Yannik Paul, fresh off his first collegiate win, will lead the Buffs into Monday's Pac-12 Championship.
Photo by: Tony Harman
Yannik Now The Paul In The Spotlight
April 20, 2018 | Men's Golf
One of the nation's top golfers leading CU into the Pac-12 Championships
BOULDER – They were born just one minute apart and grew up in Viernheim, Germany. Fast-forward 24 years, they will finish their collegiate golf careers at the University of Colorado one year apart.
Jeremy Paul, the "oldest," went on to set 24 school records and joined 1996 U.S. Open champion Steve Jones ('81) as the only players to lead the Buffaloes in stroke average four straight seasons. He turned pro late during his senior year.
Yannik Paul, the "youngest" by about 60 seconds, took a year off from college golf after his sophomore year and thus the difference in when their careers will end. He has set nine records, with several more on the horizon include many of his brother's.
CU has had its fair share of successful brothers throughout its history, for example Clayton and Byron White, Dick and Bobby Anderson, Hale and Phil Irwin, and in volleyball, the three Simpson sisters (Cierra, Gabby and Taylor). Yannik is now carrying the torch for the family as he winds down his career, and will lead the Buffaloes into next week's Pac-12 Championships.
Both Pauls have spent time ranked between 75th and 250th in the World Amateur Rankings, and in the top 50 at times in the collegiate ones (Yannik is now 206th and 73rd, respectively). So how did twins from east central Germany, roughly 40 miles south of Frankfurt, find their way to Colorado?
Discovering Colorado
"My coach at home (Ted Long) was born and raised in the United States, and he's good friends with Coach Edwards. We obviously wanted to go somewhere together, and not many schools had two scholarships remaining for the both of us. Colorado was our first official visit, think it was in late September 2012, and we really loved everything about it right from the start. It was sunny, around 80 degrees, just perfect. We committed when we got back to the airport and took no other visits.
"You can't really follow your passion for golf and study at the same time in Germany, so America afforded us the opportunity," he added. "We always wanted to have an education before we turned pro; you always need to have a Plan B if golf doesn't work out."
Yannik is on schedule graduate next month with a degree in Business Management; Jeremy earned his degree in Operations Management in May 2017.
No Sibling Rivalry
Often siblings who are competitive can get into fierce rivalries, whether in sports or even just for their parents' love … and anything in-between. But that has never been the case with Yannik and Jeremy.
"I've never felt I was in his (Jeremy's) shadow, "Yannik said. "We've almost usually played right around the same level. I'm proud of the records he set here, certainly not jealous of them. No, no sibling rivalry here, we look at it like we're one team."
The two have been on same teams throughout their lives, but also have had their share of competing alone in tournaments, particularly in Europe. When Yannik went home to Germany for the 2015-16 academic year, Jeremy was in the states competing solo, which Yannik is doing now after his older twin sib turned pro late into his senior year last April.
"When I was back at home, I competed alone," Yannik said. "We obviously grew up playing a lot together, but we did go out individually to several events. We're obviously really close; he came to Arizona to watch me play, and it was really cool to have him there when I won. There's no rivalry at all, I saw it in his eyes how happy he was for me to win my first major. We FaceTime every day, talk about golf of course, among other things."
Laying The Groundwork
Paul had a solid fall season, third on the team in stroke average at 71.89, despite some back problems that limited him a bit at New Mexico's Tucker Invitational and prohibited him from playing in CU's own Mark Simpson Invitational, where he had the ability to post at least two if not all three scores in the 60s.
But he has chopped off over two strokes from fall to spring (to 69.83) and in twice as many rounds (18, as he played nine in the fall). Overall, he's the team leader at 70.52, which is seventh in the Pac-12 Conference heading into the championships next week south of Los Angeles.
The credit can be spread around between his coaches and himself.
