As a child, Nick Geyer was given a slew of sporting options.
On his sixth birthday, Geyer’s father, David, gave him a baseball glove, a hockey stick, a tennis racket, a basketball and a golf club.
“We just started to go through all of them, and golf is the one that ended up sticking,” Geyer said.
Even though his father played college football and never took up golf seriously, he caddied a tender-aged Geyer to the golf course to chip balls.
Fifteen years later, Geyer is the newest winner of the New Mexico-West Texas Amateur Championship.
“My dad has been there for me every step of the way, from day one,” Geyer said.
It was a victory that the Sun Country Amateur Golf Association hailed as “a dominant performance” that will “surely go down as one of the best victories in tournament history.”
Geyer, in a field of about 100, finished five-under par at Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club. He led the field by no fewer than three strokes throughout the tournament.
“I played pretty consistently all week,” Geyer said. “I got it going pretty good in the first round, and I was able to maintain (that) post five-under par, which helped me sustain the lead.”
Head coach Glen Millican said Geyer has come a long way.
“Nick has definitely calmed down more from his first couple of years,” he said. “He used to get either a little too high when things were going well or a little too frustrated when things weren’t going his way.”
But he’s curbed that, and it showed in the tournament.
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With the help of two eagles at the sixth and 12th holes, Geyer ended day one with an opening-round score of 67, a tournament best. He followed up with a second-round 70 to land him at seven-under par before wrapping up the third round with a 74.
After taking a year off to focus on academics in 2007-08, Geyer said he’s feeling better than ever.
“That whole year allowed me to analyze my game, figure out my weak points, and try to make my weak points my stronger points,” Geyer said. “I think it was really beneficial, and I’d like to think that my game has improved since that year.”
The sabbatical allowed him to graduate with his bachelor’s in communication and management. Now he’s working on his master’s in sports administration, while on track to having a successful senior campaign.
With one year of college eligibility, Geyer said he’s looking forward to what the future has in store.
“Turning professional is definitely in my future at some point, I hope,” Geyer said. “I’d love to try to make a living doing something I love this much.”
