By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — Every night, for about 10 to 15 minutes, Sharyland High freshman Jimmy Lee watches golf interviews online.
The tournaments don’t interest him much, he said, because he isn’t trying to emulate a particular style or swing. His interest rather lies in the golfer’s mindset.
“In the interviews, a lot of times they don’t talk about the physical part or their swing feeling bad,” Lee said. “They might make a comment about it, but most of it is mental. That’s why I watch it — to know what they’re doing mentally.”
As Lee prepares for the UIL state tournament in Cedar Creek today, he believes his chances of winning will largely hinge on the mental component of his game.
For much of the year, that’s been the case for Lee, who overcame a midseason slump to win the final tournaments under par. His biggest challenge now is dealing with a nagging back issue. The flaring pain on his lower-left back — mostly muscle knots — has hindered him for the past two years.
But the sensation became too overwhelming last week, prompting him to take a single-day trip to Dallas to receive treatment. Now, Lee hopes it won’t be an issue when he tees off at 7:30 a.m. today at the Wolfdancer Golf Club, where he will become the first freshman in program history to compete at state as an individual.
To get there, Lee battled through lapses that he described as “attitude more than anything else,” admitting his overconfidence affected his performance. Very quickly, he found himself struggling with his short game, chipping and putting.
Over time, though, he developed a rhythm, allowing him to close out the last four tournaments at least three strokes under par.
“We expected those results in the beginning,” Sharyland coach Fernando Rodriguez said, “but now he’s finally coming around.”
Rodriguez, who has coached the past 15 seasons at Sharyland, lauded Lee for his technique and strength, saying he has exceptional length off the tee box. He also commended Lee for his discipline and ability to adapt to a team format.
The accolades are a result of long hours on the golf course, where he practices before class each day and then resumes after school until about 8:30 p.m. So much of his time is devoted to competition, Lee said, that his friends have begun poking fun at him, asking if he lives in an actual home or on the golf course.
Such was his dedication last week, when he flew to Dallas for a deep-tissue massage and acupuncture. He also underwent cupping therapy, which required suction cups (with fire inside) to be placed on his back, helping his muscles contract.
Lee describes it as “a little bit of a problem,” which recently has required him to undergo treatment about two or three times a week. But he refuses to allow it to influence his performance.
Earlier in the year, while warming up for a tournament, Lee remembers bending down to pick up a ball before struggling to get back up. With roughly 90 minutes to go before the first tee, Lee went to his car to pick up Advil and place a couple of heating pads on his lower back.
After a brief rest, Lee returned to the course and shot a 67 to win.
“Mentally, I stayed strong, but physically I was hurting,” Lee said. “That’s what taught me that golf’s a mental game, not just physical.”
With a two-tournament ahead starting today, Lee said he is stretching regularly, hoping to loosen his back and clear his mind of any disturbances.
“If in your head you say it doesn’t hurt, then it’s not going to hurt,” Lee said. “It’s about the neural pathways in your head. You’ve got to get those to say it doesn’t hurt. So in a competition, when it does hurt, you focus on one thing and that’s getting the ball in the hole.”