By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Before the 2021 college golf season began, Andrew Beckler was ready to walk away from competitive sports at the end of his senior year.
One of the greatest seasons in Washburn University history changed his mind, with the Division II Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year now looking forward to launching his professional golf career later this summer.
"I was pretty dead set on just finding a job after golf,'' Beckler said. "I expected myself to play well, but I won some tournaments and I won a few by a little bit more than I was expecting to, had some really good rounds, and then winning the Jack Nicklaus Award I think was a big confidence boost for me.
"That kind of showed me that I could compete in this game at a professional level, so I'm going to turn pro in August. I'll play a few more amateur events and one more Kansas Amateur and then turn pro.''
Washburn star Andrew Beckler (right) receives the 2021 Division II Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year Award from the legendary "Golden Bear'' earlier this month. [Submitted]
Beckler, who will be honored as the TopSports.news Washburn Co-Male Athlete of the Year during Wednesday's Topeka Shawnee County Sports Awards banquet, is coming off a record-setting season for the Ichabods, capped by the Nicklaus awad.
Beckler was earlier named the 2021 MIAA Player of the Year after claiming five individual titles in 10 competitions and placed in the top-three at the other five events. He lost to just seven total golfers the entire season. At the NCAA Golf National Championships, he recorded the highest individual finish in program history as he tied for second place out of 84 total golfers.
Beckler, a former Class 6A individual and team champion for Washburn Rural, finished his career with Washburn's best scoring average with a 72.00 in 67 rounds played and he holds the best season scoring average (70.4). Beckler joined the team in 2018 after beginning his college career at Kansas State and was named to the All-MIAA team twice and received the conference Men's Golf Athlete of the Week award three times this past season.
"I'm a big believer that if you don't believe in yourself then it's probably not going to happen and I had been playing good,'' said Beckler, a thee-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and a two-time MIAA Scholar Athlete. "I had won some big tournaments in the summer and played well in some others. I felt it was just a matter of time before I let it loose and showed people what I've got and I finally did it this year.''
Still, Beckler admitted he didn't expect to receive the Nicklaus award, college golf's top individual award.
"I really didn't think so,'' Beckler said. "I missed out on the Arnold Palmer Cup this year, so I thought they would give it to somebody else since I wasn't good enough for that team, but I finished my season stronger than I think some of the other guys that were up for it, so I think that kind of sealed it for me.''
Getting to receive the award from Nicklaus at the Memorial Tournament was obviously a big highlight for both Beckler and his parents.
"It was unbelievable,'' Beckler said. "My parents were loving it. They got a picture with Jack and his wife, Barbara, and they were super kind to us. I got to set on a press conference panel with him and they were asking him questions, asking us questions, so it was just a surreal day.''
"It really didn't set in until the flight home that night. I was like, "Holy smokes, I just met Jack Nicklaus.' ''
Former Washburn star Andrew Beckler works with young Topeka golfers earlier this summer at Pure Golf Topeka. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Beckler is teaming with his high school coach, Jared Goehring, this summer to conduct clinics for young players while continuing to work on his game for his transition to the profressional level.
"Right now I'm looking to play the Arizona Open in Mesa in early August and then they have an All Pro Tour event at Colbert Hills (Manhattan) and then the following week at Sand Creek Station (Newton),'' Beckler said. "That's two courses I know pretty well to open up my pro debuts with. Hopefully I'll get some wins and make a little bit of money and then I'm going to try for the Korn Ferry Tour this fall. I think they're having three stages and I'll try to get through all three of those see if I can't find my way onto the Korn Ferry Tour.
"There will always be a job out there, I think, so I'm going to wait a while to go to work.''
