An In-Depth Story, Written by Marty James, on Proficient Sacramento Golfer: Chase Sienkiewicz

It was six years in the past, within the spring of 2017, when Chase Sienkiewicz took time to journey from his dwelling in Sacramento to fulfill with College of Arizona males’s golf coach Jim Anderson and his workers at their places of work in Tucson. There was not a complete lot that Anderson knew about Sienkiewicz, a sophomore at Jesuit Excessive College-Carmichael, on the time.

“We’ve had just a few actually, actually robust gamers from that space,” Anderson mentioned. “Chase was not essentially on a rankings chart, hitting a degree that will get us . Chase actually needed to go to with the teaching workers when he was on campus.”

The large take-away for Anderson throughout that 30-minute go to was simply how impressed he was with Sienkiewicz, a member of First Tee – Better Sacramento, who was taking part in his junior golf out of Catta Verdera Nation Membership, in Lincoln.

“For somebody who’s taking pictures 75 in junior golf, I actually favored that man,” mentioned Anderson. “He’s an incredible communicator.”

It was a few yr later when Anderson noticed one thing else in Sienkiewicz – a participant with an all-around prime recreation. Anderson was available to see Sienkiewicz play within the IMG Academy Junior World Championships, the place he had rounds of 77, 67, 72, and 69 for a 3-under-par 285 whole. This efficiency earned him second place within the boys 15-18 division at Torrey Pines-South in La Jolla, CA in 2018. Sienkiewicz certified by advancing from a playoff on the Haggin Oaks Golf Complicated in Sacramento.

Sienkiewicz continued his stellar play that summer time by additionally qualifying for the U.S. Junior Newbie at Baltusrol Golf Membership, in Springfield, N.J.

“I knew he was already taking part in effectively, as a result of he had already certified for each these tournaments,” Anderson recalled in a telephone interview. “At that time is once I thought, oh my gosh, we’ve bought to look at him.”

“He was at Torrey Pines. Our assistant coach on the time, Chris Nallen, and I each watched him play completely different instances in the course of the week. And we each go, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ It was nearly prefer it went from we don’t know if we need to recruit Chase to, oh, my gosh. How are we going to get Chase earlier than everybody else desires him?

“Our relationship recruiting was necessary. I feel Chase was actually interested in our college, our climate and so many different issues. So, it labored out nice for each of us. However I positively really feel very, very a lot indebted to him and his household. We have been simply fortunate to search out the appropriate man.”

Sienkiewicz went to the College of Arizona and put collectively a stellar four-year profession, taking part in on the boys’s golf workforce.

As a sophomore, in 2020-21, he helped the Wildcats to the title on the Pac-12 Championships at Mayacama Golf Membership in Santa Rosa.

As a junior, in 2021-22, his 71.51 scoring common for the season ranked in prime 15 in class historical past, in line with College of Arizona Athletics, at arizonawildcats.com. He was the runner-up on the NCAA Bryan Regional, which was received by Arizona. The Wildcats superior to the NCAA Championships for the primary time since 2011.

As a senior, in 2022-23, his 70.78 scoring common for the yr was sixth-best in program historical past, in line with arizonawildcats.com. His 71.40 profession scoring common over 4 seasons ranks No. 2 for the bottom profession scoring in Arizona historical past, in line with arizonawildcats.com.

“It was positively an expertise and I clearly wouldn’t change it for the world. I really like that faculty. I really like that teaching workers. And my workforce was superb. It was an incredible 4 years,” Sienkiewicz mentioned in a telephone interview.

Sienkiewicz additionally excelled academically at Arizona. He graduated in Could from the Eller School of Administration with a level in enterprise advertising and marketing. He not too long ago turned skilled and is now in Dallas, taking part in out of Stonebriar Nation Membership, a non-public membership in Frisco, Texas, that has two programs.

“I’ll be primarily based right here,” he mentioned.

Based mostly on ending the 2022-23 collegiate season within the prime 20 of the PGA Tour College rankings, Sienkiewicz earned absolutely exempt membership on PGA Tour Canada for 2023 and in addition an exemption to the Second Stage of 2023 PGA Tour Q-College introduced by Korn Ferry, together with conditional standing by means of the Latin America Swing of the 2024 PGA Tour Americas season, it was introduced in a report at www.pgatour.com in Could.

Sienkiewicz completed No. 19 within the ultimate PGA Tour College Rating. He’s grouped with these on PGA Tour College Third Workforce.

“The trail to get by means of to Second Stage of Korn Ferry Qualifying College can also be an enormous perk,” mentioned Anderson. “It’s a tremendous accomplishment to be among the many prime gamers in your class and to have Chase earn that standing offers us lots of satisfaction and pleasure for his future. He’s positively somebody that we consider can play skilled golf, at a really excessive degree. And if and when that occurs, he’s the form of man who’s going to proudly put on the block ‘A’ on his bag or have it as a head cowl and I hope, talks positively about his expertise on the U of A. And that’s part of what we’re making an attempt to do, clearly, with our program is put together our children for the long run. All of them don’t get to play professional golf. However for individuals who do, we would like them to achieve success. We wish them to go on and pursue the PGA Tour.”

