Michigan Golf Journal April 2018

College Corner Intercollegiate in Arizona on DĂƌĐŚ ϯͲϰ ƚŽ ƵƉ ŚŝƐ ĐĂƌĞĞƌ ǁŝŶƐ ƚŽƚĂů ƚŽ ĮǀĞ͘ His scoring average of 73.98 ranked No. 9 in the country as ŽĨ ŵŝĚͲDĂƌĐŚ͘ ĂĐŬ ŝŶ &ĞďƌƵĂƌLJ͕ DƵĞůůĞƌ received the David Toms Overcoming Adversity Award on the Golf Channel, presented annually to a collegiate men’s golfer who has overcome adversity to achieve excellence in the game. Mueller grew up in Athens, Georgia, although his parents met at Michigan State, where they both studied veterinary medicine. As he improved in high school, Michigan coaches started following his progress ĐůŽƐĞůLJ͘ DƵĞůůĞƌ ƵůƟŵĂƚĞůLJ signed with Michigan, which ůĞĚ ƚŽ ƐŽŵĞ ŐŽŽĚͲŶĂƚƵƌĞĚ teasing from his mother. “My mom was a huge Michigan State fan, so she had Ă ŚĂƌĚ ƟŵĞ ǁŝƚŚ ŝƚ͕͟ DƵĞůůĞƌ said. “My mom only cheered for Michigan for golf and that was it.” Michigan head coach Chris Whitten said there’s been a steady progression to Mueller’s game. “His swing and his ball striking has improved every year and that has always been the strength of his game,” tŚŝƩĞŶ ƐĂŝĚ͘ ͞,Ğ ŐŽƚ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŽ such a good point last year ƚŚĂƚ ŚĞ ŶĞĞĚĞĚ ƚŽ ĮŶĚ ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ area if he was going to make another big improvement. This LJĞĂƌ ŝƚ ŚĂƐ ďĞĞŶ ŚŝƐ ƉƵƫŶŐ͘ ,Ğ ƌĞĂůůLJ ĐŚĂŶŐĞĚ ŚŝƐ ƉƵƫŶŐ ƐƚĂŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ ĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚ ƚŽ ƉƵƫŶŐ ĂŶĚ ŝƚ ŚĂƐ ƉĂŝĚ Žī ĨŽƌ Śŝŵ͘͟ In May, Mueller will graduate with a degree in sports management, although he plans to give professional golf Ă ƚƌLJ͘ ,Ğ ŝƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĂŝƟŶŐ ůŝƐƚ ƚŽ ĂƩĞŶĚ ƋƵĂůŝĨLJŝŶŐ ƐĐŚŽŽů ŝŶ Canada and will try to get into ƋƵĂůŝĨLJŝŶŐ ƐĐŚŽŽů ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ tĞď͘ com Tour in the fall. DƵĞůůĞƌ ǁŝůů ƐƟĐŬ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ Michigan to train this summer, but that will probably be it for ŚŝƐ ƟŵĞ ŚĞƌĞ͘ “I think four winters have been enough,” Mueller said.