"He's definitely been working hard, and his development has really shown in his results," Edwards said. "We kind of challenged him after the fall season, specifically (assistant coach) Pat (Grady). We were pretty forthcoming with Yannik because he has so much talent and ability. But he really took that to heart, and that's not always the easiest thing to do. He responded tremendously and you can see that he has elevated his game. And he has helped to make his teammates better in the process."
"My coaches have obviously helped a lot in my career," Paul said. "I like to talk golf, and I like to hear others' opinions of my game. I am always asking Roy and Pat what I can do to be better. They have always given me great advice, and we had a really good meeting after the fall. It was constructive criticism that I took to heart. They told me what I needed to do to improve, especially in the mental aspects of how I approach things. It really has risen me to a whole new level."
Finally Breaking Through
Yannik won his first tournament back after redshirting, but it wasn't in a "major" as it came in the Ballyneal Challenge; it's an intimate 36-hole, three-team tournament that often kicks off CU's fall season as the Buffs host it in Holyoke in the northeastern part of the state. He fashioned back-to-back 66s and finished at 10-under 132.
Over the next 18 months, he would flirt with the lead on several occasions. Then this spring, he started closing the gap, finishing four tournaments a combined 20 strokes back of the medalist spot, or on average, just five strokes behind. Then it happened.
Last weekend, Paul sizzled in Arizona State's Thunderbird Invitational, where he had 42 (of 54) greens-in-regulation, with balls on the fringe three other times, and hit 28 of 42 fairways but was in the first cut of the rough on most of the ones he missed. He three-putted just twice, both from long distances. Seventeen birdies. Thirty-one pars. Only six bogeys. It all added up to a 67-66-69—202 scorecard, just the sixth time in school history a player scored three rounds in the 60s in a tournament. The 202 score was the best in CU history for a 54-hole tournament on a par-71 course, and the second-best on any layout.
He led almost wire-to-wire, but did share co-medalist honors with UNLV's Shintaro Ban (the two were tied entering the final round), but there was no playoff so both are credited with a win.
"Actually the funny thing is, there were a couple tournaments, like the Kansas State Bighorn, where I felt like I played better because I had more control over the ball," Paul said. "But for some reason, I couldn't get the 'W' because I made too many unforced errors … hitting it the wrong spots, not giving myself enough room here or there. Just basically unnecessary mistakes.
"The win came because I thought I had really good course management, and good speed control on the greens, which were firm and fast," he continued. "I knew I was starting earlier (some 66 minutes ahead of Ban), so I didn't pay too much attention to the leaderboard until my 15th hole (No. 6). There were so many guys just a shot or two behind me, I knew I'd need another good round to win the tournament so I wasn't worrying about anybody else.
"I didn't try to change my strategy for the last round, I stayed aggressive where I could be, otherwise I just waited for my chances. I've learned that to win tournaments, it might be nice to have a lot of birdies, but it is much more important not to make mistakes. Even when you win, you make mistakes, you have to learn how to limit them."
"What a win for Yannik. He has been playing very well all spring and it all came together for him," Edwards said following the final round. "This was an elite field in golf and was a huge win. He has been a great player and teammate and this is very well-deserved. I have been especially impressed with his patience all year, his game has flourished and I believe even better golf is ahead of him."
Looking Ahead
Paul and his teammates would like to atone for the disappointing showing in last year's Pac-12 meet, the first conference championship hosted by CU in some 45 years; the Buffs finished seventh in the snow-shortened event.
"I want to finish strong with the team, and definitely go to the NCAA Finals since we haven't been in so long," he said. "We were close three years ago, but we blew it. We were leading by eight after the first day but wound up missing by one spot. It would be nice to leave college on the team that got CU back into the finals.
"Over the years, I've come to realize I play better when my expectations aren't too high," Paul added. "I have a tendency to try and force things at times because I'm a very aggressive player. If my expectations are high and I make a mistake or two, then I've tried to force things.
"I'm just going to go out finish my college career and try to enjoy it," he said. "I'm just trying to get better each and every time I play, learn from the mistakes I've made because in the past that has really worked for me."
