Sports Spotlight: Continued pursuit of golf goals leads Greenville’s Brown to spot at US Amateur Championship
“It was always something I knew I could do.”
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Throughout his life, Greenville’s Nic Brown has been called back to the golf course. His destiny to play the sport. The now former ECU golfer plays on the big stage next week. He’s our Pepsi Sports Spotlight.
“On 18, when I was able to hit it on the green, I took a moment, I was just so, so pumped,” says US Amateur Championship qualifier Nic Brown.
Greenville’s Nic Brown qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship this month.
“It was always something I knew I could do,” says Brown, “To be able to accomplish it has just been awesome.”
The road there started at Bradford Creek Golf Course as a young player.
“It took a couple of good shots and I just fell in love with it,” says Brown.
Nic played for D.H. Conley in high school and earned a place with the golf team at Division-II Wingate.
“Everything happens for a reason,” says Brown, “I went to Wingate and I got a lot better there.”
Which is where he thought his golf journey might end. But as fate would have it...
“It kind of just fell into place where I had eligibility, and they were looking for a spot. You know it was my dream to play at East Carolina,” says Brown, “Then it was pretty cool how it all worked out and I was able to come here for my graduate degree.”
Nic continued to get better. He won the Carolinas Amateur Championship last summer.
“Not really one I thought I was ever going to win. But the cards kind of fell into place,” says Nic, “I had a really great week and was able to win.”
Brown just completed his final season of college golf. He thought he would play one last tournament at the US Amateur Qualifier in New Jersey near his girlfriend’s house.
“Never really think you are going to qualify because it is so tough to get in,” says Brown, “But, I played great and luckily I was able to get through.”
Co-medalist, qualifying Nic to play Cherry Hills Country Club at the US Amateur Championship near Denver, Colorado, next week.
“315 players then from there it is going to be cut to the low 64,” says Brown, “Then from there, it’s going to be like March Madness style match play bracket. It is going to be tough making the cut. But I think that’s a realistic goal for me.”
An amazing opportunity for a local kid who kept swinging those clubs, chasing his goals, and now his biggest might be a reachable shot.
“Professional golf... that’s something that I had aspirations of doing,” says Brown, “The US Amateur is a springboard to a professional career. If I were to go have a ton of success maybe I would rethink things.”
Brown wants to thank all the locals who have helped him out along the way. Particularly Brook Valley Country Club where he works and played growing up thanks to the McConnell Golf Scholarship. He also wanted to thank everyone in the community for their support of him during training for the US Amateur.
The Championship is Monday, August 14th through Sunday, August, 20th.
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