After visiting the United States multiple times over the years for his golf tournaments, Rohan Boettcher knew he wanted to attend a university in America. Contemplating a move from Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil, Winthrop’s campus, small class sizes, and the feeling of community drew Boettcher to Rock Hill.
“I knew that coming to the U.S. with English as my second language would be hard, so I wanted to attend a university where I would be able to connect with the professors, and I could not have chosen any better,” Boettcher said.
Back in June, Boettcher was named a Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar for his outstanding athletic and academic achievements.
“This award recognizes exactly what I strive for in my college career – getting good grades and shooting low scores. I hope to be able to repeat it my senior year,” Boettcher said.
Prior to his collegiate career, Boettcher was ranked the number one junior golfer in Brazil. In 2014 he also won the Faldo Series World Final in the United States and finished second in the South-American Junior Championship. He said his interest in golf sparked when he was just six years old.
“My parents took me to a kid’s store to choose a Christmas gift. I chose a set of plastic golf clubs, even though I had no idea what golf was and nobody in my family had ever played golf before,” Boettcher said.
Even though his parents tried to convince him to pick out another gift, Boettcher’s mind was made up. He practiced in his backyard until he could begin lessons at a country club near his childhood home.
Boettcher said becoming an avid athlete at such a young age has made him “more resilient and a hard worker.”
“It taught me how to manage my time efficiently and that I need to work hard towards my goals. Most importantly, it taught me that we don’t always win in life and that sometimes things don’t go the way we want regardless of how hard we try. We need to get back up and try again,” Boettcher said.
Though his school work and practice schedule take up most of his time, Boettcher enjoys playing soccer and facetiming his dad to watch their favorite soccer team together. In his spare time he also likes to play tennis, hike and cook Brazilian food.
Boettcher’s favorite way to celebrate after winning a tournament is to prepare recipes from his homeland, but he does not always have time to do that since tournaments are usually on Tuesday nights when he has plenty of assignments to keep him busy.
Like many golfers, Tiger Woods is a daily inspiration to Boettcher, but his favorite athlete outside of the golf world is Roger Federer.
“I grew up watching a lot of tennis and Federer’s will to win and attitude towards the sport was always something that inspired me to become the best golfer I could be, but to also remember to always stay humble,” Boettcher said.
Now a senior, Boettcher’s time at Winthrop has been full of unforgettable experiences, but the most memorable was his first collegiate golf tournament.
“I had dreamed [of] that moment for so long, so my very first tournament was very special for me. Traveling with the team for the first time in the team van and representing the school for the first time was the moment I realized that my childhood dream had come true,” Boettcher said.
Playing golf professionally has never been Boettcher’s goal, but he said he will “never stop playing golf competitively.”
After graduation, Boettcher plans to use his business administration degree to find a position in the finance department of a multinational corporation.
“I have always worked hard to succeed both in golf and in academics, so my ideal future is to work in my field of study and keep playing golf as an amateur. I want to make a difference in my community through my work and keep golf as my number one hobby,” Boettcher said.
“Attending Winthrop was the best decision I ever made, and everything I experienced here I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
Photo courtesy of Winthrop Athletics
