By Joe Scalzo
scalzo@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN
YSU junior Samantha Formeck is a two-time Horizon League golfer of the year, ranks first all-time on the school’s scoring average list and will likely finish her career tops on the school’s win list, despite only playing three years.
But when asked if she thinks about her legacy, she chuckles — “Not really,” she said — and instead focuses on the “we,” rather than the “me.”
“I would like people to remember me as a team player,” she said. “That I definitely helped the team both on and off the golf course.
“Ultimately, in college, it’s a team sport. That’s what it comes down to.”
Formeck finished third overall at last week’s 16-team Sunshine Spring Classic in Florida, helping the Penguins place sixth in the standings.
She was one stroke off the lead Monday after the first round of the Benbow Invitational in Jacksonville.
The Penguins played the tournament’s final two rounds Tuesday, but the results were not available at press time.
Formeck’s six career victories are second in YSU history, one fewer than Jessica Lundblad (97-98) and her 77.57 scoring average is almost two strokes better than the next-best golfer on the list (Katie Rogner, 79.18).
“It’s been a great experience ever since I got here,” she said. “I’m fortunate to have a coach like Roseann [Schwartz] and the team I’ve played on every year has just been awesome. That makes it so much more fun to be here.”
Formeck, who hails from Northern Cambria, Pa., won individual and team titles at the Horizon League meet two years ago. She finished third at last year’s meet as the Penguins place second in the team standings.
Formeck will give up her fourth year of eligibility to attend pharmacy school, so she’s hoping to go out on top in her final league tournament next month.
“We want to win it as a team and move on to regionals,” she said. “I think that’s the big goal for this year.”
Formeck, who graduated second in her high school class, said she’s always been interested in pursuing a career in a medical field. Her interest in chemistry directed her toward pharmacy and her grades (she has a 3.76 grade point average and has been on the Dean’s List every year) made that goal possible.
She has already been accepted to the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and School of Pharmacy and will start attending classes next fall.
“If I hadn’t gotten accepted, I would have hung around here and got my degree and played golf,” she said. “It was definitely a tough decision to give up that year, but I’m hoping it’ll be the right one.”
Formeck doesn’t look like a standout golfer — there are probably titanium drivers taller than she is — but her ability to hit the ball consistently straight and her strong short game make up for her sometimes shaky putting.
“Putting has been my downfall from high school to college, so I’m still working on that,” she said. “Other than that, I’d say I’m pretty consistent. I usually shoot the same scores and that’s definitely something I’m proud of.”
Balancing golf and classwork can be a challenge — particularly since her classes are tougher than, say, getting a journalism degree — which is why she enjoys this week’s spring break and the summer, where she only has to focus on golf.
“Golf takes up a good deal of time,” said Formeck, who finished her freshman year ranked 379th nationally and was 323rd as of last week. “Especially if you really want to put in the hard work, it can take up and endless amount of time.
“But you do have to balance it between school and golf and that’s the challenge.”
Golf will be put on hold the next three years but Formeck said she’d like to try to qualify for some professional tournaments once she earns her pharmacy degree.
“It’s not out of the question,” she said. “I’d really like to play in a professional tournament, like the U.S. Open or something, but as far as really turning professionally, as of right now, that’s not something I’m looking to do.”
