Damil Ataullah '21 Recruiting Profile

It took an extremely bad round (88), two average ones (77 & 79) and then two bad ones (84 & 84) for me to realize that the fault was not in my technique but rather in my mental approach to the game. For the next match that I played I vowed that I would not get angry after a bad shot or a bad hole. I promised myself that I will stay focused on the next shot and not give up on my round or the hole I was playing till the last putt fell into the hole. Lo and behold it worked. Due to bad weather the 54 hole match was shortened to a 36 hole match. I was playing in a field that had 60 single handicappers of which 25 were 4 or below mine was 7. The first day I played 1 under 71 and the second day I played 3 over 74. At the conclusion of regulation play I was tied for 1st with a 24 year old gentleman who is a member of the National Amateur team. We went into a sudden death playoff. I did not win the playoff and lost it on the third hole. It was disappointing not to win and I did lose my cool when I missed the putt on the third playoff hole and my competitor made his. After a few minutes to cool off I realized that I had learnt a big thing today. Going forward in every round I play I will concentrate to stay calm and in the present and never give up regardless of how I am playing, because that is what a champion does. After this experience I now know that nothing short of a career ending injury can stop me from playing golf professionally at an elite level.

I would like to attend a Division I college. However, it is equally important that I am at a college where I get to play on a regular basis and not just be a member of the team. Looking to go to a college where golf is played year round so states like California, Florida, Arizona, Texas and Nevada. Other than golf my priority is to finish school and get my degree and not just use school as a springboard to become a professional golfer. I would love to be able to contribute to my school and the surrounding community in ways other than golfing achievements.

When my father introduced me to golf at the age of 8 it was his dream to see me play for my country, attend a great college on a golf scholarship and ultimately play professionally on the PGA tour. I was not very interested in golf initially but as time went by I started enjoying the challenge that the game of golf presents every time one is out on the course or the range. Now I am at a point where my father's dreams are now more mine than his. 

I have already achieved a part of the dream by currently being a member of the Pakistan under 19 Golf Team and am looking forward to putting in my best effort to achieve the rest of the dream.