Before stepping on Temple University’s campus, sophomore golfer Ethan Whitney impressed the Massachusetts golf region with his performances throughout high school.
As a student at Saint John’s High School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Whitney set a new school record for a low season average, winning MVP at the Catholic Conference Championship. In 2020, he also won the Dale Smith Memorial Classic, a tournament with more than 110 participants, while also participating in the Massachusetts Junior Amateur and the Massachusetts Amateur Championships.
Whitney, who was discovered by head coach Brian Quinn in 2020, has developed his game since high school, becoming a starter on the Temple Men’s Golf team in only his first collegiate season. With the departure of several key players like graduated Dawson Anders, Whitney is entering tournaments as a key piece.
Since joining Temple during the 2021-22 season, Whitney has finished fourth on the team with a stroke average of 74.09 while playing in all 34 rounds his freshman season. Whitney’s best statistical performance in his freshman year came in the GolfWeek Challenge where he shot a season-low 66 (-6) and a season-best three-round score of three-under with 213 (74-66-73).
This season, he is expected to not only become a solidified starter for Temple golf, but also a tournament contender.
Quinn learned about Whitney from his brother, PGA Tour golfer Fran Quinn, who saw him at a tournament and mentioned to Brian Quinn that Whitney would be a player with high-profile potential for the Owls due to his consistency on the course.
“I heard we were getting a good player with talent,” said team captain and senior teammate Conor McGrath, “And [Whitney] played impressive from the start and was a great addition for us.”
In the 2022 season, Whitney took a big leap in his career by winning his first-ever collegiate tournament on Sept. 19 at the Cornell/Temple Fall Invite.
Whitney finished the tournament shooting a five-under, being the only one out of an 85-man field to shoot under par on the final day. Whitney finished with 12 birdies across 36 holes, which led the Owls to the team title, edging out Rhode Island by three strokes.
“Coming off the summer with confidence, I don’t have expectations but rather knowing that I just wanted to go and play the best that I can every tournament whether it’s winning or finishing 20th and playing to the level I know I can,” Whitney said.
While Whitney has very few expectations for himself, his one goal is to make the Professional Golfers’ Association, he said. The PGA is the highest level of competition in the world and has featured Temple alumni, including 2016 Temple alumnus Brandon Matthews.
Although reaching the PGA may be a challenge, Whitney’s teammates and coaches believe that if he continues to perform at a high level, he could be an elite golfer.
“He’s developing for sure,” McGrath said. “We are continuing to help him find that balance and work those kinks, shortening his swing and overall giving him more reps to continue to progress.”
While the Owls’ future is bright with a golfer of Whitney’s caliber, he can still improve his course management and approaches to individual tournaments. However, Brian Quinn still praises Whitney for the potential pro he could be.
“Nothing surprises me with him,” Brian Quinn said. “He’s super talented and skilled, but he has to continue to mature and stay the course, and if [Whitney] does, he can be one of the best golfers to come out of the Temple golf program.”
Be the first to comment