Senior Jin Song wanted to become a professional soccer player as a young boy, until he was introduced to the game of golf.
"I wasn't as big as my friends who also played soccer, so I had to find something else," Song said. "One day, my dad took me to the driving range and I really loved it."
The interdisciplinary studies major continued to pursue a future with the game after moving to Scottsdale with his family in 2001. After moving to Arizona, playing golf at ASU became his dream.
Song moved toward making his dream a reality while playing competitively at Pinnacle Peak High School.
However, he garnered no recruitment interest from ASU by the end of his junior year. It was then up to Song to make it happen and contacted then-ASU coach Randy Lein.
"I sent him my scores, and he told me he wanted to see more from me before giving me a chance," Song said.
Song responded to the coach's challenge and put up a stellar senior season.
He claimed victory in every one of his matches, the Arizona High School 5A division super regional and the Arizona High School State Championship in 2007.
That year, he also set his school record for average score per nine holes at 34.5 strokes.
It didn't end there. In his senior season, Song was also chosen for both the Arizona Republic and Arizona Tribune Golfer of the Year awards. He also went on to win the Arizona amateur title in 2008.
"After that, he asked me if I wanted to come play for him," Song said.
In his four seasons playing for ASU, Song's scores weren't as good as he hoped, but it didn't hinder the excellent experience he had as a Sun Devil.
"My highlight was playing in the Pac-12 championship in my junior season," Song said. "I also loved going to Japan with the team as a sophomore to compete in the Topy Cup. Playing overseas and experiencing a new culture was very neat."
Song's best tournament finish while at ASU came at the Topy Cup when he tied for 16th in 2010.
Playing golf at ASU also helped Song grow as a person.
"I learned a lot," Song said. "I went through a lot of swing and mechanical changes. I also learned to be more patient and hard-working, which has made me more mature and able to handle different things better off the course."
As a fifth-year senior, Song only had one class to manage during the spring semester, which allowed him to focus most of his time to improving his game. His added time put into golf is contributing toward a greater goal.
"I'm turning pro this summer and starting off by playing in mini tours locally," Song said. "My ultimate goal is to play in the PGA Tour, so I'm going to keep working hard to get there."
If things don't work out for Song as an athlete, he said he would like to find work within the golf industry either working for a golf equipment company or at a golf club. Although, whatever happens with his athletic career, he is happy to have had the game in his life.
"Some of the best memories I have are playing against my dad when we had similar skills," Song said. "That was really fun for me."
Reach the reporter at adrian.martinez.1@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @AthruZ_14
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