Welcome to Saturday Spotlight, where we dive into the lives of Ohio State student-athletes and learn more about their journeys to Columbus, their love of the Buckeye traditions and who they are as competitors and students.
Will Grimmer is a junior golfer at Ohio State. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Grimmer has many notable accomplishments including All-Big Ten second team, Academic All-American, and a qualifier for the U.S. Open.
We sat down with him to learn about his journey to Ohio State, his favorite meal in Columbus, and much more.
When did you realize you had a chance to play golf at the collegiate level?
Will Grimmer: I would say probably sometime in between freshman and sophomore year of high school. It was always a dream of mine growing up to play collegiate golf then professional golf. I remember vividly in Cincinnati I'd go out and watch UC or Xavier at different tournaments that would be played. So I was really exposed to it in late elementary school. Being around some of those guys was cool. Once I got to sophomore year in high school I started playing really well and I had kind of broken out more on a national scale and realized I was one of the better players in the region.
What drew you to Ohio State outside of golf?
WG: Kind of everything from being a fun school, to being academically strong. I was business undecided and I switched to communications. That process couldn't have been easier because Ohio State is solid regardless in a number of different majors. I felt like academically I was in a great position. Obviously there's a great athletic pedigree so that was very attractive to me. I like the campus, I like the people up here. There's just a sense of comfort up here. You combine all that together, plus they were building a new indoor golf facility right as I was being recruited. My final schools were North Carolina and Ohio State and Ohio State won out with the facilities and resources with the golf perspective.
What is your proudest golf moment?
WG: I would say it was probably qualifying for the US Open. I qualified when I was 17 as a rising senior in high school. For me, that was something that I always dreamt of doing and at the beginning of the year, I set my sights on qualifying. Even then its obviously odds are very much against you and it is very tough to do. I made it through the local qualifier and a sectional qualifies against a lot of professionals. So I signed up and played my game and came in 2nd in sectionals. I got to play with guys like Ricky Fowler and Justin Rose and meet Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson. To get to play in that event and really be able to measure myself against the best players in the world and learn from them firsthand was incredible. It just showed me inside that I had the ability to play at the highest level.
What do you like to do when you are not golfing?
WG: Hanging out with friends on the team. Our team is very close, we have a great group of guys. Between golf and school, it takes up a lot of time. When we do get an off weekend, I love going to sports games. I go to pretty much every basketball and football game. I love just doing weekend activities and being a college student. Finding a time to relax is very important.
What are you studying? What has been your favorite class so far at Ohio State?
WG: I'm studying strategic communications. My favorite class was Intro to Lantern TV last fall and it was taught by Bryant Somerville who works for Channel 10 here in Columbus. If I weren't to play professional golf, the next thing I'd like to do career wise would be sportscasting on the Golf Channel or something. To get the hands on experience of doing interviews and hands on projects, and being in front of camera was really cool. It was definitely more of a real world experience than any other class I've taken here at Ohio State.
What is your favorite course at which you've ever played?
WG: Man, thats really tough. Pinehurst is a really special place for me. We played Pebble Beach the last three years for college tournaments. I think if I had one more round of golf I could ever play it would be Pebble Beach. The views out there are incredible. So yeah, Pebble Beach.
What is your favorite meal you have had while in Columbus?
WG: I've become a big fan of Piada, because I'd never had that before I got to school. I also like Cazuela's up on High Street. I meet my teammates there a lot. Those are two places I've definitely enjoyed going to.
What is something about you that we wouldn't believe?
WG: I used to act. When I was younger from 4th-8th grade I was really into acting. I auditioned for some semi-pro things in Cincinnati. I got cut, but there was a brief period when I thought I wanted to be an actor and pursue it.
What is your favorite Ohio State tradition?
WG: I would have to say probably the singing of Carmen Ohio after football and basketball games. I don't think a lot of people know their alma maters at other schools. I never knew my high school alma mater. I feel like Carmen Ohio is such a special song. It gives me goosebumps. I love the whole tradition of football and beating Michigan is cool too.
Will and the golf team are in West Lafayette this weekend as they participate in the Purdue Invitational. They will continue to battle throughout the Big Ten schedule as they are attempting to advance to NCAA Regionals, which is hosted in Columbus this year.
You can follow Will on Twitter @grimmer12_will.
