By Keith Dunlap
Kyle Mueller would ordinarily have enough to play for considering he is a senior competing in his last season at the University of Michigan and is eyeing a chance for a professional career in the coming months.
But as has been the case for nearly two years, there is something else Mueller has been playing for during a great finish to his college career: his late mother, Monica.
In July of 2016, Mueller was in the midst of a practice round in a tournament at Hilton Head, S.C. when he heard the news that his mother was involved in a car accident while she was driving from their home in Georgia to the tournament to see her son play.
“She was in pretty rough shape and we were given the option to see her (in the hospital),” Mueller recalled. “I chose not to because I didn’t want to see her in that condition.”
Shortly later, Monica Mueller passed away at the age of 49.
Ever since then Kyle Mueller has played No. 10 golf balls in honor of his mother, who was born on June 10.
“There’s something bigger than just myself I’m competing for,” Mueller said. “There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think of her. She’s always there with me and I’m playing with a heavy heart.”
Mueller’s mother surely would be proud of her son at the way he has overcome such tragedy to still play maybe the best golf of his life this season.
Mueller already has two wins this spring, those being at the Southwestern Jones Invitational in California on Feb. 26-27 followed immediately by the Desert Mountain Intercollegiate in Arizona on March 3-4 to up his career wins total to five.
His scoring average of 73.98 ranked No. 9 in the country as of mid-March.
Back in February, Mueller 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 closely. Mueller ultimately signed with Michigan, which led to some good-natured teasing from his mother.
“My mom was a huge Michigan State fan, so she had a hard time with it,” Mueller 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,” Whitten said. “He got that to such a good point last year that he needed to find another area if he was going to make another big improvement. This year it has been his putting. He really changed his putting stance and approach to putting and it has paid off for him.”
In May, Mueller will graduate with a degree in sports management, although he plans to give professional golf a try. He is on the waiting list to attend qualifying school in Canada and will try to get into qualifying school for the Web.com Tour in the fall.
Mueller will stick around Michigan to train this summer, but that will probably be it for his time here.
“I think four winters have been enough,” Mueller said.
