Riley Lai '21 Recruiting Profile

Hello Coaches! 

My name is Riley Lai, a 17-year old 2021 recruit from Vancouver BC where I attended St. George’s School, a private school for boys, until after 11th grade, when I was recruited to train and study at IMG Academy for my 12th grade year. Although I will be graduating in June 2020 from IMG, I have decided to take a gap year during which I will continue to train at IMGA. 

Last year was a particularly hard year for me. After finding much success and early on in all the sports that I have competed in, last summer when I really had to shine, I suffered a wrist injury in June, in the second round of a tournament. The injury hampered my play through the summer and into the fall. I was disappointed by my performances, I let my teammates down on Team BC, and it crushed my confidence. As my wrist began to heal, my game began to improve again. More importantly, what I had realized was how my mental strength was not as strong as what I thought it was. So, I began to invest my time in learning how to improve in this aspect. I can say that not only am I mentally stronger now in my sport but also in the challenges that I face in life. My competitiveness continues to drive me to work harder, practice more, and develop in all aspects so that I can be a significant contributor to my team, as well as be a respectful and positive leader for my teammates and coaches. I believe that I can contribute to a team atmosphere a sense of strong camaraderie. Beyond college, I have the goal of playing golf professionally, but during this time, I have the desire to find team success at the college level and mature as a person and a player.

In addition to my golf aspirations, I am determined to earn a college degree. Getting a good education is important to me.  Although I realize that playing college golf while managing the academic load will be challenging, I feel that I am up to the task. Furthermore, living away from home this year as a boarding student has taught me independence and time management which will be essential for success at college.