By Pia Perthen, Sports Editor
Golf fans and curious spectators might have seen an incredible student-athlete hitting a white ball around the field close to Saint Leo University. This field is the Lake Jovita Golf course, and the talented young golfer that hits the golf ball close to the hole is Jake Nash.
Nash is originally from Sarasota, Florida, and is a senior at Saint Leo University majoring in business management with a minor in accounting. In addition, Nash is a valuable asset to the Men’s Golf team; however, it was not always clear which sport he would pick up and pursue a college career in.
Growing up, Nash has always been connected to being outdoors, and he has played a variety of sports, including golf, baseball, football, soccer, basketball, and tennis. Some of his favorite memories and best friends to this day were from playing different sports as he was younger.
“There would be no better feeling than waking up on a Saturday morning knowing you had a big game, whether it was football, baseball, or basketball; I enjoyed it all,” said Nash.
However, Nash decided during his sophomore year in high school to completely focus on golf and started practicing a lot in hopes of playing college golf as he gets older. This ambitious mindset has paid off, as Nash is facing his fourth year in college, pursuing his golf dream under the beautiful palm trees in the Sunshine State.
Nash has had success, especially in his junior year, as he won the Griffin Invitational in September 2021 in Petersburg, Virginia as an individual and helped to score the team win. Nash secured his first collegiate win with an impressive score of four shots under par (212) over 54-holes. In addition to that, Nash showed great skills during the Sunshine State Conference in 2022 at the Grasslands Golf and Country Club in Lakeland, Florida, as he competed in a playoff for first place and just came short as runner-up in the individual category with a total score of seven under par.
“Even though I have experienced some ups and downs during my golf career here at Saint Leo, I have had some good tournaments throughout my college golf career. Winning the Griffin Invitation was even more special because we were able to win it as a team as well, which added up to a fantastic experience,” said Nash.
When asked about his favorite memory at Saint Leo, Nash did not hesitate to mention the van ride back from the Griffin Invitational from Virginia.
“This might sound weird that I think of my favorite memory as sitting in a van for 11 hours; however, the amount of fun, jokes, and laughs we shared as a team during the ride is unforgettable and definitely memorable,” said Nash.
Nash’s biggest goal is to make the PGA Tour someday, which he knows is extremely hard to do, but with hard work and a bit of luck, he hopes to achieve it. He is currently having four to five team practices a week, plus early morning workouts on Wednesdays and Fridays. The practices can differ in length, as some days it can be 3 hours, and others we play 18 holes which can last up to 5 hours on a slow day. Golfers might relate to Nash’s reasoning that golf can be tough and mentally draining, but on the flip side, nothing can beat the satisfaction when you are playing well and feeling connected to the golf game.
When asked about his motto, he said, “Never regret a day in your life; good days give happiness, bad days give experience, worst days give lessons, and best days give memories.”
Supportive of his mature mindset are his idols- his mom and dad. Nash looks up to them and expresses his gratitude and love for all they have done for him. His dad encouraged him when he was younger to pick up different sports since it would benefit him in many ways when he grows older.
“I am not able to choose one over the other as my ultimate idol; the things they have taught me and have done for me to get me to where I am today are unrepayable,” said Nash with a big smile on his face.
As a senior, Nash advises incoming or younger student-athletes to enjoy their time, make memories, and not take everything too seriously. He states that college is about more than just sports, and he hopes that others can make the most out of their experiences and enjoy their time with friends and teammates at this beautiful campus.
This finished up a truly inspirational insight into Jake Nash, who is not only an accomplished golfer with a bright future ahead of him but also a true testament to the power of hard work, dedication, and a love for the game.
