Athlete of the Week: 10 questions with Drew Southwell, Loyola Academy golf

Drew Southwell, of Glencoe, is a senior golfer for the Ramblers. He shot a 73 in the conference tournament to finish third and lead his team to first. Southwell also plays Loyola hockey.

1. Do you have any pre-round or pre-swing rituals?

I’d say before my swing I fix my grip two times and then right before I hit, I just push my hands forward and I go. There is no certain food I eat, but I do like eating before I play. I can’t eat while I play.

2. What are your plans for next year?

I do not know yet. Hopefully I will know within three to four weeks. I want to play college golf at the highest level I can. As far as location, I’ll go anywhere. … I love playing everywhere. I just want to play at the highest level I can.

3. When did you first really get into golf?

When I was probably like 11 or 12, around fifth grade maybe. I’d play a par 3 course in Winnetka by myself. I just really like hitting balls by myself and I started to really fall in love with it.

4. When did you know you were pretty good at the sport?

Probably a year after that, like 2017, 2018. I’d do the little 9-hole (Illinois Junior Golf Association tournaments) and I’d do pretty well in them. Whenever I’d play with friends, it would never be that close. So I was a little better than my friends and that kept making me work hard and I loved doing it.

5. What is your favorite club in your bag?

I really like my 54-degree wedge and I like my 6 iron iron. That’s pretty random But I’m not a big fan of the putter and driver; they are toward the middle or bottom for me. Both those clubs are the ones I least like to hit when practicing. I like hitting long irons on range. And those two clubs always produce fun results.

6. What has been your golf highlight so far?

We won conference my sophomore year and shot 16 under as a team for the conference record. That was a lot of fun. That’s one of my favorite golf moments.

7. What is your favorite thing to do off the course?

I really like to travel. I like to see new places. I travel a lot when I can. And I like food. I love a good dinner. I can’t complain when get a good steak or chicken sandwich.

8. If you’re in Walgreens with a couple bucks, what are you buying?

I’d say I’d buy a package of Tic-Tacs (the orange ones) and a yellow Gatorade.

9. What is something people don’t know about you?

I play every sport lefty. Because I write righty and eat righty I don’t think many people know I am left-handed dominant in sports — except baseball; I play baseball right-handed.

10. How do you hope to finish your senior season?

I hope as a team we can go to state. That’s the first goal and for me to contend as an individual to win state. For me to play well at state. That would be awesome.

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