Q & A With Chris Killmer
May 9, 2007
The Washington men's golf team is getting ready to head south to Tempe, Ariz., for the NCAA West Regional, May 17-19. On the line for the Huskies will be a berth for a ninth-straight trip to the NCAA Championships as the top-10 teams at regionals earn their way to the team finals. Sophomore transfer Chris Killmer has emerged as a great new addition to the team and as a newcomer is second only to senior Alex Prugh in stroke average. Ever since winning the individual title at the Washington National Winter Championships for the UW JV team, Killmer has especially come into his own as a steady player in the UW lineup. Killmer took some time to talk to GoHuskies.com this week about what led to him transferring from Cal State Bakersfield, how his first season as a Husky is going and what his goals are for next week's regionals.
GoHuskies: When did you start playing golf?
Chris Killmer: "I started playing golf when I was very young--around four years old. I have an older brother who is eight years older than me, and him, my father, and my grandfather love to play golf, so I just tagged along with them. From early on I just putted around, but that is what really got me going. I played in my first golf tournament when I was eight years old in California where I lived.
GH: Did you play any other sports growing up?
CK: "Growing up I played a lot of soccer. Then when I went into high school, I had to really decide upon one and at that time I would say that I loved golf, but I liked playing soccer more because it was more exciting for someone who is not that old yet. But I knew that I really liked golf, so I stuck with that and gave up soccer.
GH: Why then did you choose to focus on golf? Were you better at golf than soccer?
CK: "I was not the best at it ability wise. I liked that everything that I did, I did not have to rely on someone else. It was all on me. It was very independent, and I liked that. I did not really like running that much any more I decided. Being on that level in soccer where you had to be very competitive, I did not want to do that. But for golf, I just loved competing, and there was always a chance to get better and to push yourself.
GH: So your brother played golf at Cal State Bakersfield, and your father played soccer at BYU. Did the fact that your brother and father were collegiate athletes influence your decision to do so as well?
CK: "Yeah, for the longest time I thought it would be really cool to be a collegiate soccer player like my dad. Then when my brother went to school, and I saw him playing and having fun I thought that was cooler because with my brother I can relate to him a little more. My brother and I spent a lot of time together, but it was a lot on the course. It was our way bonding, and I really liked hanging out with him so that is what kept me around golf. Plus he is not much of a runner either, so kicking soccer balls with him was not really an option."
GH: You had a great freshman year at Cal State Bakersfield, describe your experience there.
CK: "My experience there was very good. That season was a lot of fun. Coming in I felt like I had a lot of expectations for me. All the other guys on the team were California boys and they don't really recruit outside the state. I was the first one to really come in from the outside. Knowing my brother was there, I wanted to break his records and play well. My coach thought I could and I was around my grandfather, who also lives out there. I had a lot of support and people kind of helped me. I was very comfortable and the team was very supportive as well. When I played my first tournament of 36 holes, it really sealed the deal and I just got really comfortable with everybody."
GH: So what led to your decision to transfer to the University of Washington?
CK: "When I got down there, there was a lot of talk of this school. The whole school was making a change from division two to division one. When I heard they were going division one, they have restrictions of no postseason play for four years. I'd be playing the rest of my career for season stats. I wasn't going to have the opportunity to play for a national championship or team title, so that really bothered me. I had played in two junior national championships and one at Cal State where we got third. When I won the Phil Mickelson Award for rookie of the year, I had kind of made a statement. I asked coach for a letter of release down there and just the fact that they would be division one and playing for nothing really led me away."
GH: Did you have any previous connections with Washington?
CK: "I had talked with them (UW coaches Matt Thurmond and Jon Reehoorn) my senior year (of high school) and I came down on an unofficial visit because it was so close. I got a tour of the UW and I had been to all kinds of games and I had liked it a lot. It was still financially expensive without a scholarship for me and I couldn't afford to go otherwise. I talked to them and a couple of other schools and it just kind of worked out."
GH: Was it nice to be back in western Washington?
CK: "It was great to be back actually, I don't mind the rain. If it didn't snow it wouldn't be bad at all. I like being really close to home. Being comfortable in California is one thing, but being home is a different comfort zone."
GH: Have there been any particular teammates that have kind of showed you the ropes in your first year here?
CK: "Early on people kind of took me under their wing and showed me the ropes. I would have to say that I have grown real close to senior Alex Prugh over the year. He is a phenomenal golfer, Erik Olson as well. Being the seniors on the team, they have really helped me whenever I need it whether it be golf or school. I have learned something from everybody on the team and we all have grown closer in my time here so far."
GH: Did you expect to come in and have such an impact on the team this year?
CK: "Coming in I thought that way, but I had a real tough summer and it took a lot to come to the UW. I was in school a lot and I had only played two events, so my game wasn't in the best shape. I knew that I could still play, but the fall was very disappointing because I struggled a lot. Some of my bad habits from just not playing a lot were showing. I forgot how to play a little, but the last seven or eight weeks I have really started playing well. It's good for me because I am finally starting to come out and really play well."
GH: What was it like to play in your first Pac-10 Championships?
CK: "It was a lot of fun. You show up to a beautiful golf course and I had a lot of confidence going in because I had played the course before. Everything is just perfect and you know that it means a lot because the Pac-10 is by far the hardest division. I think, hands down, we have the best teams in the nation. It is almost like a mini-national championship. It was a lot of fun."
GH: How will that experience help you heading into regionals?
CK: "With regionals next week, we are the 12th seed. The past few years we have been about a 12 seed and we are really a kind of fighting team. In Pac-10's we really showed a lot of that fight because a lot of guys got off to some bad starts and we were able to battle back. Everybody fought hard, so going to a course that we had seen, we knew we could beat the teams in front of us. The advantage in golf is that you can really just focus on yourself and not so much the other teams. We have a good solid five guys going and I think that we have a great opportunity to go out and get it done."
GH: Do you have any particular personal goals that you have set for yourself?
CK: "We have spent a lot of time together, everyone on the team, in the last couple of weeks. As a team we have had an okay year, but we want to go into regionals and nationals without looking back telling ourselves that we should have done something differently. We have put everything out on the table. Even guys that don't like to practice are practicing hard, so we are doing everything that we can do. If we fall short, we can look back and say that we gave it our all and we'll get it next year."
GH: It has been in the 90's lately in Tempe, is the heat something that you guys have to get ready for?
CK: "The heat takes a little bit of a toll on you. We are going to be out there for awhile, but we have been working out really hard. Everybody thinks that the golf team doesn't work very hard, but we do. Everybody is taking the responsibility to get hydrated by drinking a lot of water. You can never get used to the heat."
GH: When you are not playing golf, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
CK: "There are four of us who have been really getting into tennis these days. Some are getting pretty good, but I like to kick the soccer ball around once in awhile as well. We also have a few of us who enjoy playing Guitar Hero together. I really like to enjoy the city of Seattle as well, because we live in such a beautiful place."
GH: What are you majoring in?
CK: "I plan on majoring in Communications. I am in a public speaking class right now and it is a lot of fun."
GH: Anything particular planned for after college?
CK: "I would love to play professional golf, especially when I am seeing Alex (Prugh) getting ready for the pros right now. I am not as good as him right now, but I think that I might be as good as he was when he was my age. Either way I am on the right track, because he has gotten there through this program."
GH: Good luck next week at Regionals!
CK: "Thanks!"
