Kingsley crowned champion in Colorado

USD golfer achieves his dream of winning a collegiate tournament 

Mari Olson / Sports Editor / The USD Vista

University of San Diego redshirt junior golfer, Harrison Kingsley, came back from his summer break ready to take over this season, and has already shown that he’s up to the challenge. 

Kingsley won his first collegiate tournament at the Mark Simpson Invitational, hosted by the  University of Colorado Boulder at the Colorado National Golf Course on Tuesday, Sept. 28.

He shot a tournament record 15-under with scores of 67, 68, and 66 over three rounds of golf in two days. As a team, USD golf placed 4th out of 17 schools.

Kingsley’s main goal at the beginning of the season was to win a college tournament. 

“Now that I accomplished my first goal of winning, which is pretty cool to do in the first two tournaments, I want to win multiple times during the season,” Kingsley said. 

After the golf team’s first tournament in New Mexico, where they placed 4th overall and Kinglsey finished 13th out of 100 individual players, he was ready to move on to the next challenge in Colorado. 

“I wasn’t making as many putts in New Mexico,” Kingsley explained. “I just had to keep the confidence up, and not be discouraged about not making as many putts.” 

Kingsley talked about how important it is to know oneself and the game. 

“Another thing I took away from New Mexico was basically to trust in my game and in my process. I went into Colorado almost relaxed and comfortable in a way, so that I was able to just go and do it rather than think about the result,” Kingsley said. 

Kingsley knew after the first day in Colorado that he had a real shot of winning the tournament.

“After the first two rounds I was four strokes back, so I was thinking in my head the night before the last round that I had a very good chance if I went out and put up a good score the next day,” Kingsley said. “It’s always the goal when you show up to a tournament, you’re trying to win.” 

Kingsley was able to best two other golfers to pull through for the win on the last hole. He finished before one of his close competitors came down the course, so Kingsley had a chance to watch his win become cemented. 

“It was pretty incredible, honestly,” Kingsley said. “It’s been my dream to win a college golf event like, forever, basically, and I’ve gotten close quite a few times when it hadn’t fallen my way, and for it to fall my way this time was exhilarating.” 

Kingsley admitted that he couldn’t quite keep his emotions in check after his first college win. 

“I was on FaceTime with my mom and my girlfriend right after I won and honestly it was kind of tough to hold it together because of the fact that I put so much time and effort into this game and it’s my passion,” Kingsley said. “For it to finally pay off was an emotional overload of joy and happiness but also that your hard work has paid off. I was trying to keep it together but it all kind of hit me at once.” 

Kingsley’s other goals include being an All-American this season, which means he is ranked among the top 30 collegiate golfers in the country. He’s also looking ahead to a professional golf career after college, where he wants to play on the Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA) tour. 

Kingsley is 100 percent confident in his abilities to reach the biggest stage in his sport, and USD’s golf program is helping him reach those professional dreams. Head coach, Chris Riley, played on the PGA tour himself for 15 years, as well as in the Ryder Cup, which is the highest level of competition for team golf in the professional arena. 

“Coach [Chris] Riley and Coach Sam Foust, I enjoy having them caddy for me, helping me on the course with the mental side of the game and the decision making on the golf course,” Kingsley said. “I believe coach Riley and his success playing professionally helps me as a mentor so that I have a good idea of the process and what it takes to make it in professional golf as well as tips, guidance on how to get there and how to stay on the PGA tour.” 

Kingsley will play golf at USD for another season after this one, and plans to use these two years as better preparation for his professional career. He also hopes that the USD golf team, as a whole, can win a tournament.  

“Winning individually is awesome, but the drive back would be even more exciting if it was a team win. So I definitely want to have a team win and share it with the guys and the coaches,” Kingsley said.

USD golf will play three more tournaments this fall, heading to Reno, Nevada on Oct. 11, to Maui, Hawaii on Oct. 24, and, finally, to Pebble Beach, California on Nov. 8. 

Keep up with USD’s golf team as they begin to take on conference opponents and work toward the NCAA tournament in the spring.