Congratulations to the latest TCPalm Athlete of the Week winner for the 2024-25 school year: Jaxson Weese from the Sebastian River boys golf team.
The freshman garnered 35.57% of the vote in the Treasure Coast Newspapers’ online poll held after the Sept. 3-7 playing period.
Weese put up a low score of 1-under-par 35 to lead the Sharks to victory over Melbourne Central Catholic on Sept. 3 from the Habitat Golf Club. He paces the team was a nine-hole average of 37.2.
Latest AOTW winner: Central’s Bailey Johanson stars on one of the area’s best teams
Area Roundup: Treasure Coast high school sports scores for Sept. 30-Oct. 5, 2024
Learn more about the freshman on and off the course after he spoke with sports reporter Patrick Bernadeau. The interview was conducted on Sept. 27. Check back online later for future winners and to vote in the next TCPalm Athlete of the Week poll.
Q and A with Sebastian River freshman Jaxson Weese
TCPalm: How did you prepare for this season?
Weese: “I’ve practiced mainly every day because I’m such an avid golfer and I went to a lot of tournaments over the summer. Now, I’ve just been practicing and just trying to maintain my skill throughout the season.”
TCPalm: Where’s just past the halfway point of the season. How would you say the season is going so far?
Weese: “Season’s been going good for our team. We’re 4-0, so far. So we’ve been having a lot of fun playing against other teams.
“It’s been going from competition (over the summer) to having fun with my friends on the golf team and just having the best time I can in the high school experience.”
TCPalm: Speaking of the team, who is the funniest teammate?
Weese: “Well, he’s one of my friends. His name is Jackson Holler, he’s pretty funny. He’s definitely the hype man on our team, he makes the morale very happy.”
TCPalm: Who’s the most competitive golfer?
Weese: Probably myself. I’ve been through three or four years of competitive golf, so I’ve always had that competitive spirit. I think I’m the most competitive golfer on the team.”
TCPalm: Who is the most underrated golfer?
Weese: “Chase Hoffman. He’s been on and off throughout the summer, but once he got on the golf team here at Sebastian River High School, he’s been doing a lot better during the season.”
TCPalm: Any goals this year?
Weese: “Definitely to make it to states.”
TCPalm: You mentioned you’ve been golfing competitively for three or four years, but when was the first time you picked up golf clubs?
Weese: Probably when I was like two. I was just swinging clubs around, like plastic clubs around the house and in my backyard. I have a backyard, and it’s a pretty big one. So when I was that young, I got to swing my driver and hit a couple shots around the backyard.”
TCPalm: Were your parents big golfers?
Weese: “My dad was a pretty big golfer until he had to have back surgery. But now he’s just been on and off, chipping and putting around when I’ve been practicing.”
TCPalm: Who would you say is the biggest influence in terms of playing the sport?
Weese: “Wyndham Clark, he’s a professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He’s really taught me that keeping a good mental game on the golf course can really help you in the future with either getting a bad hole and keeping your head up, or even just having good sportsmanship on the course.”
TCPalm: What is your dream course to play?
Weese: “My dream course is definitely TPC Sawgrass. I’ve definitely played there. I’ve played there a couple times so far through my golf journey, and I just think it’s a great place to play golf.”
TCPalm: A question about your journey? Was there a moment where you realized, ‘Hey, I could be pretty good at this?’
Weese: “Yes, it was last year, when I was playing in the Treasure Coast Junior Golf Championship at Sandridge Golf Club, which is a local golf course. I won it in a sudden death playoff by making an eight-foot birdie putt. So that was definitely a part in my career, or my junior golf career, that I thought I could be something.”
TCPalm: Finally, some questions that have nothing to do with golf, what would it be?
Weese: “Definitely tacos.”
TCPalm: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Weese: “Probably teleportation, just get anywhere I want to in a certain amount of time.”
TCPalm: What’s on your music playlist?
Weese: “I have a couple Travis Scott songs, and I have some Mac Miller songs that I listen to.”
TCPalm: If you could travel to one place, where would you go?
Weese: “I’d go to Fiji”
TCPalm: If you could meet one person, who would it be?
Weese: “Probably my uncle that passed away, I never got to see him ever, because he passed away when I was young. I’d like to see him.”
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at 772-985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Sebastian River’s Jaxson Weese wins TCPalm’s Athlete of the Week