“I feel that’s why Chase is so ready. Similar to when he was a junior golfer, and actually made the dedication to all in on golf, as a result of he was a multi-sport athlete in highschool. He actually began to bounce up and actually rose the extent of his play. And I feel now the identical goes to occur for him. I feel it stands to cause the development will proceed. And when he sees what guys at that degree are doing, and the way they compete, and the way they journey, how they put together, and taking alongside the expertise he picked up in school, I feel he’s going to see himself rise to the highest of that degree. And when that occurs, it opens up doorways and alternatives to compete, for increasingly more prize cash and also you play in a few of the tournaments that little youngsters dream of taking part in sooner or later. It’s all a part of that development. I feel he’s effectively on his means. We’re actually excited for his professional profession to begin and we’ll be watching and rooting for him.”
The definition of PGA Tour College, in line with www.pgatour.com, “means this system designed and administered to determine the perfect school golfers in the US and to offer such gamers with taking part in alternatives on Excursions operated beneath the PGA Tour umbrella.”

Sienkiewicz, a 2019 Jesuit Excessive graduate, begins PGA Tour Canada on the Royal Seashore Victoria Open introduced by Instances Colonist, June 15-18, at Uplands Golf Membership, in Victoria, B.C.

From there, he goes to Waskesiu Lake, Saskatchewan, to play within the Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open introduced by Brandt, June 22-25, at Elk Ridge Resort-Match Course.

He tied for second in a 54-hole PGA Tour Canada qualifying match in April at Wigwam Golf Course, close to Phoenix. The occasion is a part of PGA Tour College.

“I’m absolutely exempt for the entire season. Moreover, I’m capable of skip to second stage for Korn Ferry Q College, which is immense, as a result of I received’t should play in first stage,” the 6-foot-4 Sienkiewicz mentioned.

PGA Tour Canada has 10 occasions. The season ends with the Fortinet Cup Championship, Sept. 7-10, at Nation Hills Golf Membership (Talons Course), in Calgary.

Sienkiewicz is a long-ball hitter – a particular power and key to his recreation, mentioned Anderson.

“One of many causes I feel he’s at a definite benefit to essentially giving this skilled golf a go is as a result of he has simply unimaginable size,” mentioned Anderson. “A lot of the sport anymore has grow to be pace and distance. Via the final couple of years, he’s actually discovered a few of the scoring components of golf and actually form of grow to be way more expert on and round and into the greens. However his distance has been such an enormous power in his nook.”

Sienkiewicz mentioned his recreation is nice and added he’s excited for the summer time.

“I actually do lean on the lengthy recreation. However in the end it comes right down to getting the ball within the gap. And so, over the 4 years (of faculty golf), I’ve actually discovered how one can course handle and use my strengths to my benefit moderately than make it my penalty. I’m actually excited to make use of my strengths of hitting the ball fairly far and fairly straight off the tee to my benefit this summer time, particularly in Canada the place scores are going to be fairly loopy low and I do know I’ve to go low to compete for a prime spot,” he defined.

Junior Golf

Sienkiewicz performed lots of junior golf, beginning out with First Tee – Better Sacramento and U.S. Children Golf. He additionally performed in Junior Golf Affiliation of Northern California occasions, in addition to American Junior Golf Affiliation and Northern California Golf Affiliation occasions.

He certified twice at Haggin Oaks for the IMG Academy Junior World Championships.

“Plenty of coaches noticed me play and noticed my recreation at Torrey Pines. The largest turning level in my junior profession was Junior World,” mentioned Sienkiewicz. “That was actually the height of my junior profession, taking part in in that.”

Sienkiewicz began working with Phil Dawson, his swing coach, when he was 12 years previous. He took his first golf lesson from Dawson, a PGA Class A Skilled and a educating skilled at Catta Verdera CC and Winchester Nation Membership in Meadow Vista.

“He’s like a father determine to me within the sense that he cares a lot about me. And all through my entire school profession, he’s all the time known as me, he’s all the time texted me. He is aware of my recreation higher than everybody. He is aware of my swing tendencies. The largest factor with the golf swing, in my view, is simply having somebody that is aware of your tendencies,” mentioned Sienkiewicz.

“It’s all about only a relationship that we’ve grown. My household has identified him for 10 years now. And he’s simply been somebody I can all the time depend on. He desires the perfect for me.”

Sienkiewicz additionally performed basketball for 3 years at Jesuit.

“That’s the place I credit score lots of my competitiveness to, simply because it’s a workforce sport,” he mentioned.

He didn’t play basketball his senior yr, electing to concentrate on golf year-round. He was Jesuit’s workforce captain in golf for 3 seasons and was additionally a two-time workforce MVP.

