43
Boo Timko eyes PGA Tour after finishing college career at Ohio State
Photo
Boo Timko, former Warren JFK and Canfield golf standout, tees off Wednesday at Avalon Golf & Country Club in Howland. Timko now is a member of the men’s golf team at Ohio State.
Ohio State golfer has eyes on PGA Tour after finishing college
By Ryan Buck
howland
Mahoning Valley native and Ohio State golfer Boo Timko has never been shy about his career aspirations.
The NCAA proudly advertises that most of its student-athletes will go pro in something other than sports.
Timko, 21, respectfully wants to be the exception.
The 2011 Canfield graduate — who began his high school career at Warren JFK — wants to play professional golf once he earns his degree.
He has dreamt of it long before the idealistic commercial started running continuously every March during the NCAA basketball tournament.
“It’s still my goal and No. 1 objective for after school’s out,” said Timko, who was back home for summer break recently. “It’s what I’ve always wanted to do, and I think it’s possible if I work hard at it.”
If his recent performance at one of Ohio’s most prestigious tournaments is any indication, he is well on his way.
Timko and Tyler Light, of Massillon, shared honors for low
amateur at last week’s 90th annual Northern Ohio PGA Minute Men Ohio Open.
A 7-under par 205 over three rounds at Westfield Group Country Club was good enough for a three-way tie for seventh place.
Last summer, Timko finished second in the Ohio Public Links Championship.
Sorrounded by players he hopes to join in two years, Timko is honing the aspects of the game he knows will get him there.
“It’s so important,” he said of enriching his physical gifts with an emphasis on the focus to compete at that level. “I try to stress the mental side of the game.”
His time at Ohio State is helping him develop that part of his game.
“Being there I’ve gotten better physically for sure,” he said. “Mentally, I’m learning and getting better knowing how to handle myself on the course and getting the confidence to hit the shot that’s required at the time.”
OSU head golf coach Donnie Darr, an NCAA All-American at Kent State who built a reputation coaching the likes of PGA star Rickie Fowler at Oklahoma State, has instilled confidence and course-savvy in the precocious junior.
“He knows what it takes to win tournaments and how to think around the golf course,” Timko said.
Darr has also helped him overcome the adversity inevitable with every round of golf.
“People start pressing. One of the biggest keys is to know one or two bogeys aren’t going to hurt you,” Timko said.
As a sophomore last season, Timko led the Buckeyes with a 72.96 stroke average in tournament play. He was named second-team All-Big Ten Conference and finished fourth at the conference championship.
He also led a young Buckeyes team in scoring in three of their final four tournaments in the spring.
“The last few tournaments I was really working hard on how to think around the course and it’s such a fine line,” Timko said. “I didn’t practice harder or play harder, but the results came with it.”
He is hoping to help his teammates, mostly juniors and sophomores, grow the way he has.
“With that, the other guys can see the importance of the mental side of the game,” he said. “We’re really looking forward to the next few seasons.”
The Ohio Open was a microcosm of his growth where he rebounded from an inconsistent opening round brought on by a weather delay that suspended play until the following morning.
His second-round 64 was a tournament low.
“The things I’m working on are translating into some good results,” he said before returning to the practice range. “To finish where I did was a good sign of things to come.”