‘Freshman sensation’ leads DLS to regional
His teammates call him “The Freshman Sensation.”
It’s an appropriate nickname for De La Salle’s Troy Nguyen. Nguyen became the first freshman to win medalist honors at the Macomb County Invitational Golf Tournament last week. This week he and his Pilots teammates hope to qualify for the Division 1 state tournament when they compete in the regional at Twin Lakes Golf Club in Oakland Township on Wednesday.
“I’ve been called that a few times,” Nguyen said with a smile when asked about the freshman sensation tag.
Nguyen was the only golfer to break par at The Orchards when he shot 71 at the county meet.
“I played pretty consistent,” he said. “I had two birdies, one bogey, just steady golf. I try to get pars on every hole and not take anything for granted.”
Troy’s parents, Thanh and Kim, were in his gallery cheering him on.
Thanh, an avid golfer himself, introduced Troy to the game when he was 7.
“At first he didn’t really like it, but when he started winning, that’s when he really started to like it,” Thanh Nguyen said. “I’m obsessed with the golf swing. That’s why I love coaching him. He puts in a lot of effort. He never gives up and he loves pressure.”
Troy said that he started taking golf more seriously a couple years ago.
“That’s when I started playing a lot more tournament golf,” he said.
Along with his prowess on the golf course, Troy Nguyen carries a 4.0 in the classroom.
“He’s doing well now,” Thanh Nguyen said. “Let’s hope it continues academically and in golf.”
De La Salle took first place at the county meet by 30 strokes as Colton Fuqua and Collin Urbas each shot 75s and Max Teschendorf came in with an 80.
Three teams qualify from each regional along with the top three individuals from nonqualifying teams.
Among the teams joining De La Salle in the field are Grosse Pointe South, Fraser, Lakeview, Sterling Heights, Cousino and Warren-Mott. De La Salle, South and U-D Jesuit were the qualifiers from the regional last year.
The county’s other Division 1 schools will be at Stony Creek Metropark on Thursday. It’s a strong field that includes last year’s state qualifiers Dakota, Rochester Adams and Lake Orion. Romeo and Eisenhower, which finished second and third, respectively, at last week’s county meet, are also competing for a trip to the state finals on June 9 and 10 at The Meadows