Sophomore Chelso Barrett grew up surrounded by golf on his family’s course in New Hampshire, where he said his interest for the game began.
“It’s just always been in the family, whether it’s been me playing or working at the golf course,” Barrett said. “I started playing in tournaments and just fell in love with the game.”
In 2011, at the U.S. Junior Amateur, Barrett placed runner-up to now PGA professional Jordan Spieth. He said strategy and patience is key when he plays the game.
“Stick to your strategy, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t,” Barrett said. “You just can’t let yourself get frustrated because it’s a really easy game to get frustrated in.”
TCU head golf coach Bill Montigel credits Barrett’s success to his ability to remain calm and focused during the game.
“When he’s playing, you can’t tell whether he’s four over par or six under, he doesn’t show a whole lot of emotion,” Montigel said.
This summer, Barrett placed in the top 20 at the Carmel Cup at Pebble Beach Golf Links. His success throughout summer tournaments has given Coach Montigel high expectations for Barrett’s upcoming season.
“I expect that he is going to play very well,” Montigel said. “Chelso’s played incredibly well this summer so we are expecting big things from him.”
Coach Montigel said Barrett is not only going to have a great career at TCU, but potentially a professional career on the PGA Tour as well.
“He’s got every ingredient that you need, he just needs to keep playing and gaining experience,” Montigel said.
Whether or not his career extends to the PGA Tour, Barrett only sees a future in golf.
“I’m sure I will do something in the golf business whether it be working at the course that my family runs or something else,” Barrett said.
Barrett’s next tournament is the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Sept. 26 and 27.
