Paul Haley figured he would have putts like the one he stood over two weeks ago, a 12-footer to win the ACC championship.
Coming out of high school in Dallas, he was a junior golf All-America selection. Besides Georgia Tech, he was pursued by golf powerhouses Oklahoma State and Texas. What Haley didn't realize five years ago, though, was that he would get to this point only after getting swallowed up by schoolwork, failing to make Tech's five-player lineup even once as a sophomore and misplacing his confidence.
Haley made the putt, reaching 10-under-par for the 54-hole tournament at Old North State Club in New London, N.C., and beat teammate Kyle Scott by a stroke. It was a long time coming.
"When things aren't going for you and you stick with it and you finish what you started, it feels really good," said Haley, who graduated with a management degree Sunday.
The Yellow Jackets, who learned Monday they'll be the top seed in the Virginia regional in Radford that runs May 19-21, will be a strong contender for their first NCAA title. Haley's late-season charge is no small reason. The ACC tournament was the third in a row that Tech had won. For the second week in a row, Tech won and Haley, Scott and John-Tyler Griffin finished 1-2-3. Tech is ranked No. 2 in the country behind Oklahoma State.
Tech coach Bruce Heppler has a good feeling about a team charged with talent but also work ethic and camaraderie that is "as good as it's been in a long, long time."
The Jackets are so deep Haley won the Yellow Jacket Classic and the ACC tournament in successive weeks as the team's No. 4 player.
He's a long way from his freshman season, which he redshirted after failing to make the travel team even once in the fall. As a redshirt sophomore, he stayed on the bench the entire fall and spring seasons.
"It was kind of a slap in the face when you get here and you don't play," Haley said. "It was probably for the best, looking back on it."
After his redshirt sophomore year, Haley committed himself to being more conscientious about school, where his struggles clouded his focus on golf. Over the past two years, he has become a fixture on both the dean's list and the Tech travel team.
His determination has made a fan of Heppler.
Said Heppler, "[Haley] made the decision he was going to keep working and keep playing, and now he's getting to see the other end of it."
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