NAPLES, FLORIDA | It’s been about a month and a half since 15-year-old Mykhailo “Misha” Golod fled from war-torn Ukraine, receiving help from instructor David Leadbetter and others throughout the golf industry to find both opportunity and refuge in the United States.
There hasn’t been much time for Golod to test himself on the competitive amateur stage to this point, given the whirlwind. After arriving in Florida on March 11, he has been included in ceremonies at the Players Championship, the Masters and the Golf Writers Association of America awards dinner during an overwhelming stretch in which he has been temporarily separated from his family. However, Golod finally had the chance to tee it up in a big event this past week when he tied for ninth out of 75 competitors in the Terra Cotta Invitational at Naples National Golf Club.
“I understood that at some point it was time to play some tournaments,” Golod told Global Golf Post. “It was about time to stop visiting, stop doing interviews. I want to improve my golf, so I’ve been working really hard the past couple of weeks.”
Golod opened with a 2-under 70 and would reach as high as tied for third during the final round when he made three birdies in his first five holes. He stumbled down the stretch, ultimately finishing at 1-under 215 for the 54-hole tournament, but his play happily surprised those in attendance.
“It was awesome to get the opportunity to play here. I didn’t play my best today, but I still held in and never gave up. Overall, I’m happy with the performance, and it was a great week.”
Misha Golod
Wearing a Tiger-esque red and black outfit during the final round – he has a Tiger headcover for his driver, too – the slender Golod showed a deft touch around the greens. His normally reliable driver went astray this week, he said, but his performance certainly proved that there is potential for him to be a standout amateur. He was among the youngest players in the event, giving up three or four years on many of the competitors.
“It was awesome to get the opportunity to play here,” Golod said. “I didn’t play my best today, but I still held in and never gave up. Overall, I’m happy with the performance, and it was a great week.”
Golod tied for 40th in the Sung Hyun Park Junior Championship two weeks ago, but the Terra Cotta represented one of his first opportunities to test himself in an American amateur event. He lives near the Leadbetter Academy at ChampionsGate just south of Orlando, honing his game. One of the instructors at the academy, David Louys-Moroney, caddied for Golod during the tournament.
“The system they have, every player gets a lot of attention,” Golod said. “Every aspect of the game is worked on. Nothing gets skipped. We practice with a purpose, and that is exactly what I needed.”
Golod will play in an AJGA event in Savannah, Ga., next week and will likely play more junior events throughout the summer. He said he gets updates from his family in Ukraine at least twice per day and is confident in their safety at the moment.
“They always tell me not to worry and to do me because I’m here to work on myself,” Golod said. “I know they are doing OK in Ukraine right now, and at least in Kyiv it is good. As long as they are fine, I am fine.”
RESULTS
Sean Fairholm