Garrett Jones is not only a great golfer and a great student, but he is also a relatively down-to-earth guy who is enjoying his time at the University of Wisconsin.
Jones led the Wisconsin men's golf team to its second straight tournament victory Sunday at the Wolverine Invitational at the University of Michigan Golf Course in Ann Arbor, Mich. Jones shot a 210 over the weekend en route to a three-under-par finish, good for third place overall.
Jones, a senior from Rewey, Wis., said he is looking forward to more successful tournaments as the season progresses.
"With the additions this year, it has given us a lot more depth and a lot more talent," Jones said. "So we can be looking to win pretty much every tournament we go into."
In terms of upcoming tournaments for the Badgers, Jones said he is most looking forward to the Big Ten/Pac-10 Triangular in Bandon, Ore., during the third weekend in October.
"It will be a really big tournament out in Oregon where five teams from the Pac-10 play and five teams from the Big Ten play. The field [of players] is going to be really strong and the course is really phenomenal out in Oregon called Bandon Dunes," Jones said. "It should really bring out the best players, and the best team. I don't see why we shouldn't be regarded as one of the top teams there and [we] might be able to win that thing."
Despite all the success that Jones has experienced on the course in his last three seasons, he is far from content, hoping to expand on his previous accomplishments.
"[I am] still looking for an individual win," Jones said. "I've had a number of close calls; top-three finishes and a bunch of runners-up in my previous three years. I have gotten to the point where I have proven myself as a player, I just need to start winning."
Jones, who started playing golf at the age of 12, became passionate about the sport in high school.
"[High school golf] was a lot of fun, I had a lot of friends on the team and I still actually talk to a bunch of them … a few of my past teammates have caddied for me and have been to a few tournaments," Jones said.
When Jones isn't practicing or playing in tournaments, he is quite busy academically. He is majoring in finance in the School of Business and says that juggling the heavy curriculum of the Business School and being a student athlete is no easy task.
"It's not the easiest thing," Jones said. "But it should pay off in the end."
After college, Jones has decided to turn pro, though he is not exactly sure when.
"I will try to make a living at something that I really like to do," Jones said. "I'm confident that it should work out. I have got to obviously get better in every aspect of my game and then everything should work out."
Jones, like most UW students, is enjoying the time he spends in the city of Madison. When Jones is not playing golf, and is not at the library, he can be found pursuing new hobbies.
"I am trying to learn how to play the guitar," Jones said. "It's going to take some time … it should be fun, there is a freshman on the team [who] can play pretty well, so I am trying to learn some things from him."
Jones stands out as a person who is constantly trying to learn new things. Whether he is on the golf course or in the classroom, Jones shows that he is thirsty for knowledge.
When asked what his favorite part of UW golf was, Jones attributed his learning experiences gained from Badgers head coach Jim Schuman and assistant coach B.J. Endicott.
"I've learned a lot technically from Coach Schuman and Coach Endicott, and a lot off the golf course as well."