Colorado departs Friday for the seventh annual Pac-12 Championships at Rolling Hills Country Club in Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., which is just due south of Los Angeles. The 72-hole event begins Monday (April 23) with two rounds, followed by a single round each on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Jeremy Paul, the "oldest," went on to set 24 school records and joined 1996 U.S. Open champion Steve Jones ('81) as the only players to lead the Buffaloes in stroke average four straight seasons. He turned pro late during his senior year.
Yannik Paul, the "youngest" by about 60 seconds, took a year off from college golf after his sophomore year and thus the difference in when their careers will end. He has set nine records, with several more on the horizon include many of his brother's.
CU has had its fair share of successful brothers throughout its history, for example Clayton and Byron White, Dick and Bobby Anderson, Hale and Phil Irwin, and in volleyball, the three Simpson sisters (Cierra, Gabby and Taylor). Yannik is now carrying the torch for the family as he winds down his career, and will lead the Buffaloes into next week's Pac-12 Championships.
Both Pauls have spent time ranked between 75th and 250th in the World Amateur Rankings, and in the top 50 at times in the collegiate ones (Yannik is now 206th and 73rd, respectively). So how did twins from east central Germany, roughly 40 miles south of Frankfurt, find their way to Colorado?
Discovering Colorado
"My coach at home (Ted Long) was born and raised in the United States, and he's good friends with Coach Edwards. We obviously wanted to go somewhere together, and not many schools had two scholarships remaining for the both of us. Colorado was our first official visit, think it was in late September 2012, and we really loved everything about it right from the start. It was sunny, around 80 degrees, just perfect. We committed when we got back to the airport and took no other visits.
"You can't really follow your passion for golf and study at the same time in Germany, so America afforded us the opportunity," he added. "We always wanted to have an education before we turned pro; you always need to have a Plan B if golf doesn't work out."
Yannik is on schedule graduate next month with a degree in Business Management; Jeremy earned his degree in Operations Management in May 2017.
No Sibling Rivalry
Often siblings who are competitive can get into fierce rivalries, whether in sports or even just for their parents' love … and anything in-between. But that has never been the case with Yannik and Jeremy.
"I've never felt I was in his (Jeremy's) shadow, "Yannik said. "We've almost usually played right around the same level. I'm proud of the records he set here, certainly not jealous of them. No, no sibling rivalry here, we look at it like we're one team."
The two have been on same teams throughout their lives, but also have had their share of competing alone in tournaments, particularly in Europe. When Yannik went home to Germany for the 2015-16 academic year, Jeremy was in the states competing solo, which Yannik is doing now after his older twin sib turned pro late into his senior year last April.
"When I was back at home, I competed alone," Yannik said. "We obviously grew up playing a lot together, but we did go out individually to several events. We're obviously really close; he came to Arizona to watch me play, and it was really cool to have him there when I won. There's no rivalry at all, I saw it in his eyes how happy he was for me to win my first major. We FaceTime every day, talk about golf of course, among other things."
Laying The Groundwork
Paul had a solid fall season, third on the team in stroke average at 71.89, despite some back problems that limited him a bit at New Mexico's Tucker Invitational and prohibited him from playing in CU's own Mark Simpson Invitational, where he had the ability to post at least two if not all three scores in the 60s.
But he has chopped off over two strokes from fall to spring (to 69.83) and in twice as many rounds (18, as he played nine in the fall). Overall, he's the team leader at 70.52, which is seventh in the Pac-12 Conference heading into the championships next week south of Los Angeles.
The credit can be spread around between his coaches and himself.
"He's definitely been working hard, and his development has really shown in his results," Edwards said. "We kind of challenged him after the fall season, specifically (assistant coach) Pat (Grady). We were pretty forthcoming with Yannik because he has so much talent and ability. But he really took that to heart, and that's not always the easiest thing to do. He responded tremendously and you can see that he has elevated his game. And he has helped to make his teammates better in the process."
