Jimmy Stanger began golfing at 5 years old,<\/span> tagging along as his father hit the course. Soon, the young Stanger set his sights on a professional career.<\/p>\n \u201cI still have a note that I wrote about age 7 saying that I wanted to play with Tiger Woods in the Masters when I was 20,\u201d said Stanger, who graduated from the University of Virginia in May 2017 after a successful academic and athletic career.<\/p>\n Though Stanger did not quite make it to Augusta National at age 20 (and the injured Woods missed the Masters this year), he has done a pretty good job of making his childhood dream come true. He became a first-team All-American golfer and won the Atlantic Coast Conference individual championship his fourth year. UVA\u2019s golf team thrived during his tenure, most recently finishing a program-best 10th at the 2017 NCAA Championship.<\/p>\n Stanger is poised to make the leap from amateur to professional. After playing in the U.S. Amateur Championship in August, Stanger plans to sign with an agent and officially become a professional golfer. \u201cIt really is a dream come true,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Off the green, Stanger set the example as a student. The Tampa, Florida native zeroed in on UVA not just for the golf team, but also for the McIntire School of Commerce, ranked No. 2 globally. \u201cThe Commerce School was a huge reason I chose UVA, because I have always envisioned myself going into finance after a golf career,\u201d he said. \u201cI wanted to go to a university with a great business school, and UVA obviously had that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div> Still, he admits there were times<\/span> in his college career when achieving both of those dreams felt like a daunting task. Stanger said he got a bit overconfident during his first year at UVA, after a particularly strong top-10 finish in his first tournament. \u201cI had visions of myself winning every tournament after that,\u201d he said. \u201cBut of course that was not the case, and over the next two years, I definitely did not play the golf I was expecting to be able to play.\u201d<\/p>\n Part of the challenge, he said, was balancing long hours on the golf course with his classes and application to UVA\u2019s McIntire School of Commerce, which typically accepts students during their second year. Like other applicants, Stanger had to complete challenging pre-requisites involving time-intensive case studies and group meetings. \u201cJuggling that with golf was very difficult,\u201d Stanger said. \u201cIt really taught me the importance of staying focused, planning out a good schedule and understanding that the best things take hard work and time.\u201d<\/p>\n By his third year on Grounds, though, Stanger found his groove. He was accepted to the Commerce School and enjoyed his first year in the program. He had also gotten involved in other organizations on Grounds, including a Christian organization called Athletes in Action, where he led Bible studies for other UVA student-athletes. He earned a reputation among his coaches as a hard worker who leads by example.<\/p>\n \u201cJimmy really is a great student-athlete, first and foremost,\u201d men\u2019s golf coach Bowen Sargent said. \u201cHe has been a very valuable leader from that perspective and a great model for the younger guys with his efforts in the classroom and on the golf course.\u201d<\/p>\n During his third year, Stanger\u2019s golf game also improved. He won his first college tournament and made a birdie putt to send his team to the 2016 National Championship tournament. \u201cThat moment stands out tremendously,\u201d Stanger said of the clutch putt.<\/p>\n As he continued playing well, his national and international ranking \u2013 an important number for any amateur golfer hoping to play professionally \u2013 steadily rose. Currently, Stanger is ranked No. 16 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and No. 7 by Golfstat.<\/p>\n<\/div> \u201cHe is in a really good position right now,\u201d<\/span> Sargent said. \u201cHe is playing awfully well and has been for over a year. That consistency becomes more and more important at the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n As Stanger \u2013 using some of his business training \u2013 put it, \u201cPlaying professionally has become not just a dream, but a practical option. Sometimes it did not seem doable or practical, but as I have gotten better and moved up in the rankings, it has become practical to go out and play golf as a career. I feel so blessed to be able to do that, and to have had people, like my parents, who have sacrificed to make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n He anticipates that his McIntire degree will help him navigate the business side of golf, including negotiating contracts, managing money and securing sponsorships.<\/p>\n \u201cPlaying professional golf really is an entrepreneurial activity. You are selling yourself as a brand,\u201d Stanger said. \u201cI concentrated in finance and marketing, and that has really helped me understand how the golf industry works and how I can find a place in that industry.\u201d<\/p>\n If his past record is any indication, it\u2019s a place Stanger will work hard to earn and keep. \u2013Caroline Newman, UVA News Associate<\/p>\n<\/div> Donor contributions to the VAF Annual Fund<\/strong> support student-athletes such as Jimmy in many ways including scholarships, the Athletics Academic Affairs program and sport-specific operational budgets.<\/p>\n<\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uvasoftballfacility.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/stanger-tall.jpg\" "\\"stanger-tall\\"")
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