Like many college golfers, Josh Robinson idolizes Tiger Woods.  

“It is just amazing to me, seeing what he can do,” said the junior management major from Barton.

Robinson turned in a Tiger-esque performance during the fall golf season, winning the season ending Cazenovia Invitational by 12 shots.  

Prior to that tournament, Robinson finished a respectable 7^th at the ECAC tournament, firing rounds of 74 and 77 at Oswego Country Club.

He had some bad breaks during the ECAC tournament and told himself at Cazenovia to “just play aggressive, not second guess, and forget about everyone and play like I was alone." 

It worked.  Robinson fashioned a one-under par 70, the lowest score in Keuka golf annals.  

“I started out with two bogeys on the first three holes; I thought it was going to be a long day,” Robinson remembers.

But he followed his own advice, stayed aggressive, and won easily. And that didn’t surprise Coach Tom Flood, who said Robinson has the perfect makeup for a golfer.

“Whether he makes a hole-in-one or hits it in the water, he doesn't show emotion," said Flood.

Not only did Robinson win the individual crown but the Storm captured the team title. Golf may be an individual sport, but Robinson takes as much pride in the team’s success as his.

“When I saw that we beat Cazenovia by 4 strokes, it was just the best feeling,” said Robinson, who earned North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Athlete of the Week and honorable mention Rochester Area College Athletics (RACA) honors for his performance.

“All of his teammates look up to him because they know and understand his ability,” said Flood. “He's a great but quiet leader and just a great guy to be around.”  

Robinson compiled a 74.2 stroke average in five tournaments this fall, further enhancing his status as the top player in the three-and-a-half years the Keuka golf program has been in existence. Robinson owns the top five rounds in Keuka history.

A graduate of Tioga Central High School, Robinson started golfing when he was 9 and would go to the course with his dad, who eventually became the varsity golf coach at the school. That got him even more involved in the sport.

Every day after school, Robinson would practice with the varsity team even though he was not old enough to play. 

“I would travel with the team and play in exhibition matches against extra players on the opposing team, just for fun,” he said.

Once he hit the 7th grade, he was old enough to play on the varsity team and did so for six straight years. In his senior year, he qualified for the state tournament and was in second place after the first day. He finished in the top 20.

Robinson wanted to play college golf and was faced with three options. First, there was Division I Campbell College in North Carolina, where he was accepted into the professional golf management program. Or, there was Division III golf power Methodist College in Fayetteville, N.C. And then there was Keuka College, where the golf team had just completed its inaugural season.

Choosing not to compete against scholarship players at Campbell and equally talented golfers at Methodist for playing time, Robinson selected Keuka, where he would have the opportunity to play right away and be a team leader.

“We play against a lot of large schools in tournaments and most of the golfers have no idea where Keuka College is,” said Robinson, “so I like it when my name is at the top of the leaderboard because I’m representing such a small school.”  

“Josh is always at the top of the leaderboard; he plays well no matter who he's playing against,” said Flood.

Another factor in picking Keuka: it's close to home, which meant his family could watch him compete in big tournaments.

Robinson was also recruited by George Wunder to play basketball at Keuka and was a member of the team for two years. Last season, he started three games and shot 40 percent from beyond the arc. He has elected to concentrate on golf this season; he also works at Lakeside Country Club in Penn Yan.

In September, Robinson attempted to qualify for the Turning Stone Resort Championship, a PGA Tour event at Turning Stone’s Atunyote Golf Club. He didn't qualify, but  finished 23^rd in a field of 33, which included some professionals.

Not Tiger-esque, but pretty darned good.

There’s no doubt that years from now, Robinson will be viewed as one of the pioneers of the Keuka College golf program. And he certainly doesn’t regret picking Keuka over those two schools in North Carolina.

“We were just starting out and I knew it would take awhile for us to be competitive,” he said, “but we have greatly improved since my freshman year.”

-- Anthony Affissio '08