

With the many accomplishments in his high school career, OU Men’s Golf head coach Russ Cunningham considers the step to the college ranks and choosing Oakland as a natural challenge Bowser was meant to do.

“Oakland’s participation in Division 1 athletics are also very important as I can compete for a D-1 national championship,” Bowser said. “Oakland’s great academics and the degree it can provide is the most important thing.”

“I knew about Evan before I started at Oakland,” Cunningham said.  “He had been shooting great scores for several years and I think it was one of those things that was just meant to be.”

Bowser has gotten off to a fast start in his first year at OU with notable performances.

The pre-business major finished tied for 4th (70-70) after stroke play at the Michigan Amateur competition during the summer.

Bowser also posted four rounds in the 60s, including tying the school record with a 65 (-6) in the final round of UD Fall Invitational, while becoming the first freshman to win a golf tournament in school history in what proved to be a test of freshman nerves. 

“I was pretty nervous for the first few holes of my first college golf tournament,” Bowser said. “The best way to transition into the college season is to try and continue playing golf like nothing is different.”

Bowser is looking to continue with achieving school history at OU in his first year as a Golden Grizzly looking to achieve other school firsts in the golf program.

“I hope to help lead the team to many more tournament wins this season,” Bowser said.  “The ultimate goal of the season would be to win the first conference championship for Oakland University and make an appearance at NCAA Regional.”

  

Contact Staff Reporter Allen Jordan at [email protected] or follow on Twitter @aj1218