Sometimes a step backward will lead to two steps forward.
Fortunately for UCLA senior golfer Erik Flores, his current momentum is heading in the right direction as the Bruins head into the NCAA Regionals Thursday. Flores has been on fire recently, recording four straight top-10 finishes, including a tournament victory at the U.S. Collegiate Championship. He was recently named to the All-Pac-10 first-team for the third time, becoming the only UCLA golfer in the program’s history to achieve that feat.
But in order to get to this level, Flores made a tough decision following a very successful freshman season.
Entering UCLA, Flores was talented, but raw. He could either continue to work with the talent he had, or he could start over the right way and try to become more fundamental.
“As far as physical ability goes, it was there but it definitely wasn’t refined,” Flores said. “So I took some time sophomore year and I attempted a swing rebuild. My play suffered because of it.”
Flores’ scoring average worsened from 72.1 as a freshman to 73.4 as a sophomore. After registering 10 top-10 finishes as a freshman, Flores recorded only three during his sophomore season.
“It was frustrating, but it was also the biggest growing year for me,” Flores said. “It’s easy to be a happy person when you are playing well and everything’s going well. There’s no adversity, but then there’s also no character building.”
After taking that backward step, Flores needed time to become confident and consistent in his abilities. Last year, his junior season, UCLA won the men’s golf national championship, due at least in part to the improved play of Flores. But even at the beginning of last season, Flores sometimes competed as an individual instead of counting as part of the team score due to his inconsistent play. He had six top-10 finishes last season but also had five finishes outside the top-25.
“My junior year I struggled the first half … but I had a click midway through the season and I finished out pretty well,” he said. “Take a step back to take two steps forward. That’s where I took a big jump.”
That big jump contributed to the team title and a lead to a successful individual summer for Flores. Now, Flores has emerged as the leader of a very young UCLA team and is more consistent and refined then ever before. He has shot under-par in six of his last 12 rounds, and shot even-par in two more. Even though Flores is the only senior on the travel squad along with two freshmen and two sophomores, he said he chooses to lead by example in an attempt to set the tone at practices and tournaments with his effort and focus.
“The younger guys are definitely a pack of their own,” Flores said. “I choose to do my own thing most of the time, but the team definitely gets along good. The travel squad the last quarter or half of the season has had better chemistry than at the beginning.”
The consensus among the Bruins is that their improved chemistry of late has resulted in better team performances. The Bruins have certainly gone through a rebuilding year following their title season, but with Flores as the leader, the team seems to be peaking at the right time.
Flores has been preparing the whole season for these next few weeks.
“Freshman year, I’m going out there playing, but everyday was a guessing game,” he said. “(This season), I sat down with my dad and my swing coach and we worked out a plan so I’m peaking this time of the season, as well as summer for amateur events and (Qualifying) School. Everything was geared from last fall to this point right now.”
Qualifying School, a grueling four-stage qualifying process where amateurs can earn PGA tour memberships for one year, is often the next step in the life of a college golfer. While the idea of more school disgusts most graduating seniors, Q School is the most likely way for Flores to fulfill his dreams of becoming a professional golfer.
But first he has to take a few steps forward and help UCLA defend its title.