The Southern

Issue date: 11/20/09 Section: Sports

"For me, playing golf is like a marriage - when it's all going well I love it, but when it's going down the drain I've got to work harder and it's not as much fun then."

The love affair that Philippine native and Florida Southern College junior Jude Eustaquio has with the game of golf began with the simple swing at the young age of seven and has grown into a drive to be successful.

"It's my grandfather's fault that I play golf," Eustaquio said. "In the Philippines he played golf and as the first grandson he wanted to share it with me. I became hooked on golf when I had a target, swung at it and it went airborne."

Eustaquio continued to play golf the older he became because it now only allowed him to have a connection with his grandfather, but it became a passion for him.

"If I was told I could no longer play golf tomorrow I honestly don't know what I would do," Eustaquio said. "It's something that I hope never happens."

Seeing as Eustaquio does not have to worry about giving up his dream in the near future he has been able to create a resume full of distinct accomplishments and unique titles.

When he was 10 years old, he earned the title of 1998 Asia Pacific Junior Champion and repeated it again in 2001.

While in college, Eustaquio earned the honors of Golf Collegiate Athletic Association First-Team All-American, National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Outstanding Freshman, Sunshine State Conference Men's Golfer of the Year, SSC All-Tournament Team, SSC Player of the Week and repeated a few of those honors last season.

In Eustaquio's most recent trip to a golf course he did not have to fathom the idea of a less than stellar finish.

He was invited to participate in the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship in Shenzhen, China.

Eustaquio finished 10th with a score of 286 and represented his home country of the Philippines.

"It was an honor to be invited to represent my country, but to be able to stand out as an individual on that level," Eustaquio said.

Eustaquio has not always been a Moccassin, but after a mentally challenging freshman year at the University of Florida due to lack of playing time, high school teammate and friend Danny Evelyn suggested he attend Florida Southern.

After speaking to head coach Doug Gordin, Eustaquio made the decision to transfer to Florida Southern.

Eustaquio attributes part of his collegiate success to Gordin, especially on the days when the green seems to be a bit more gray than usual.

"Coach always tells me to stay in the present, focus on the present and on the fact that it's a game and not a way of making a living," Eustaquio said.

As with any athlete, there are challenges both on the playing field that are easily seen by the public, but then there are also challenges that often times an athlete must face alone.

Eustaquio realizes that he still is not playing golf for a living, and when those challenges find him on the course, he maintains a fresh perspective that many college athletes sometimes forget.

"It's still a game and I'm allowed to have bad days," Eustaquio said.

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