By Bill Schulz
It was twenty feet, just twenty feet . . . Wil Collins faced the biggest putt of his life and would soon realize the fulfillment of his lifelong dream, and he didn’t even know it.
Born on August 24, 1978, Wil grew up on Nicklaus Drive in Rapid City just a short distance from Arrowhead Country Club. At age two he would play in the yard with his plastic golf clubs. At age five he would win his first golf tournament using an adult golf club his Dad had sawed down for him. As chronicled in the Rapid City Journal,
Wil Collins of Rapid City was the four-hole champion at Meadowbrook Golf Course. Collins Is only five years old, but captured the eight-to-14-year-olds’ four-hole division at the course on Wednesday…Collins says he’s not quite sure if he likes golf enough yet to turn professional.
The uncertainty ended three years later during the 1986 Masters when Wil realized that he did indeed want to be a pro golfer. “I went to my father’s work with him on Sunday morning. I remember watching Nicklaus make his back nine charge to overcome Greg Norman and others. When Nicklaus won, I had goose bumps cover my body; I still get them now even as I recall that moment.”
Read the rest of this story in Summer ‘09 FACES
