Young Gun

I was dead even with Patrick Rodgers. Albeit through one hole, but we were even. I swear. It didn't last long, which I was mentally prepared for. Things quickly looked bleak for me, at best, standing on the green of the par-5 No. 2 at Prestwick Country Club that refreshingly warm April day, one day before Rodgers and the rest of the Avon boys golf team kicked off their season in a dual meet at The Brickyard. Sure, we both took a par on the opening hole. But as soon as Rodgers' 18-foot birdie putt dropped on No. 2, I knew I had no chance. It was so smooth, so easy for the 14-year-old freshman - while I was desperately trying to remember what exactly that felt like from my days as a decent high school golfer not too long ago. After that birdie, he was already in my head. So much so that my duck-hook tee shot on No. 3 went out of bounds. Poor excuse, but that tee shot officially marked the end of "competition" between the writer, mostly a has-been on the course these days, and the budding young star. Rodgers and I proceeded to play three more holes and if it was much more than that, my pride would have gone terribly sour. It wasn't the 12-footer he drained on No. 4 for birdie, helping him finish 2-under through our five holes, that was his most impressive feat. Instead it was Rodgers' 'worst' hole, No. 3, when his true wisdom on the links became apparent. "This is for par," he said while lining up his putt on No. 3, this after his approach shot veered wide-left and a pitch left him about eight feet from the cup. "You've got to make these. This is where tournaments are won." I stood, watched and waited. Drain-O. Bottom of the cup. Well said and well done, Patrick. The kid knows a thing or two about tournaments, believe it or not, having traveled the country the past three years while playing on the Plantations Junior Golf Tour as well as the Future Collegians World Tour (FCWT). For most freshmen less than 24 hours from their first high school athletic competition, on the varsity level nonetheless, nerves are wound tight - especially considering the level of expectation that comes with being a legit scratch golfer. Nope, not Rodgers. He wasn't thinking at all about standing on the first tee at The Brickyard the following day - where he wound up shooting a 2-over par 38 to help the Orioles beat Speedway. "You just have to put things in the big picture," he said, talking about any stress he might feel when the moment came. "What's the worst thing that could happen? I hit a bad shot? Thinking that way helps me relax and that's the part of the mental game that has allowed me to be pretty consistent." Consistent to the point where his lack of distance, compared to many of his peers, is a non-factor. Rodgers doesn't struggle getting off the tee, knocking it about 240, but that's done with a 5-foot-8, 120-pound frame. Adolescence is a funny thing. Having grown at least three inches since the start of the school year, Rodgers is right in the middle of a growth spurt that will change his game dramatically. His dad, Charlie, says he himself grew six inches between his freshman and sophomore years before topping out at 6-foot-5. But for now, his son is simply taking things in stride. "I'm definitely not fully developed like my dad yet, but that actually makes me excited because once I get bigger, my distance will come," said Rodgers, who fairly recently started a golf-specific workout regimen. "I'm just waiting for it to happen, trying to focus on what I have now and make the best of it." And what he has now is a short game that is one part Phil Mickelson creativity and one part Tiger Woods mechanics. It is also short game that has led him to being honored as an All-American for the 13-15 age group within the FCWT. Along with the high accolades on the course at such a young age, Rodgers is also garnering high accolades in the classroom. It's his focus on schoolwork that has Charlie and his wife, Judy, being so accommodating when it comes to their son's golf schedule. "Traveling for tournaments also creates such a unique bonding experience, from watching him play to sitting in hotel rooms doing almost nothing," Charlie said. "Golf teaches a lot of good lessons, perhaps most importantly how to manage your failures." Many memorable stories have come of the travel as well, one being a night in a hotel room, jumping on beds while watching their beloved St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series. Another top moment came during a tourney trip to North Carolina, when Charlie took Patrick to Duke University's Cameron Indoor Stadium to see his son's favorite player, J.J. Redick, compete in his last home game. Along with previously watching Redick on the basketball court, Rodgers also likes to watch another professional do his job - the aforementioned Tiger Woods. Listening to him explain his admiration for Woods, Rodgers is quick to point out some characteristics he tries to emulate. "I look at his mental edge; the way he can concentrate and focus all the time," he said. "Tiger is really what got me into golf and he's what got a lot of kids into golf. I just love watching him play, mostly because of the way he intimidates other players in a sport where you can't say much or do anything physically." Although Rodgers isn't quite as intimidating as Woods just yet, he's at least scratching the surface through his practice schedule, maturity level and mental preparation that finds him far ahead of the curve for most players his age. When he speaks, the intelligence is almost uncanny. "The competitive edge has always been in me. I'm a perfectionist really, so that's not going anywhere," Rodgers noted. "Obviously in golf, like anybody who has played it knows, you're going to have a lot of failures. I try to keep in perspective that I know I'm going to fail a lot, but still think that I'm going to win every time." Yeah, it might be sinking that eight-foot par putt that wins tournaments on the scorecard. But the reason is between the ears that the freshman is in position to become one of the state's top high school players when all is said and done. "His maturity level, in my opinion, is more like a junior or senior," Avon coach Brent Sailor said, going on to talk about Rodgers' talent on the course. "I think it's right there for him. It's there for the taking." BREAKOUT BOX Patrick Rodgers' Favorites Favorite food, cooked by mom or dad? Steak and baked potatoes. Favorite local course to play? Country Club of Indianapolis Favorite national course to play? Kapalua Plantation Course (Maui, Hawaii) Favorite club in the bag? Putter because that's where you score Favorite vacation spot? Carlsbad, Calif., the best place for golf in the country Favorite TV show? SportsCenter Favorite athlete, other than Tiger Woods? J.J. Redick, the best shooter to ever play at Duke