Choo One Last Shot At Another Pac-10 Title
April 24, 2011
The Huskies are preparing for the 2011 Pac-10 Championships, which begins Friday, April 29 and runs through May 1, and for two seniors it will be their last chance to win another conference title. Tze Huang Choo joins Kevin Spooner as one of two Husky seniors, and he has a chance to help UW to a possible school record third consecutive title. Choo has seen a lot in his time at Washington and he recently got together with GoHuskies.com to discuss what he has seen over the last four years.
GoHuskies.com: How has the UW golf program developed and evolved since you arrived on campus?
Tze Huang Choo: We have been winning a lot, the team is amazing. We struggled my freshman year, but now the coaching staff and the team have developed a great deal. We now know what it takes to be the best in the country. That stood out the most (our development).
GoHuskies.com: What experiences have you drawn upon from playing with All Americans like Nick Taylor and Richard Lee?
Tze Huang Choo: They are both great guys on and off the golf course. I am pretty good friends with Nick and I am really good friends with Richard. They are both great golfers, great guys, they taught me a lot. I talked to Richard a lot about my game and my life and how to handle myself on and off the course. I think Nick was younger than me, but he showed me his maturity and how to behave.
GoHuskies.com: You took fall quarter off to play in Asia. Tell me about that experience and what you learned from it.
Tze Huang Choo: I took the fall quarter off to train for the "Asian Games", one of the biggest amateur golf events in Asia. I had the honor of representing my country in the games. I had to take part in the qualifiers, part of the Olympic council, and decided that I would be missing a lot of school, so the best option was for me to take the whole quarter off. I played 14 events, including the Asian Games, in four months. I was traveling a lot, in and out of the airports, it taught me a lot about the life that I could live out on tour, traveling. I need to get in shape, physically and mentally, and get the right preparation and goals going into my life with golf. My game has been up and down lately, but that stretch in Asia really taught me how to get things right if I am going to make it with professional golf.
GoHuskies.com: What do you plan to do when you graduate?
Tze Huang Choo: My plan right now is to go back to Asia and start [my pro career] from there, it is cheaper there. I hope to play as much as I can and gain the most amount of experience as possible. And when that happens, over the years, I hope to try the PGA tour.
GoHuskies.com: How has the UW team changed since the end of last year to your return last quarter?
Tze Huang Choo: Not really, everyone is passionate, looking to do well in golf as well as school. Everyone has really learned from what has happened from before and moving forward this year.
GoHuskies.com: What can you take from the experience of playing in college moving forward?
Tze Huang Choo: Everything, from golf to being a student/athlete to playing on the highest level with all the other athletes across the country and playing some of the best golf courses in the world.
GoHuskies.com: Why did you choose UW?
Tze Huang Choo: The city of Seattle is awesome. UW is a well-known historic school, the campus is wonderful. The coach, Matt Thurmond, encouraged me and really showed his appreciation on my recruiting trip. He clearly showed me how much he wanted me to represent the UW.
GoHuskies.com: What is it like being one of two seniors on the team and are there any added leadership duties that you have taken on?
Tze Huang Choo: Well there is a pressure there. Kevin is the team captain, he has really set a great example. But I do see the pressure on myself to finish the season off well. It is not my freshman year, where I would have three years to contribute to the team, so this year I am trying to contribute both on and off the golf course, as a teammate and as a competitor. The whole team experience, when I came to the U.S. is a new thing for me. Coach has really taught me about being a team player, caring more about others and putting their interests before mine. I am just trying to do as much as I can and set a good example.
GoHuskies.com: What do you think about Seattle, any favorite places or hobbies?
Tze Huang Choo: I need to get a hobby, because golf is everything and that is not good (laughing). When I am not golfing I am pretty much always studying.
GoHuskies.com: What is your major and why did you choose it?
Tze Huang Choo: American Ethnic Studies. I find it really interesting as a major, coming from a different background (ethnicity), learning about all of the racial issues and things like that in America. I thought I could relate to it, it caught my attention.
GoHuskies.com: What is the best part of your game and why?
Tze Huang Choo: Putting, my stroke. I play the best when I putt well. Looking back on my college career, whenever I have a good week it always comes down to putting. I work on it a lot, at home usually.
GoHuskies.com: Who is your favorite pro golfer?
Tze Huang Choo: Ernie Els, his whole temperament and attitude. I am fiery and quick tempered, I really admired the way he carries himself. I never really watch golf, but I like to watch Ernie play. I really need to learn a lot from him, and take the best of him into my personality. Be cool and more level minded.
GoHuskies.com: What will you remember most about your time at UW?
Tze Huang Choo: The whole team experience and traveling. I will also miss the campus a lot and Seattle, it's a great city, there is so much to do in a small area, its is so convenient. It is one of the nicest campus around, very unique and cozy.