"My coaches have obviously helped a lot in my career," Paul said. "I like to talk golf, and I like to hear others' opinions of my game. I am always asking Roy and Pat what I can do to be better. They have always given me great advice, and we had a really good meeting after the fall. It was constructive criticism that I took to heart. They told me what I needed to do to improve, especially in the mental aspects of how I approach things. It really has risen me to a whole new level."
Finally Breaking Through
Yannik won his first tournament back after redshirting, but it wasn't in a "major" as it came in the Ballyneal Challenge; it's an intimate 36-hole, three-team tournament that often kicks off CU's fall season as the Buffs host it in Holyoke in the northeastern part of the state. He fashioned back-to-back 66s and finished at 10-under 132.
Over the next 18 months, he would flirt with the lead on several occasions. Then this spring, he started closing the gap, finishing four tournaments a combined 20 strokes back of the medalist spot, or on average, just five strokes behind. Then it happened.
Last weekend, Paul sizzled in Arizona State's Thunderbird Invitational, where he had 42 (of 54) greens-in-regulation, with balls on the fringe three other times, and hit 28 of 42 fairways but was in the first cut of the rough on most of the ones he missed. He three-putted just twice, both from long distances. Seventeen birdies. Thirty-one pars. Only six bogeys. It all added up to a 67-66-69—202 scorecard, just the sixth time in school history a player scored three rounds in the 60s in a tournament. The 202 score was the best in CU history for a 54-hole tournament on a par-71 course, and the second-best on any layout.
He led almost wire-to-wire, but did share co-medalist honors with UNLV's Shintaro Ban (the two were tied entering the final round), but there was no playoff so both are credited with a win.
"Actually the funny thing is, there were a couple tournaments, like the Kansas State Bighorn, where I felt like I played better because I had more control over the ball," Paul said. "But for some reason, I couldn't get the 'W' because I made too many unforced errors … hitting it the wrong spots, not giving myself enough room here or there. Just basically unnecessary mistakes.
"The win came because I thought I had really good course management, and good speed control on the greens, which were firm and fast," he continued. "I knew I was starting earlier (some 66 minutes ahead of Ban), so I didn't pay too much attention to the leaderboard until my 15th hole (No. 6). There were so many guys just a shot or two behind me, I knew I'd need another good round to win the tournament so I wasn't worrying about anybody else.
"I didn't try to change my strategy for the last round, I stayed aggressive where I could be, otherwise I just waited for my chances. I've learned that to win tournaments, it might be nice to have a lot of birdies, but it is much more important not to make mistakes. Even when you win, you make mistakes, you have to learn how to limit them."
"What a win for Yannik. He has been playing very well all spring and it all came together for him," Edwards said following the final round. "This was an elite field in golf and was a huge win. He has been a great player and teammate and this is very well-deserved. I have been especially impressed with his patience all year, his game has flourished and I believe even better golf is ahead of him."
Looking Ahead
Paul and his teammates would like to atone for the disappointing showing in last year's Pac-12 meet, the first conference championship hosted by CU in some 45 years; the Buffs finished seventh in the snow-shortened event.
"I want to finish strong with the team, and definitely go to the NCAA Finals since we haven't been in so long," he said. "We were close three years ago, but we blew it. We were leading by eight after the first day but wound up missing by one spot. It would be nice to leave college on the team that got CU back into the finals.
"Over the years, I've come to realize I play better when my expectations aren't too high," Paul added. "I have a tendency to try and force things at times because I'm a very aggressive player. If my expectations are high and I make a mistake or two, then I've tried to force things.
"I'm just going to go out finish my college career and try to enjoy it," he said. "I'm just trying to get better each and every time I play, learn from the mistakes I've made because in the past that has really worked for me."
Colorado departs Friday for the seventh annual Pac-12 Championships at Rolling Hills Country Club in Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., which is just due south of Los Angeles. The 72-hole event begins Monday (April 23) with two rounds, followed by a single round each on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Players Mentioned
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