King of the links

By Jeb Singer

Walking down the fairway toward the eighteenth hole can be a time of regret. But for Mike Harris, the Michigan co-captain, the walk has often been a triumphant one.

So far, the fifth year senior has polished trophies from eight collegiate tournaments including the 1999 Big Ten championship. He also won the prestigious Northeast Amateur championship in 1998. This year, he has taken four out of the nine tournaments that he entered.

In 1997-98 his second year, Harris had the lowest scoring average in Michigan history with a 72.35. He also won three out of the twelve events that he entered.

Although he did not rack up wins in his junior campaign, Harris continued his dominant and consistent play with a 72.72 average.

In his only victory of the year, Harris became just the fourth Wolverine in thirty years to win a Big Ten Championship.

His score of 278 tied for the fifth best in Big Ten Championship history.

"I've been here twenty-one years, and I've coached some great golfers," his coach Jim Carras. "And nobody, absolutely nobody has done what he did. He is the most complete student-athlete I've seen at Michigan."

If all this seems like too much, it probably is - understandably leaving his coach Harris mystified. Harris been so consistently good in a sport whose trademark is unpredictability.

"Mike Harris is a coaches dream," Carras said. "I am already crying at the thought of losing that kid."

A tireless worker

"I have no doubt that Mike will excel in whatever he chooses to do whether it is in the corporate world or on the PGA tour. He has an amazing work ethic and discipline. He does whatever it takes."

As 7:30 a.m. rolls around, Mike Harris is likely to be finishing up breakfast and getting ready for early classes.

As an honors student in the business school, Harris attends classes all morning. Then he gets down to business.

"After lunch, I get my clubs and head for the course," Harris said. "I am usually there until about dusk."

For Harris, golf is a passion, and he refuses to leave the course without putting in a full day of practice. As a captain, he often convinces other players to put in just as much time.

The day does not end with golf. Harris is guaranteed to put in a solid three or four hours of schoolwork before throwing in the towel.

"I am concerned with academics and golf," Harris said. "Often golf has come first. But I do not sacrifice my schoolwork,"

Harris knows that his success in the classroom and on the course has depended on many factors.

"It is a combination of things. It is a lot of hard work, but hard work can only take you so far. It's a little bit of god given ability and a little bit of luck."

Clearly, Harris' academic achievements are enough to back this up. He has been a three-time academic all-Big Ten and once an academic all-America.

"I just don't what else the kid could do," Carras said. "He will stay after practice and encourage his teammates to do the same. He has an amazing work ethic and discipline. He does whatever it takes.

"Despite all he's accomplished, the best part is the kid's makeup. I've never heard the kid brag or boast."

A student from the beginning

Despite his tremendous success on the course, for Harris, the lure of Michigan had as much to do with the school as the golf team. After finishing second in the state as a senior, the Troy native was not recruited by the top schools in the country. Michigan, however, showed consistent interest.

"I took a few visits elsewhere but Michigan was a great place close to home," Harris said "I came here with the hopes of going to the business school but it's not something I counted on I just knew that the Michigan education would be second to none."

Harris himself has always strived to be second to none, but like most students, he faced a transition phase during his first-year at Michigan and did not play a single match or travel with the team.

Instead of worrying about when his turn would come, Harris made the most out of the year and met one of his best friends, teammate Mike Afeldt.

"Early on, he (Afeldt) really helped me. We had to set our own schedules. There were days when I honestly couldn't have cared less. Mike pulled me out to the course and before you'd know it, it was dinner time," Harris said. "My success is a combination of internal drive and people around you who pick you up. I am not somebody who wakes up in the morning and I am obsessed. It's the fact that I love what I do and I have great people around me."

Not over yet

Harris will never display symptoms of "senioritis." He has stayed focused and believes that there is more to achieve before the season is over. So far the team has finished no higher than third in the conference and that was his freshman year.

"Winning the Big Ten team championship would kind of be a nice ending to my career," Harris said.

He is now looking to become the first Michigan golfer in history to win back to back titles. He will go in as the clear favorite.

"Anybody can play well," Harris said. "There will be 55 guys gunning to be the champion, this is a huge motivating factor."

If the unexpected happens and Harris does not win the individual championship, but Michigan wins the team championship, Harris swears that he will not be disappointed.

"The team titles are more important than the individual titles," Harris said. " Each of the two times that we won this year I did not win personally.

"This means that I've been victorious in some manner six out of nine times this year. Not many golfers in the country can say that."

The Wolverines as a team have the opportunity to go to the NCAA Regionals and nationals for the first time since 1997. That year they finished third in the Big Ten.

They are currently in fourth in their district. The top six teams qualify for regionals. One individual qualifies and that would be Harris.

"Harris did more than those kids did," Carras said.

There are no guarantees, but there are also no limits for a kid who sets his sights on winning every time out.

"I am very realistic. I know you can never count on the future or live in the past," Harris said. "If your dreams are meant to be, they will be."

DAVID KATZ/Daily

Michigan's men golf coach Jim Carras says "nobody has done what he did," about fifth-year senior and co-captain Mike Harris.