The University of West Florida Men’s Golf team has had great rosters and amazing success through the years, especially under Coach Steve Fell. Since Fell returned to his alma mater in 1994, UWF has boasted three National Championships and numerous Gulf South Conference Championships, with dozens of All-Conference and all American Honors. Many of these players during this run were from Northwest Florida, but generally only one or two at a time…then something special for our Northwest Florida family occurred: in the last four years, five players transitioned from local Prep and Junior Golf to play on scholarship at UWF.
All of these young men were four-year lettermen on their High School Golf Teams with promising futures. So what has made the difference in talent leaving town versus “staying home?” Perhaps we can look to the local playing programs of the GPJGA. Founded by Hiram and Bonnie Cook of Stonebrook Golf Club in 1990, The Greater Pensacola Junior Golf Association was created to give local prep golfers opportunities to compete during the summer months—a program that hosted participants like Boo Weekley, Heath Slocum and Bubba Watson in the early days.
In 2011, the GPJGA was expanded to include five, two-day 36 hole summer tour events–which along with the three-day Divot Derby and two day Tom Dorsey Classic, Pensacola City Championship, Southern Juniors and A. Downing Gray Invitational—would give junior golfers 10 local opportunities to post scores to the National Junior Golf Scoreboard. Competition began to blossom and college coaches—including Coach Fell—began to take notice.
Redshirt Senior Spencer Olson was the first of the five to sign with the Argos, following in the footsteps of his father Mark (a teammate of Coach Fell’s at UWF and two-time Divot Derby Champion), his older brother Blake, now on the PGA’s Web.Com Tour and his sister Danielle, who played for the Lady Argos. “Spence” is a 2012 Pace Graduate, who won the 2011 Divot Derby in dramatic fashion against now teammate Christian Bosso. Tied on the 54th hole and playing in a steady rain, Spencer hit a shot from the right rough to within a foot on the 18th – and won his title when Bosso’s birdie putt narrowly missed. Olson, who helped Pensacola Catholic HS to three district titles and two regional championships, played in the FHSAA State Championship three years. Majoring in Environmental Science, Olson is also a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.
In 2013 two great friends (and freshman year roommates) Gulf Breeze’s J.R. Schultz and Catholic High’s Joey Stills both made the decision to sign with UWF. Joey, the son of former PGA Tour Player and three-time Divot Derby Champion Adrian Stills, helped his team claim four straight district and regional titles and earned one first team all-area selection. He won the Class 1A District championship as well as the Bryon Nathan championship and made three appearances at the State Tournament, finishing 13th his senior year. Stills was also been named the Pensacola Scholar-Athlete award winner. Joey won the Fort Walton Beach Daily News in 2012 as well as back-to-back Pensacola City Junior Championships in 2012 and 2013. Three down with three to play against his close friend and now teammate Christian Bosso in 2012, Stills birdied two of the last three holes to close the gap and force a playoff. After Bosso drove the green at Osceola’s par four 9th, Stills hit a solid wedge from the center of the fairway to just a few feet to match his competitors two-putt birdie, and held on to win two holes later. Now a redshirt junior and MIS major, Stills has racked up numerous academic honors at UWF, Including induction into the Honor Society’s of Beta Gamma Sigma and Chi Alpha Omega.
Also a Redshirt Junior, J.R. Schultz won the FWB Daily News in 2013, as well as the Divot Derby following an opening round 67—and followed with two solid rounds to keep close friend and teammate Bryce Geraghty from winning four in a row. His prep career feature three regional appearances—including a 67 to win the individual title in 2012 at Seminole Golf Course in Tallahassee–and two state championship appearances as well. Definitively the team comedian, “Chino” has played 13 tournaments thus far for the Argos, is a Business Finance and Management Major.
The following year Christian Bosso, West Florida High School 2014, joined this group of friends and competitors at UWF. Playing number one as a freshman at WFHS, he led the young school to is very first ever district title and regional appearance, and became a All-Area Selection. This year, his steady play helped UWF capture its 14th Gulf South Conference crown in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Christian is quiet in demeanor, but a fierce competitor on the golf course.
Of all of these great young golfers, the brightest star might be reserved for True Freshman Bryce Geraghty. The 2015 Gulf Breeze graduate joined rare company when he racked up three Divot Derby Titles in 2012, 2014 and 2015. Moving back to the panhandle from Pelham, Alabama in 2011, he immediately became the prep golfer to beat. Never the longest player, he dominated the junior golf competitions with precision and consistency. “Pepe” also added the A. Downing Gray Cup at Pensacola Country Club in an epic four-hole Playoff against Alec Riley. At UWF he became a star as a freshman, being named to the All-Conference Team and Freshman of the Year for the Gulf South Conference. He already has four top-15 finishes on the year and a win at the Las Vegas Desert Classic.
Golfing ability aside, all five of these young men are great examples of the Nine Core Values of The First Tee, and Olson, Stills, Schultz and Bosso all attained “Eagle” certification by participating in The First Tee’s Life Skills Experience programs. All five have served as mentors and coaches to younger participants, help teach golf skills and life skills to the next generation…who may just follow in their footsteps to The University of West Florida.
June 2016
Emerald Coast
Written by: Marty Stanovich
Photo by: UWF Media Relations
UWF Golf
