Men's golf player Keagan Cummings finds his course

When North Carolina freshman golfer Keagan Cummings was recruited during his junior year of high school by then-Michigan golf coach Andrew Sapp, Cummings quickly developed a connection with Sapp — but not Ann Arbor.

“I really liked Coach Sapp, but when I visited Michigan I didn’t really feel like it was the place for me,” Cummings said.

But when Sapp, now UNC’s men’s golf coach, was hired in summer 2011 to replace John Inman, who resigned after 13 years, Sapp said one of his first orders of business was to contact Cummings.

To do so, Sapp couldn’t make a phone call or send him a text. Unlike most UNC recruits, Cummings did not live in North Carolina, or even the United States.

While Cummings spent his summer at home in Dublin, Ireland, Sapp emailed Cummings to ask if he’d be interested in scheduling a visit to Chapel Hill.

“We got really along well when Keagan visited at Michigan, and I felt like he was an overall good fit for the type of player I look for no matter where I coach,” Sapp said. “It was just one of those situations where I simply hadn’t made him an offer yet because it was kind of early in the recruiting process.”

But now, Sapp was ready to make an offer.

Cummings’ response: “Sure, that’s much better than the snow.”

For Sapp, a UNC graduate and former UNC assistant golf coach, the chance to return to Chapel Hill and bring a talented recruit with him was an ideal situation.

“One of the nice things was we both got the better end of the bargain by coming to North Carolina,” Sapp said.

The Irish golfer felt similarly.

“It worked out perfectly,” Cummings said.

The long journey

Born in South Africa, Cummings moved to Dublin when he was five.

Though he immediately noticed the popularity of golf in Ireland, it was the opportunity to play during the trips he often made back to South Africa that truly sparked his interest in the sport.

“Golf is a very popular sport in Ireland, so it kind of rubbed off on me,” he said. “But my grandfather used to play a lot. I used to go back to South Africa a couple times a year to visit family and started playing with him one time when I was about 11 and just kept on from there.”

When he became more serious about the game, his burgeoning talent drew him to the United States, almost a nine-hour plane ride away from home.

With his sights set on making it to the next level, at 17 years old Cummings traveled to Bradenton, Fla., for his junior and senior years of high school, attending IMG Pendleton School — an academy that allows students to prepare for college while honing their athletic skills.

For Cummings, facing the tougher competition he knew existed in the United States was essential to achieve his goal of playing golf at the collegiate level.

“The difference between golf in Europe and golf in the U.S. is it’s extremely competitive here,” he said. “I think the U.S. is the best place to match up against other people your age. And college sports here are not comparable to pretty much anywhere else in the world.”

Up and down

Ranked the No. 114 junior golfer in the nation by Golfweek Magazine at the end of his senior year, Cummings headed to UNC facing high expectations.

He joined a UNC team that returned five starters from the spring and lost only one member from last year’s squad.

Cummings — the only freshman on the roster — immediately showed promise by beating out top golfers Bailey Patrick and Clark Palmer for a starting spot in UNC’s first fall tournament.

But it would be the only action Cummings would see as a starter all season and the first of just three fall tournament appearances.

“He’s been kind of swimming upstream a little bit with some experienced veterans in front of him,” Sapp said. “And sometimes, no matter how good you are, it’s hard to beat one of those guys out for a starting spot.

“But I think he’s done really well and has a fantastic work ethic. We have high hopes for Keagan, and there’s no reason why he won’t start at some point in the spring.”

While Cummings is accustomed to being far away from home, he said that being an international student has contributed to his struggles this year on the golf course.

“It’s a little hard not being home, but I lived away from my family for two years so I think I was more prepared than other people in the same position,” Cummings said. “It’s been a pretty big adjustment. Living by myself, and in terms of golf, being the only freshman on the team is another added challenge.”

But he’s content with how far he’s come.

“I didn’t do great,” he said. “I played okay then struggled a bit. But considering all of the changes I’ve had to undergo, I think I did fine. It’s been kind of an up and down, but I think I’ve finally settled into the team.”

Irish Green to Carolina Blue

While he is one of few UNC student-athletes from Ireland, Cummings is not concerned about this distinction.

More than a year after he received Sapp’s email, the freshman is simply proud to call himself a Tar Heel.

“I guess it’s unique and cool,” he said. “But it feels better to just be a Tar Heel in general. I’m not really too worried about being the only Irish person.”

But while strolling down Franklin Street on Halloween dressed as a leprechaun, he had no intention of giving anyone a history lesson about the yearly celebration that originated in Celtic Ireland.

His costume was rather a reminder of the length of the road, or ocean, he’s traveled.

And despite the jokes he received, Cummings has no problem representing the place he calls home.

“I kind of bring the jokes upon myself, especially after being a leprechaun,” he said. “But I’m Irish, so why not?”

Contact the desk editor at sports@dailytarheel.com