This is part of a series about Comox Valley student athletes who are moving onto the next level in their sport.
Nick Torry has been playing golf for just five years, but he’s swung his way to an athletic scholarship at an Oregon university.
A native of Calgary, the 18-year-old Highland Secondary graduate picked up golf at age 13 after his family moved to Missouri City, Texas. They’ve lived in the Comox Valley for two years.
In August, Torry leaves for Salem, Ore. where he will attend Corban University.
“Very excited,” he said. “They have a very competitive golf team. Very young team with a young coach. We compete with some of the best schools in the Pacific Northwest.”
Torry has had his share of success in Canada. He’s been the Zone 6 (North Island) junior champion the last two years. Recently, he won a Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) event in Morgan Creek, Surrey. But his best-ever round happened in a district championship tournament in Texas, where he fired off a 66.
“I shot 71, 66 to win the tournament by one. That was the best I ever played,” said Torry, who competes at the B.C. juniors next month in Kamloops.
He says his father Brad has helped him reach a competitive level in golf. He also credits local recruiting consultant Bill Green, who has been a big help in terms of logistics and moral support.
Torry sent about 250 cover letters and resumes to potential colleges and universities, of which 25 or so responded. With help from his family and from Green, he whittled the number down to eight in the Pacific Northwest. Then he visited the campuses.
“I like to think of it as a three-step program,” Torry said. “The fourth step would be committing to one.”
He had considered Northwest Christian University in Eugene and Arizona Christian University, but chose Corban after meeting the team at a retreat in Arizona, and after playing nine holes with coach Tom Graves.
“The deciding factor for me was meeting all the team and the coaches, and the hospitality,” Torry said. “For them to welcome me like that, it was great.”