When Shawn Foley was young, his father taught him that the most important part of the golf is the short game.

Taking that advice to heart, Foley focused on putting which helped him succeed in high school competitions and led him to collegiate play at NIU.

“I’ve grown up loving golf my whole life,” Foley said. “My dad got me started from as young as I could hold a golf club. I was using plastic golf clubs since I was probably two.”

Loving the challenge of the sport, Foley joined the Huskies, playing competitively in the fall and the spring’s first tournament in Chandler, Ariz. on Monday and Tuesday.

Foley’s 227 three-round score was good enough to finish fourth for the Huskies, and tied for 45th overall. Finishing two spots above Foley for the Huskies was redshirt senior Andrew Frame, who said Foley’s finish was no surprise.

“Definitely expected it,” Frame said. “He showed us he could play well in the fall. We know what he’s capable of. He executed his plan.”

Coming into the school year, Foley admits he felt some pressure, as he wanted to make the travel squad from the first tournament on.

“I’m starting to get a feel for it,” Foley said. “The pressure’s dying down a little bit, obviously still there, but I’m having a lot of fun now.”

While he is having fun on the course with his teammates, Frame admits the guys like to give Foley a hard time because of his home state.

“He grew up being a Wisconsin Badger fan so maybe a few of us give him a hard time, but nothing too big of a deal,” Frame said. “And the Packers too. He’s a big Packers fan so that doesn’t go well with us being Bears fans.”

But Frame said Foley has been accepted otherwise and his politeness makes him not only a great teammate but human being.

“He’s easy-going, and doesn’t get riled up when things are going good or bad,” Frame said. “He’s very mature for his age.”