Henry Phavorachit is more than just a student-athlete. On top of helping lead Men's Golf to their first-ever SCAC Championship, he is also a first-generation college student in the UST Rising Stars Program.
On and Off the links, He shines
From picking up a club on day one, Henry knew he wanted to play college golf. At an early age, his passion gave him dreams of becoming a professional golfer. He believes St. Thomas gives him the best opportunity to do that through Head Coach Billy Tuten. "Coach's ability and knowledge of the game gave me the platform I needed to grow as a golfer the second I stepped on campus," Henry added. In the last five years, Henry and Celt teammates have taken the program to new heights each season. Being part of the program for five years and watching the transition to NCAA Division III, the culmination was this SCAC Championship. There, the Celts won their first-ever conference title by seven strokes, the largest margin of victory in the last six seasons. Henry helped secure the victory with six birdies in three rounds of action. With this victory, St. Thomas secured the automatic bid to the NCAA National Championship taking place this May.
Even away from St. Thomas, Henry's passion for golf brought him to first-tee Houston. Over there he and his teammates volunteer to teach youth golfers how to grow their skills on the golf course and in life. He loves participating in this because he was a first-tee youth golfer as well, which help propel him into the student-athlete he is today.
Henry Phavorachit: A Rising Star
Being that Henry is a first-generation college student in his family, he was able to be part of UST Rising Stars. He is also a member of the first-ever graduating class this year. Through the Rising Stars program, Henry was taught skills to succeed professionally. Pursuing a Master's in Business Administration, Rising Stars paired Henry with various companies throughout his college career to gain knowledge and experience to succeed in the workforce today. With this skill set, he was able to network and grow professionally, even sharing his passion for golf through corporate outings and events.
"Without Rising Stars, I don't know where I would be in the professional landscape," Henry said. "The program has provided me with a large network, community, and resources I need to succeed after I leave St. Thomas."
Catch Henry and his Celt teammates at the NCAA Men's Golf Championship from May 16-19 in Nicholasville, Kentucky. For more information and updates, follow ustcelts.com!
