Oregon Daily Emerald: On many competitive levels golf is more of an individual sport but on the college level it’s more of a team sport. Do you guys have a team vibe?
Joey Benedetti: Yeah. We can’t really talk to each other out there because of different rules, but you definitely feed off of what the coaches are telling you, what each player hit on certain shots, and you get a feel for how they’re playing. If they’re playing well it obviously motivates you and if you hear about a few guys struggling it motivates you in a different way to go out there and keep grinding it out.
ODE: There’s always a dispute over whether golfers are really athletes. Are you an athlete?

JB: Absolutely. If you look at the modern game now you see guys like Tiger Woods, who’s in just as good of shape as any athlete out there. Obviously there are some guys that are out of shape but for the most part in the modern game the up-and-rising golfers are in shape and just to play a full season you have to be in pretty good shape. You have to be prepared both mentally and physically.
ODE: What kind of training do you do?
JB: We work out two or three times a week and I try to get in the gym as much as possible and just work hard at it.
ODE: Do you have any pre-game rituals to get you pumped up for a round?
JB: Not necessarily. Some guys listen to their iPods or whatever. I just go out and try to stay loose, goof around with the guys a little bit. I’m not really thinking about the round all that much prior to it but once I get up on the first tee I just change my mindset to, ‘Let’s go.’
ODE: Do you have a routine you go through before each shot?
JB: I just aim at something and hit it and don’t worry about the result. I just feel my way through. If I hit the shot where I want to then great and if I don’t then oh well. I really try to just think of the positives rather than the negatives.
ODE: Is there a pro golfer you model your game after or just like to watch play?
JB: Well I obviously really like watching Tiger Woods but also now that Anthony Kim has come on board and he’s from where I was junior golf-wise I watch him. He’s a good player with an extremely good swing and kind of has a mentality of inner confidence, not in how he comes across with people but just kind of an ‘I’ve been here before and I can handle it,’ mentality. I like watching Tiger play just to see how mentally strong he really is.
ODE: What are your plans after graduation?
JB: Well, winning the West regional has definitely opened up a few more doors for me. I’m going to play a few of the better amateur tournaments here in the Northwest and take it from there, maybe turn pro after that. First I just have to get in there and play with the better amateurs, see how I do there, and then take it from there.
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