Hungry Like the Wolff His Third Start As a PGA Golfer
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Page 32 August 1, 2019 The Acorn SPORTS MEN’S GOLF /// PGA Tour IN A NUTSHELL • Matthew Wolff, a Westlake High grad, won the 3M Open championship on July 7 in Hungry like the Wolff his third start as a PGA golfer. • Wolff, 20, helped Westlake Agoura native, win back-to-back CIF State boys’ golf titles in 2014 and a Westlake High 2015. The Warriors were runner-up finishers in 2016. graduate, living • In college, Wolff helped large on the links Oklahoma State win an NCAA national title in 2018 before claiming the Jonathan individual title in May. • Wolff, who was born Simi Andrade Valley, grew up playing four sports in Agoura. Email: jandrade@ theacorn.com one stroke ahead of La Cañada Matthew Wolff’s former West- graduate Collin Morikawa, a long- lake High boys’ golf teammates time friend who shared countless all answer the question the same carpools to youth tournaments. way. “It’s everything I’ve dreamed Is anybody surprised by the of since I was a kid, since those 20-year-old’s meteoric rise in pictures of me throwing that fist golf? No way. pump when I was 6 years old,” From a fist-pumping 6-year- Wolff said of his first PGA win. old to CIF State champion to col- Wolff, who had a tentative legiate national champion to 3M schedule of tournaments set to Open champion as a PGA rookie, Courtesy of Oklahoma State Athletics start his professional career, said Wolff continues to swing—with OLD TOWN ROAD REDUX—Matthew Wolff, a Westlake High graduate, helped Oklahoma State win an that victory changed his life. that same quirky hitch—his way NCAA golf title in 2018. Wolff, an Agoura native, won an individual college crown earlier this year before “With that win, it kind of to the top of leaderboards. winning the 3M Open title in Minnesota as a PGA Tour rookie. He qualified for the 2020 Masters. flipped everything around,” he “I’m not shocked at all,” said said. “It opened up a lot of gates, Spencer Soosman, Wolff’s former The internet is filled with ad- the process, he became part of repeated as state champions in which I’m really thankful for. I’m Westlake teammate and a senior mirers. Golfers of all ages upload the greatest boys’ golf lineup in 2015 and took second in 2016, honored to play against the best for the University of Texas men’s videos of themselves imitating Ventura County history. cementing their place as Acorn in the world.” golf team. “What left me speech- Wolff’s unique swing, which in- THE DYNASTY country’s greatest golf dynasty. WOLFF ON THE HUNT less was how everything went cludes a quick dip of his right hip Soosman, who was a grade Wolff said the confidence he Wolff moved to Jupiter, Fla., down. before engaging his backswing. ahead of Wolff, remembers the gained from sinking a 15-foot putt after turning pro. He misses “It’s almost like when Ti- Professional golfer Max Homa youngster as a freshman rocking on the 18th hole of Westlake’s Southern California’s golf cours- ger came out and said, ‘Hello, joked on Twitter that “profes- braces. 2015 championship victory still es, but he misses his family more world.’” sional golfers are gunna be hiding “He had a high-pitched voice,” reassures him to this day. than anything. Tiger Woods famously in the woods practicing the Matt Soosman said. “Now, he’s all “When I need to make a putt His parents, Bill and Shari, dropped that line back in 1996— Wolff swing like Shooter Mc- grown up. He’s got a beard and coming down the stretch, that’s still live in Agoura. Wolff’s older before Wolff was born. Gavin did with Happy Gilmore.” everything.” something that I have in the back brother, Eli, a recent Virginia Tech It’s 2019, and it’s Wolff’s Wolff’s herky-jerky swing’s In one stretch of Wolff’s soph- of my head, knowing that I can graduate, works in San Francisco. world now. long been criticized, but Westlake omore year of high school, the do it, and I’ve done it before,” No matter where Wolff’s golf MEDIA FRENZY head coach Rick Naranjo said he golfer was in the zone. Wolff said. career takes him, he’ll always have Wolff’s name dominated na- and assistant coach Ross Fulgen- “He was in about a three- That confidence carried over a home in Acorn country, where tional headlines after his 3M tis witnessed its efficiency during or four-month stretch where I into college, where