On Camera: Morgan McDonald talks golf with Jordan Russell

Morgan McDonald: You and your teammates just finished third in The Woodlands this week. You all did fairly well individually, but tell me more about how each individual impacts the success of the team and did you guys feed off each others' energy?

Jordan Russell: "As far as that goes, Geoff Shaw kind of set the tone with his great play. It was great to see him get his first win in college, and that was really good. We had Johannes Veerman back in the lineup and that was good too, coming off an injury. And a couple of us just played really steady, and that's all you can try to do in team golf. As far as feeding off each other, we definitely, definitely do that. With Geoff setting the tone it made it pretty easy, because he's just playing great golf so far. The rest of us are just trying to pitch in when we can."

MM: Individually, over this past summer, you became the first Aggie to make it to the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur Championship. What does an accomplishment like that mean?

Russell: "You know, it was a lot of fun, just the whole week. Now when I look back I can't remember much because it was such a blur and went by so fast. But just the fact that Coach (J.T. Higgins) came out for my last match, that just kind of shows the type of atmosphere we have here at A&M. It was awesome."

MM: You've received a number of honors and awards since you've been here, but one that stands out is Academic All-Big 12. How important is success in school to you? And how do you balance school and golf?

Russell: "It's important. It's definitely tough to do. On the golf team we travel quite a bit, I think more than any other sport. We have a good support staff with Gary Gibson, our academic adviser, and Coach keeps in constant contact with him. Always trying to figure out what we need to do. It's very important."

MM: On top of all of that, you guys have been preparing for the Aggie Invitational this next weekend. You have done very well the last two years at this event. What are some of your specific goals heading into that tournament?

Russell: "Basically we're just trying to keep the momentum that we've had going all spring. We've been fortunate enough to play in the final group in every event we've played in this spring, so the consistency is there. We just need to keep it going and hopefully we'll get a few more wins on the way in. We're very comfortable with the golf course so it should set up pretty well for us."

MM: Are there any teams in particular that you and your teammates look forward to hosting or competing against?

Russell: "Oklahoma State is always good. This year Texas is very good. The Big 12 itself is just a very strong golf conference. I know Oregon is coming down from the Pac-12. Those are probably the main teams we like to compete against. It's always a good rivalry."

MM: You're a College Station native. Have you always known you wanted to be an Aggie or were there some other schools you were looking at during your recruiting process?

Russell: "There were a few schools, but as far as going to A&M went, that was definitely my top priority. Coach gave me a great opportunity, so I'm thankful that he did. I'm trying to make the most of it."

MM: Is golf something that runs in your blood or was that a passion that you developed when you were younger?

Russell: "I would say I probably developed it when I was younger. Just going out to the golf course with my brother and figuring out how to hit the ball and stuff at a young age. It just progressed from there. Eventually you play in tournaments and stuff and see how you stack up. It doesn't run in my blood, none of my other relatives really played except my grandfather."

MM: What are you majoring in here at A&M? And what are some of your plans post-graduation?

Russell: "Majoring in Agricultural Leadership. I love it. It's a great major; it's a good fit. As far as after school, I plan on turning pro at the end of the summer. So hopefully I'll do that."

MM: Lastly we have to know, what's your favorite tradition here in Aggieland and tell us why.

Russell: "My favorite thing is probably the 12th Man on game day. Just being in the stands and going crazy and swaying back and forth and all that. It's hard to beat an A&M football game. That's probably my top tradition."