Sam Bennett, a freshman from Madisonville, Texas, has already found his niche to make a positive impact in his first season at Texas A&M. In the interview Bennett touches on his Aggieland experiences, biggest inspirations and downtime hobbies. Read below to get to know the freshman standout.
Question: What was your recruitment process like?
Sam Bennett: "I had a lot of people looking at me, but I kind of just wanted to stay in Texas. So I really just looked at Texas schools. Texas A&M and Texas Tech were the only places I visited, but I was pretty much dead-set on Texas A&M from the time I was born. My family went here, it's close to home and we have the best facilities in the country."
Q: What has been your proudest moment in your golf career so far?
SB: "Probably when I played in my first collegiate tournament and I tied for fourth. Also, our team won, so it was good to experience a team win for A&M. I'd say my second best would be winning my second high school state championship my senior year. It was pretty cool. I won my sophomore year and then lost my junior year, so I got pretty mad. That whole rest of the year I couldn't wait for my senior year. When I won I was pretty pleased, plus the guy I lost to my junior year got second my senior year. It was good to beat him."
Q: What does it mean for you to be a freshman and have the impact you have on this team?
SB: "It means a lot. I didn't really know what I was capable of, coming from a 4A high school to a Division I college. It was so different, because I was used to winning in every high school tournament. When I came here I didn't know what I was capable of, but I was happy. I had a good fall semester, and it's a good feeling that I get to help the team out."
Q: What are your goals for your career here at Texas A&M?
SB: "I want to for sure get my first win my freshman year, and I've been really close to that. Of course, by the time I leave here I want a national championship. I'd say that's a goal for this year, too. However, before my four years are up I want a national championship. Team wise, of course, an individual one would be nice, but a team championship certainly."
Q: Chandler Phillips has said you both have a very similar style of play. What does it mean to play alongside a player of his caliber?
SB: "Yeah Chandler is good. We play a lot, and we both grew up in smaller towns with not the nicest golf courses in the area. It means a lot to play alongside him through his senior year, with all of his accomplishments. I kind of try to follow his path, if I could, because he's got eight wins and is probably one of the top college players in the nation. So it's good to get to follow him and have him with us."
Q:Â Who would you say has had the biggest influence on your golf career?
SB: "I'd say my dad and my older brother, because my dad has always got me going to play golf. My brother is always pushing me to practice harder and get better every day. He still does that today. He'll text me before every week telling me what to do to get better, and after tournaments he'll come talk to me about how I did and what I need to get better on."
 Q: What inspires you to get better?
SB: "I love winning, and I hate losing at anything. It's not just golf; I just can't stand the fact of someone beating me at anything. So I'd say that's what inspires me to get better."
Q: If you could play any course or tournament in the world where would it be?
SB: "Augusta National, because it's the most prestigious. My second favorite would be Cypress Point, because it's so exclusive. I've seen pictures of it online, and it being right on the ocean it looks really scenic."
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
SB: "Honestly, I do a lot of stuff. I play a lot of basketball. I go hunting and fishing a lot, I'm sure that's what Chandler said, too. I like to hang out with friends and mess around. I'd say I get to go hunting and fishing once every two weeks. I live just right down the road, so I could go home whenever I get time on the weekends. I hunt everything: hogs, ducks and deer. I guess that's normal here in Texas. My favorite is probably hog hunting, because we don't do it with dogs or try to catch 'em."
Q: What other sports did you play?
SB: "I played everything, well not too much now. Now, I just play basketball at the rec. I was a big baseball guy growing up. I thought baseball was going to be my thing for the longest time, but it just kind of ran away. I'm a big tennis guy, too. I love tennis. I pretty much did everything growing up in a small high school."
Q: Who's your favorite athlete?
SB: "Kobe Bryant, because I grew up watching him. I've always been a Lakers fan, my brother was a Lakers fan, and I still am a Lakers fan. It's his mentality, and he was so clutch. I like his mindset a lot and his Mamba mentality he goes by. He's all about winning for the team."
Question: What was your recruitment process like?
Sam Bennett: "I had a lot of people looking at me, but I kind of just wanted to stay in Texas. So I really just looked at Texas schools. Texas A&M and Texas Tech were the only places I visited, but I was pretty much dead-set on Texas A&M from the time I was born. My family went here, it's close to home and we have the best facilities in the country."
Q: What has been your proudest moment in your golf career so far?
SB: "Probably when I played in my first collegiate tournament and I tied for fourth. Also, our team won, so it was good to experience a team win for A&M. I'd say my second best would be winning my second high school state championship my senior year. It was pretty cool. I won my sophomore year and then lost my junior year, so I got pretty mad. That whole rest of the year I couldn't wait for my senior year. When I won I was pretty pleased, plus the guy I lost to my junior year got second my senior year. It was good to beat him."
Q: What does it mean for you to be a freshman and have the impact you have on this team?
SB: "It means a lot. I didn't really know what I was capable of, coming from a 4A high school to a Division I college. It was so different, because I was used to winning in every high school tournament. When I came here I didn't know what I was capable of, but I was happy. I had a good fall semester, and it's a good feeling that I get to help the team out."
Q: What are your goals for your career here at Texas A&M?
SB: "I want to for sure get my first win my freshman year, and I've been really close to that. Of course, by the time I leave here I want a national championship. I'd say that's a goal for this year, too. However, before my four years are up I want a national championship. Team wise, of course, an individual one would be nice, but a team championship certainly."
Q: Chandler Phillips has said you both have a very similar style of play. What does it mean to play alongside a player of his caliber?
SB: "Yeah Chandler is good. We play a lot, and we both grew up in smaller towns with not the nicest golf courses in the area. It means a lot to play alongside him through his senior year, with all of his accomplishments. I kind of try to follow his path, if I could, because he's got eight wins and is probably one of the top college players in the nation. So it's good to get to follow him and have him with us."
Q:Â Who would you say has had the biggest influence on your golf career?
SB: "I'd say my dad and my older brother, because my dad has always got me going to play golf. My brother is always pushing me to practice harder and get better every day. He still does that today. He'll text me before every week telling me what to do to get better, and after tournaments he'll come talk to me about how I did and what I need to get better on."
 Q: What inspires you to get better?
SB: "I love winning, and I hate losing at anything. It's not just golf; I just can't stand the fact of someone beating me at anything. So I'd say that's what inspires me to get better."
Q: If you could play any course or tournament in the world where would it be?
SB: "Augusta National, because it's the most prestigious. My second favorite would be Cypress Point, because it's so exclusive. I've seen pictures of it online, and it being right on the ocean it looks really scenic."
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
SB: "Honestly, I do a lot of stuff. I play a lot of basketball. I go hunting and fishing a lot, I'm sure that's what Chandler said, too. I like to hang out with friends and mess around. I'd say I get to go hunting and fishing once every two weeks. I live just right down the road, so I could go home whenever I get time on the weekends. I hunt everything: hogs, ducks and deer. I guess that's normal here in Texas. My favorite is probably hog hunting, because we don't do it with dogs or try to catch 'em."
Q: What other sports did you play?
SB: "I played everything, well not too much now. Now, I just play basketball at the rec. I was a big baseball guy growing up. I thought baseball was going to be my thing for the longest time, but it just kind of ran away. I'm a big tennis guy, too. I love tennis. I pretty much did everything growing up in a small high school."
Q: Who's your favorite athlete?
SB: "Kobe Bryant, because I grew up watching him. I've always been a Lakers fan, my brother was a Lakers fan, and I still am a Lakers fan. It's his mentality, and he was so clutch. I like his mindset a lot and his Mamba mentality he goes by. He's all about winning for the team."