A future of greens and fairways
Growing up in Marin County about 200 yards from a golf course, it was only a matter of time before Matt Seramin decided to play. Now with graduation around the corner, it is time to reflect on the fifth-year senior’s career as an athlete for the UC Davis men’s golf team.
A consistent player from his freshman year onward, Seramin received an All-Big West Conference Honorable Mention for both his sophomore and junior years as an Aggie. He redshirted his fourth year before coming back early the following season to make a mark on UC Davis athletics.
The crowning moment of Seramin’s individual career came in the summer of 2014 during the 111th Northern California Golf Association Amateur Match Play Championship when he took home the championship trophy. Seramin competed at the world renowned Spyglass Hill Golf Course at Pebble Beach, Calif., where he played eight rounds in six days. He was the first UC Davis athlete to win the prominent tournament while still in college.
“It was just a blur until after, when I got to reflect on it,” Seramin said.
Leading UC Davis in the Big West Championship during his second year and ultimately winning the Conference Championship has been his best memory with the team. After an entire season of struggling to perform well, the Aggies were not expected to come out on top. Instead, they pulled together and were able to win the title, ending at 6-under par.
By his own admission, Seramin didn’t have the most successful spring season this year, but he never let that phase him. The team was seeded tenth going into the NCAA Regionals, and believed that they could make it to the finals. The Aggies had played at the Bremerton, Wash., location during the Husky Invitational every fall, and were comfortable with the course. Unfortunately, things did not go as they had hoped and they finished the tournament ninth.
“You can’t live and die by every round,” Seramin said. “Sometimes you have it and sometimes you don’t.”
When playing such a mentally challenging sport, a bad performance can mar an entire career. It is a testament to the character of Seramin that he has been able to overcome that and continue to succeed.
Having the opportunity to play with some of the best players in the nation for the past five years is part of the reason why Seramin wants to continue to play after college.
“They might be a little better, but there are times when I go ‘I can compete with these guys and perform just as well as them,’” he said.
Especially following the recent NCGA, Seramin realized that he could definitely be a solid contender in the years to come.
With Seramin graduating at the end of the school year, the future holds much promise for him. He plans on playing as an amateur this summer, but when September rolls around he will turn in the paperwork and become a professional golfer.
“I’m going to turn pro and give it a shot,” said Seramin. “I figure that I’ve worked this hard, and am so close to doing good things. I just need to step it up a bit…It’s going to be hard, but golf is a lot of fun. It’s such a mental game – once you start believing that you can do it, it becomes a lot better. You just have to start believing.”
