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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

Men's Golf: Platt leads team as senior, sets eyes on pros

Senior captain Niall Platt, four-year starter and three-time monogram winner, found his life-long sport of golf with the help of his father at the age of three.
"My dad got me into it, he loved the game," Platt said. "He doesn't play much anymore, but we used to play together all the time when I was a little kid."
A Santa Barbra, Calif. native, Platt said his father John attends many of his tournaments now and serves as an extra coach.
"When he comes to my tournaments, he will help me out with my swing and stuff," Platt said. "He is also usually my caddy over the summer."
Throughout his time at Notre Dame, Platt has made a great impact on the team. He started 11 tournaments as a freshman and has kept his starting spot through all three seasons at Notre Dame.
His freshman year, Platt earned the Big East Freshman of the Year award, a spot on the All-Big East Team, and a monogram award.
"Freshman of the year was a great honor for me, I was really happy with that," Platt said. "And obviously to win a monogram, especially freshman year, was a big deal for me."
Platt consistently finished within the top three on the team for lowest stroke averages - 73.4 his freshman year and 73.81 his sophomore year. He led the team in lowest stroke average his junior year with 73.41.
This season Platt continues to be an asset to the team, currently leading the team with a stroke average of 70.83. Platt has also had one top-10 finish and two top-20 finishes - his best place being at the Gopher Invitational on Sept. 9 with a tie for sixth.
Platt said his decision to come to Notre Dame was the right one, not just because of the success he found with the team, but also because of the coaches and players he has had the privilege to golf with.
"You don't want to get stuck with coaches you don't like, and luckily that didn't happen to me," Platt said. "I love competing with these guys [the team and coaches], traveling to tournaments is my favorite thing about being on the team."
Platt, an applied and computational mathematics and statistics major, said he hopes play pro-golf after college.
"Right now, my plan is to turn pro, and see how it goes for a few years," Platt said. "And if it doesn't work out then I will do something else, but for now professional golf is where I want to go."
Platt and the team tee off again at the Crooked Stick Intercollegiate tournament in Carmel, Ind. on Oct. 14.
Contact Meredith Kelly at mkelly29@nd.edu