Sienkiewicz had an excellent senior season, in 2019, as he was the Delta League MVP. Jesuit received the CIF Northern California title and completed third at state.

Jesuit received Delta League titles all 4 of the years that Sienkiewicz performed.

He positioned third on the NCGA Newbie Championship.

School Golf

Sienkiewicz had three Prime-25 finishes for Arizona as a freshman in 2019-20 to begin his school profession. It was a shortened season as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

As a sophomore, in 2020-21, he was named as a Golf Coaches Affiliation of America All-American Scholar. He was additionally named to the Pac-12 Spring Educational Honor Roll, in addition to All-Pac-12 Second Workforce and to the Pac-12 All-Newcomer Workforce.

As a junior, in 2021-22, he was named as a GCAA All-American Scholar. He was additionally named Second Workforce All-Pac-12, PING All-Area, and to the Pac-12 Spring Educational Honor Roll. He positioned second in two occasions. His 71.51 scoring common for the season ranked within the prime 15 in class historical past, in line with Arizona Athletics, at arizonawildcats.com.

As a senior, in 2022-23, he was named All-Pac-12 Second Workforce and PING All-West Area. He had 4 Prime-10 finishes, taking second place on the Cabo Collegiate and Thunderbirds Collegiate.

“He’s been the man that has actually embraced competitors and actually risen. His degree of play has risen yr after yr. He improved yearly,” mentioned Anderson.

“He by no means as soon as shied away from bringing his greatest to the workforce and to each competitors he performed. He’s not scared of getting to play his greatest in any second. And I feel that’s lots of the explanation he picked Arizona.”

The Arizona program additionally has two gamers from Rocklin: Zach Pollo, a freshman out of Whitney Excessive; and Sam Sommerhauser, a junior, who additionally went to Whitney Excessive.

The Arizona workforce’s dwelling programs are Tucson Nation Membership and Sewailo Golf Membership.

Anderson mentioned Sienkiewicz is an “extremely expert golfer” and a prime student-athlete.

“He introduced all the things into student-athlete that you might ask for, and teammate for that matter,” Anderson mentioned. “He’s exceptionally effectively rounded. I name him the CEO, as a result of he’s busy. He’s bought his arms into lots of various things. He’s made mates exterior of golf and out of doors of athletics, and did an excellent job incomes a enterprise diploma right here and bought nice grades.”

Sienkiewicz additionally served on Arizona Athletics’ Pupil-Athlete Advisory Council, College of Arizona Athletics reported at arizonawildcats.com.

Sienkiewicz tied for eighth place to steer Arizona on the Pac-12 Championships in late April at Stanford Golf Course.

“He made time to be a teammate and made time to work on his recreation and made time to fulfill different folks,” mentioned Anderson. “I feel he actually loved his expertise right here. I don’t run throughout that many younger people who find themselves able to being that effectively rounded and understanding within the second, how necessary it’s to make the most of the time that they could have as a scholar athlete. He’s networked into some nice alternatives for himself and he’s made himself seen.”

It’s on to PGA Tour Canada

It’s now on to PGA Tour Canada for Sienkiewicz, 22.

“I’ve bought the alternatives forward. I simply should capitalize on them now,” he mentioned. “I feel the largest factor with golf is all about preparation. With me, the extra I’m ready, the better the second you get to the primary tee. All of the work is finished. You simply go play golf.

“I’ve form of leaned on that so much over my 4 years of faculty. I do know I’m going to lean on it going ahead. You simply go do the factor we’ve accomplished your entire life.”

Sienkiewicz mentioned the Sacramento space is dwelling for him. As he prepares to embark on a journey as a professional participant, he desires to point out that he can do it.

“It’s simply displaying people who doubted you, that you are able to do it. I feel I can simply present folks, like I did in school, that I used to be not a type of junior golfers that have been recruited at a younger age. I actually was not checked out by a single college till my final yr and a half of highschool. It form of simply exhibits that in the event you work onerous and determine it out and put your effort and time towards one thing daily, it actually does present in the long term. I turned out to be a fairly rattling good collegiate participant due to that, simply because I knew I had the idea that I might do it. It’s all about consistency.

“I simply hope and dream that I may be a type of prime gamers on this planet sooner or later due to my experiences and due to my starvation to be the perfect. I feel the largest factor is simply perception in your self and simply by no means doubting your self. I put lots of credit score into my teaching workers – my coach again at dwelling, Phil Dawson. Household and mates who I grew up with, taking part in golf, and simply permitting myself to have the chance. “I’m very blessed to have the ability to play.”

*This text was written by Marty James. Marty James is a contract author who makes his dwelling in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019, after spending 40 years as a sports activities author, sports activities editor, and govt sports activities editor for the Napa Valley Register, a each day newspaper in Napa County. He’s a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Affiliation. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Part Corridor of Fame in 2016.

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