Dec. 23, 2010
SEATTLE - The year 2010 was a great one for Husky athletics. Many teams and individuals won conference championships, advanced far in their respected postseasons and earned all-conference, all-region and All-American athletic and academic honors. In honor of the great success from the past year, Gohuskies.com looks back on the top 10 stories from the calendar year in chronological order. Every golfer knows exactly which iron to pull out of their bag when they want to drive the golf ball 200 yards, and how to read a green. Every golfer also knows the precision that it takes to swing accurately, yet that aspect of the game of golf doesn't seem to come as naturally to some as it does to others. For former Husky golfer and UW 2010 graduate Nick Taylor, there doesn't seem to be issue of raw talent. In fact, there are many who would envy his precision on the course. Having spent twenty-one weeks on the top of the World Amateur Golf rankings, he earned his title as a golfing force to be reckoned with in 2010. Taylor had a busy year, starting off strong in Hawai'i in February when he helped Washington's golf team take second-place at the Mauna Lani Invitational where he also placed fourth overall individually. His February endeavors were nowhere over as Taylor rushed to Abbottsford, British Columbia in order to carry the Olympic Torch for his native country. This 300-meter long stretch was something he felt extremely lucky to experience, and maintains that it was a "once-in-a-lifetime" moment. He continued to excel throughout tournaments and gained himself a total nine top-10 finishes in 30 events in 2010, impressively shooting under 70 in many of them. He maintained a stroke average of 71, which stands as the second-best average in Husky golf history. These accomplishments are certainly a few of the impressive factors that panel took in considering Taylor as a candidate for the Ben Hogan award at Colonial Country Club, making it the second year in a row. This award, which is said to be the equivalent of the Heisman award in the world of golf, originated in 1990 and since then no Husky player has even been considered for it. For the second-straight yet Taylor was mentioned amongst the best, but this year he took home the trophy. The Ben Hogan Award earned him the perk of being asked to through an opening pitch at a Mariners game--which he gladly accepted. To further add to his achievements, Taylor was again named one of 10 golfers to the All-Pac-10 First-Team this year--which is an impressive accomplishment in the first place--and in truly extraordinary fashion, he was further awarded Pac-10 Co-Golfer of the Year for the second consecutive season. He also placed ninth overall in the 2010 NCAA Championships. Though this year's numerous achievements keep Taylor's trophy case more than full, his self-image remains modest. He would never say so himself, but his former coach Matt Thurmond states frankly, "He deserves any and every award he gets. He is an amazing player, person, and teammate. I suspect many more awards await him." Taylor continues to play golf and has excelled in multiple tournaments since his graduation, including the U.S Amateur Championships. The skill that Taylor has demonstrated so far has been a refreshing look at precision for fellow golfers and supporters alike. While 2010 marks enough countless and remarkable achievements for his golfing career to deem him as the best golfer in our University's history, it is only the beginning of what fans eagerly anticipate to be a bright future. Check back for tomorrow's Top 10 story about the softball team advancing to its second-straight WCWS. |
