Before every round and every practice, T.J. Vogel takes a Sharpie pen to his Titleist golf ball and marks four letters that signify his mother’s enduring message.
“Remember who you are.”
The words keep him motivated, hungry. He has promised himself he will never abandon his game again.
In the spring of 2011 at USC, a few bad shots turned into a few bad rounds, influencing Vogel’s swing. His confidence dwindled. His support system was a six-hour plane ride away in Cooper City — 2,713 miles east of California. Vogel hit rock bottom in his play, and the lack of support from his coaching staff put his game in the gutter.
He was not the player so many were accustomed to seeing.
Vogel is as thin as a nine iron but as competitive as Rory McIlroy. His love of competition fueled a successful high school career during which he was named the 2007 and 2008 South Florida Sun-Sentinel Boys’ Golfer of the Year. In his senior season, Vogel led Plantation American Heritage to the Florida Class 1A Tournament after winning the individual district and regional titles. He earned a scholarship to USC.
As a freshman he led the Trojans with a 72.1 stroke average and posted six straight top-25 finishes. He was a freshman All-American in 2009-10.
“I felt really good about where things were,” Vogel said.
He continued strong during his sophomore year. He finished first on the team in stroke average.
Two months later, Vogel was set to pick up where he left off.
He still had not won a tournament, but he was on the cusp. He led USC at one of the nation’s most competitive venues, the U.S. Collegiate Championship in Alpharetta, Ga., placing second overall in a field of 78.
The rest of the year seemed set up for Vogel.
However, Vogel struggled during the spring. His stat line was a punching bag for criticism.
“I was still playing well and … I don’t know, something happened,” Vogel said. “I started to play bad. I came back and kind of lost a little bit of confidence for some reason and lost my game.”
In Vogel’s first three tournaments, he finished in the red just once. He then carded a 1-under 215 at the Amer Ari Invitational. He followed with a 57th-place finish at the USC Collegiate Invitational almost a month later. By April, Vogel couldn’t finish in the top three of his own team, let alone the field.
Suddenly, much more than a lack of confidence stood in the way of Vogel getting back to the top. His coach was eager to change his swing.
“He didn’t touch me when I was playing well,” Vogel said. “But what coach is going to touch you when you’re playing at your best?”
Chris Zambri, a former USC All-Pac-10 player, was considered one of the nation’s better swing coaches. Zambri was a six-year Nationwide Tour veteran. His experience led Vogel to believe he could help him reach the next level in his career.
Instead, Zambri started digging at Vogel’s mechanics, trying to figure out why his game fell apart.
“As soon as I started to not play at my best, he tried to change my swing,” Vogel said. “He tried to make me cut the ball when I’m a natural drawer.”
Vogel was comfortable hitting draws, and his controlled shot that moves right to left had been successful before.
But Zambri wanted Vogel to cut the ball — the opposite of his customary stroke. The change did not lead to an improvement.
In seven tournament appearances from February to June, Vogel’s highest finish was 33rd overall. He finished 38th, 57th, 45th, 33rd, 33rd and 39th in his next six events.
He closed the year with a 113th-place finish in the NCAA Championships at Karsten Creek. He fell to 139th in the nation by season’s end.
“Going through all these problems and you’re 3,000 miles away from home, it’s tough,” Vogel said. “Talking over the phone with my parents could only do so much.”
With his game suffering a setback, he needed out.
“I didn’t want to transfer initially because I was really close with the team,” Vogel said. “I felt like I was quitting.”
Still, Vogel requested his release from USC in the summer of 2011.
Vogel said he transferred to Florida to be closer to his family, who lives in Cooper City, and because of his relationship with coach Buddy Alexander.
“We recruited T.J., and sometimes when you recruit a young man, you just grow very fond of him as an individual,” Alexander said. “He was a genuine kid.”
Before arriving on campus, Vogel had a handful of long talks with his parents. He wanted to change.
“I didn’t battle adversity well out in Los Angeles,” Vogel said. “I made a promise to myself when I got here that I was going to do everything I could to be the best I could be.”
He started by regaining his confidence. Vogel’s biggest cheerleader — his mother, Jamie — told him not to lose sight of his ability. He had to believe in it again.
And so he did.
In his junior season, Vogel notched victories at the Charleston Shootout in Hollywood, S.C., and the SeaBest Invitational in Ponte Vedra. He led UF in stroke average (71.3) and helped the Gators to three tournament wins. He was also selected to the All-SEC first team and PING All-Southeast region.
Coach Alexander’s morale boosts and positive reinforcement gave Vogel the edge he needed to consistently play at a high level.
“He’s always reminding me how good I am,” Vogel said. “With Buddy, it’s always positive and he’s always lifting me up.”
“You need a coach who is there to support you when things are going rough, and that’s the biggest difference between Buddy and the other coaching staff.”
Vogel has thrived since joining Florida. His success has led to recognition when he walks in to local restaurants.
“Nobody cares about golf in Southern Cal,” Vogel said. “Not too many people are even involved with the school.”
“Here, people know me. I’ll walk into a restaurant and people will be like ‘Hey, you are T.J.’ And I’m like … ‘Yeah?’”
The recognition is deserved. In his final season at UF, Vogel has recorded four top-10 finishes this fall and leads UF in stroke average. His 71.3 scoring average his junior season ranks eighth best in the program’s history. His body of work speaks for itself and says volumes about his potential.
“[Vogel] has a great desire to be a good golfer,” Alexander said, “and he certainly has the talent and skill level to play professional golf at the highest level for a long, long time.”
Jack Nicklaus said confidence was the most important factor in golf. No matter how great a player’s natural talent, there is only one way to obtain and sustain success: work.
Vogel has done just that. His toughness and aptitude have shined since he transferred to Florida one summer ago. And when his confidence momentarily dips, he reflects on what his mother has always told him.
“Remember who you are.”
Senior T.J. Vogel will lead Florida into the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, where it will face SEC foes No. 2 Alabama, No. 17 LSU and No. 24 Mississippi State.
