He won the Colorado Springs Country Club Championship, and also finished third in the Colorado Amateur Championship. As Mathis began to slowly heal from his loss, his golf game began to return to its original consistency. The summer transitioning into his sophomore year was a time of rebuilding and preparation for the upcoming season. To help him do this, he began to wear a wristband and a necklace in memory of his father. Mathis decided to focus on the good times they shared, instead of dwelling on why he was gone. Since his father was the main reason why he got involved in golf, it was difficult to avoid missing him every time he stepped on a course. “That’s what I really noticed about him.” “He’s a fighter, he just doesn’t give up,” said Woodrome. “He’s a grinder if things don’t go his way, he’ll fight back,” teammate Kenny Gibo said of Mathis’ strong mentality.Ĭoach Woodrome agreed. He still managed to set a school record for the best single round of golf with a score of 67 at the Cal Baptist Spring Break Collegiate Tournament. In spite of this, his ability to focus amidst the pain became evident. His scores fluctuated between exceeding highs and lows during the second semester, depending on how he was coping with his situation during a tournament. The misery from the loss was reflected in his game. Then, a couple days after the fall season’s last tournament, his father passed away. Mathis concluded that God was leading him to Biola, and he eventually made his decision to attend this school.ĭuring Mathis’ first semester, his father was diagnosed with cancer. He contacted a few schools in Southern California, including Biola, and talked to former golf coach John Lane. and wanted to be able to golf year round, so he applied primarily to schools in California for its exceptional weather.
Mathis hails from Colorado Springs, Colo. It was here that his journey into the Biola history books began. “He would take me to play sometimes when I was younger because he was really into it.”ĭuring his senior year, he began to show that he had the potential to compete at the collegiate level. “I really only got involved in golf because of my dad,” said Mathis. Three years ago, however, as a 5’9 junior in high school, he made the decision to give up basketball and focus on another sport. The thought of playing golf in college, much less making school history, never even crossed his mind. Sophomore Joshua Mathis always wanted to be a basketball player.
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