As Jack Michael gears up for college and the start of his golf career at West Virginia University, the Huntington native does so pleased with the state of his game, which has led to more than a fair share of bright spots over the last six weeks.
“I’m driving the ball phenomenal — better than I could imagine,” Michael said. “It’s next level. My ball-striking has improved significantly. I’m hitting it really well and often where I want. I’m working really hard on my short game. That’s something the coaches at WVU really want me to work on and it’s a work in progress.”
The low medalist from any classification at last year’s WVSSAC High School Golf State Championship, Michael helped guide Cabell Midland to a team title in the process.
It was a fitting end to a successful high school career that helped lead to his next opportunity, which will come in the near future as a Mountaineer.
Recently, Michael has been pleased with his performances, starting with his win in the West Virginia Golf Association’s Junior Match Play Championship at Parkersburg Country Club back on May 10-11 when the CMHS alum won all four of his matches. Eight days later, Michael fired a 4-under par 68 to take first place in a WVGA Amateur Series one-round event at Glade Springs’ Cobb Course.
At the West Virginia Amateur in the first week of June, Michael finished in a two-way tie for eighth place at 5-over par, carding between 70-73 in all four rounds.
“I felt like I played way better than I even finished,” Michael said of his showing at The Greenbrier. “Some little things held me back from playing better and maybe even winning the tournament, but I was decently happy with the top 10.”
More recently, while competing with golfers from all across the world on the American Junior Golf Association, Michael finished in a three-way tie for fifth at 1-over par in the three-round Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior at Bellefonte Country Club in Ashland, Kentucky.
There were also close calls for Michael in a pair of qualifiers — first when he shot an even par 71 at The Pines Country Club in a U.S. Open local qualifier, leaving him three shots from advancing to sectional qualifying. Michael also came up just short in his bid to qualify for the Sunehanna Amateur, regarded as one of the top amateur golf tournaments anywhere.
“Overall, it’s been a pretty solid summer,” Michael said. “Nothing super electric happening, but my game has some solid foundations that I really like going into school.”
Michael will remain busy before starting at WVU. He’s set to play in the WVGA’s Four-Ball Championship with Marshall’s Jackson Woodburn this weekend at the Cobb Course. Next week, Michael will be a participant in the Junior Amateur Championship at Canaan Valley Resort.
In July, he’ll play the inaugural WVU Medicine United Hospital Center Junior Championship on the AJGA circuit at Bridgeport Country Club and the High School Golf National Invitational in Pinehurst, N.C., an event the Knights’ 2024 team qualified for by winning state.
When tournament play isn’t ongoing, Michael can often be found working on his game at Guyan Golf & Country Club.
“I’m at Guyan every single day if I’m in town,” he said. “I’ve been out of town a lot this summer, but I live really close to Guyan and that’s where I’ve basically grown up.”
Soon, Michael will move three hours north and start his journey at the Division I level. Much of his practice will then occur at Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, home to the Mountaineers’ practice facility.
“It’s crucial. Being from West Virginia, this is not a big golf state and we don’t have acclaimed coaches and facilities to always do stuff that kids in Texas, Florida or Georgia can have access to,” Michael said. “We’re at a disadvantage, but being there, I’ll have access to that as will other guys on the team. It’s great.”
There is also the challenge of proving he belongs and can contribute at a Big 12 program, something Michael is looking forward to, though he knows his work is cut out.
“I’m extremely excited getting to go out and compete against the best golfers in the world hopefully every weekend,” Michael said. “I’m prepared for it to be a grind, too. College golf is hard. I could not travel some weeks and not travel for months or I could play great and play in every golf tournament. Having Pete Dye as my home course is going to be awesome to see where that can take my game and how [head coach Sean Covich] and [assistant coach Will Koras] could help me get to the next level.”
As an example of what’s possible, Michael closely followed the career trajectory of Todd Duncan.
A graduate of Shady Spring High School, Duncan’s improvement in college led to him finishing 13th in the NCAA Regional Championship in 2024, before he went on to have the best showing of any Mountaineer in the NCAA Golf Championships that year.
As a senior, Duncan was in the WVU lineup for every regular season event during the recently-completed season, and he was the team’s top finisher at the Mountaineer Invitational and Big 12 Championship.
“Todd’s kind of the person I think of when I think of going to West Virginia,” Michael said. “Him being from in state, we both didn’t have the same opportunities that some of our peers could have, so we’re almost playing a little bit of catch up. Coach Covich definitely saw something in me and him alike that we could develop to that next level. Even if I don’t travel, it’s another step in the road to find something to get better at and watch the Kaleb Wilsons to try and figure out what they do that I don’t.”