Wolff, this friends root from a distance. Open victory on July 7 at TPC Wolff’s freshman tryouts. watched him hit balls on the range, year’s NCAA individual cham- “I hope he continues to keep Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn. “We had him swing about half and the ball was a 1-yard drop pion, helped Oklahoma State win it rolling,” Smith said. “I know With the win, Wolff, an Okla- a dozen balls at different targets, every time,” Soosman said. “It a team national title in 2018. his goal is probably to win every homa State product, became the and he bounced or hit the target was the best ball striking I’ve ever “He’s continued to win on tournament he tees it up at. The third golfer in history to win an within a yard or 2 yards every seen in my life, and I’ve played every big stage,” Smith said. way he’s playing right now, I NCAA title and PGA Tour event time,” Naranjo said. “‘Don’t with Dustin Johnson, and I’ve seen While golf’s taken Wolff don’t see him slowing down.” in the same year. Woods and Ben change your swing,’ we told him. Tiger (Woods) play a bunch.” across the country, he said his “There’s no limit to his ca- Crenshaw also achieved the feat. ‘Leave it like it is and you’ll be Those skills didn’t develop time roaming Westlake Golf reer,” Jacobs said. “I think he has New York Giants running back fine with it.’” overnight. Course with Warrior teammates the potential to be the best player Saquon Barkley, golf legend Jack LOVE OF THE GAME “People don’t know that set the foundation. in the world. It’s going to be Nicklaus and former TRL host Digging into the Acorn ar- (Wolff) would go to the golf “I think practicing at Westlake incredible to see what he accom- Carson Daly raved about Wolff chives, this newspaper chronicled course and practice for six to (Golf Course) and being around plishes in the next few decades.” on Twitter. Wolff was mentioned Wolff playing youth basketball, seven hours a day,” said fellow my friends made me who I am,” Follow Jonathan Andrade on on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interrup- baseball and soccer. Westlake teammate Brandon Ja- Wolff said. “They’re a big reason Twitter @J_Andrade_. tion,” where he was hailed as the Wolff, who was born in Simi cobs, who is entering his senior why I’m here. There were a lot of future of golf. Valley and raised in Agoura, said season at UC Santa Barbara. “He good players that were older than “Everyone knows his name he enjoyed playing different sports, really put the work in.” me, and I wanted to be just as now,” said former Westlake team- but he had an affinity for golf. Wolff helped Westlake, a team good as them. They pushed me.” mate Preston Smith, a senior As a 6-year-old first-grader that also included USC Pac-12 LIFE-CHANGING golfer at Colorado School of at Willow Elementary School, Conference freshman of the VICTORY Mines. Wolff putted at Lindero Country year Sean Crocker, win the CIF Wolff sank a 26-foot putt on the While this level of national Club. In one photo, the Wolff State title in 2014. The Warriors 18th hole of the 3M Open to finish attention is new to Wolff, he’s not pup anxiously watches his shot shying away from the limelight. roll toward the hole. In the next “I do love the attention,” Wolff frame, he’s celebrating the made said in an exclusive interview putt with a tiny fist raised high in with the Acorn. “I’m not going the air. to lie and say that I’m a low-key He had a similar celebration guy. I’m very charismatic and out after claiming the NCAA national there. I don’t so much care what title, and again on the 18th green people think of me. at the 3M Open. “I hope to have a lot more Same fist pump. Same clutch attention because, with that, I’m Wolff. Acorn File Photos guessing I’m doing something Coming out of middle school, HOMEGROWN—At left, Matthew right. I’m just going to keep doing Wolff had a choice: Attend nearby Wolff, center, celebrates sinking a what got me here and what got me Agoura High or join an already putt at Lindero Country Club as a that win.” loaded squad at Westlake, which 6-year-old first-grader at Willow Wolff’s fans, appropriately was close to the office of his fa- Elementary School. Above, Wolff called “The Wolff Pack,” howl ther, Bill Wolff. as a Westlake High freshman in after his tee shots. Wolff chose Westlake, and in May 2014. 032_AcornIssue31 SPORTS.indd 1 7/31/2019 2:00:56 PM.