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‘Fix your eyes on the next hole’: 12-year-old golfer uses physical, mental strengths to improve game

>> IS A RANGE RAT AND A COURSE RAT. IF WE COULD BE ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, HE WOULD BE. >> WHEN IT COMES TO THE GAME OF GOLF, THE GARZAS HAVE A GIFT. >> HIS GRANDFATHER, PRO GOLFER. PLAYED IN COLLEGE AND STILL TRIED TO PLAY MYSELF. COACHED FOR 15 YEARS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. >> WHENEVER YOU ARE READY. >> THEN CAME THE TIME TO PASS ALONG THAT PASSION TO YOUNG TRE. >> 92 YARDS. >> STARTED PLAYING WHEN HE WAS — LITERALLY WHEN HE COULD WALK, WHEN HE COULD HOLD A CLUB. >> MY GODFATHER AND MY DAD TOOK ME OUT ON THE COURSE FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN I WAS TWO. >> TRE IS NOW 12, A GOLF PRODIGY WITH A HARD-HITTING SWING AND SMOOTH TEMPO. >> I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A LOT BIGGER THAN MOST KIDS MY AGE, SO I THINK LENGTH, I THINK I AM A PRETTY LONG DRIVER. >> AS TRE CONTINUES TO WORK ON THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF HIS GAME, HE KNOWS HE CANNOT FORGET ABOUT THE MENTAL. >> MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE FOCUSED ON THE NEXT HOLE AND JUST FLUSH IT DOWN THE TOILET AND NOT WORRY ABOUT IT. IF THAT MESSES YOU UP, THAT’S HOW YOUR WHOLE ROUND IS GOING TO GO. >> GROWING UP IN A REGION NEVER SHORT OF GREAT TALENT — >> MY AGE GROUP, WE HAVE SOME INCREDIBLE GOLFERS. >> A LITTLE OVER TWO WEEKS AGO, TRE PROVED HE IS ONE OF THE AREA’S BEST BY TAKING A HOME THE TOP PRIZE IN HIS AGE GROUP ON THE SACRAMENTO LOCAL TOUR. >> I HAD MY LOWEST ROUND, 72 UNDER PAR, SO I WAS FEELING REALLY CONFIDENT. I WAS FEELING JUST RELAXED AND CALM AND FOCUSING ON THE COURSE AND JUST BEATING THE COURSE. >> BESIDE EVERY GREAT GOLFER STANDS A GREAT CADDY. >> IT’S REALLY FUN TO HAVE MY DAD OUT THERE CADDYING ME. IT’S REALLY SPECIAL. >> PLUS, THE SPECIAL SUPPORT FROM THE FANS. >> MY GRANDFATHER, I DON’T THINK HE HAS EVER MISSED A TOURNAMENT. >> AS THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS KEEP COMING, SO DO THE LOFTY GOALS. >> I THINK I WANT TO PLAY AT USC. >> WE WENT TO THE USC GAME NOT TOO LONG AGO AND WE WERE OVER WITH TOMMY THE TROJAN. HE LOOKED AT HIS MOM AND MYSELF AND HE LOOKED AT US AND SAID, HEY, THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL. >> AS TRE WORKS TO MASTER THE GREENS — >> I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GOPRO. >> HE’S GOT BIG SWINGS AND EVEN BIGGER DREAMS. >> HIS GOAL IS TO BE AT AUGUSTA. HE WANTS TO WIN A GREEN JACKET. DEL: COMPETITIONS WILL RESUME IN JANUARY, AND SINCE TRE WON THE OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP, HE CAN NOW ATTEND STATE, REGIONAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL EVENTS. IF YOU HAVE AN ATHLETE, COACH, OR TEAM TO NOMINATE, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS EM

‘Fix your eyes on the next hole’: 12-year-old golfer uses physical, mental strengths to improve game

Tré Garza started golfing as soon as he could hold a club. Now, the 12-year-old from Sacramento is taking top honors at tournaments, hopes to play in college and, one day, make it to the Masters. “If we could be here all day, every day, he would be,” his father, P.J. Garza said. Aside from using his physical strengths to advance his golf game, Tré has learned a lot about the mental aspects of the sport as well. “Fix your eyes on the next hole,” he said. If you focus on previous mistakes, “because if that messes you up, that’s how your whole round is going to go,” he added. Tré recently earned top honors in his age group at the Sacramento Local Tour. He said he eventually wants to play for the University of Southern California.”I’ve always wanted to go pro,” he said. “His dream is to play on the (Masters) Tour. His dream is to be at Augusta. He wants to win a green jacket,” his dad said.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Tré Garza started golfing as soon as he could hold a club.

Now, the 12-year-old from Sacramento is taking top honors at tournaments, hopes to play in college and, one day, make it to the Masters.

“If we could be here all day, every day, he would be,” his father, P.J. Garza said.

Aside from using his physical strengths to advance his golf game, Tré has learned a lot about the mental aspects of the sport as well.

“Fix your eyes on the next hole,” he said.

If you focus on previous mistakes, “because if that messes you up, that’s how your whole round is going to go,” he added.

Tré recently earned top honors in his age group at the Sacramento Local Tour. He said he eventually wants to play for the University of Southern California.

“I’ve always wanted to go pro,” he said.

“His dream is to play on the (Masters) Tour. His dream is to be at Augusta. He wants to win a green jacket,” his dad said.