Baker's Success Leaves Mark at ISU

AMES, Iowa ? Iowa State senior golfer Chris Baker isn't one to revel in records and personal accomplishments.

“I really don't pay a whole lot of attention to that stuff,” said Baker. “I just want to have fun and do as best as I can.”

It's easy to see why. Baker's achievements at ISU read like a laundry list of honors. For four years, Baker has left his mark on Cyclone golf, earning him a permanent place in the history books.

When Baker arrived at Iowa State as a freshman in 2004, the Brownstown, Ind., native compiled one of the best rookie seasons in school history. In the Big 12 Championship that year, he fired rounds of 78-75-67 (220) to tie for eighth individually. His final round of 67 tied for the lowest round shot in the tournament and is the lowest score recorded in the Big 12 Championship by an ISU golfer. This performance earned him Big 12 all-tournament honors as a freshman.

At the end of his debut season, Baker's season stroke average was the eighth-best in school history. For an encore, he eclipsed that mark two years later as a junior.

However, his most impressive achievement has been the elevated level of play he has displayed during his final season for the Cyclones. In the first meet of the season at the Big Four tournament in September, Baker took home medalist honors while carding a 64 in the final round, the lowest 18-hole score ever in Cyclone golf.

Ever since stepping onto the greens last fall, Baker has been nearly unstoppable. Of the 16 top-10 finishes of his career, half of them have been recorded this season. Baker is also closing in on Jason Knutzon's single-season stroke average record of 72.71 and could become the only Cyclone golfer to record an under-par stroke average.

So what was responsible for Baker's metamorphosis?

“It's experience, growing, learning and maturing,” said Baker. “A lot of that has to do with the mental aspect of my game. When I came to Iowa State as a freshman I wasn't as strong mentally as I am now. It's realizing that you're not going to have your best game everyday but still going out there, giving it your best and staying positive.”

It makes perfect sense. Leaders and role models quickly learn that they are not the only one on the course competing. Baker represents the “team player” clich? and is the role model you learned about in elementary school gym class through posters that had the familiar slogan, “There's No ?I' In Team.”

It's with this approach that Baker has garnered such success. He ignores his individual places and focuses on how the team is performing as a whole. It's apparent in his voice.

When talking about his career at Iowa State, he says he hopes the team can make the NCAA Regionals this year; never mind what he might be able to achieve by himself.

On the path to the NCAA Regionals lies the Big 12 Championships, a tournament where Baker has a chance to make some big noise. The conference tournament will return Baker and the team to the same course he played as a freshman where he finished in the top 10. It's the perfect ending to a storied career.

For all the success he's had on the course, Baker fulfills the duty of being a true student-athlete. A three-time first-team academic all-Big 12 selection, he is double majoring in management and marketing.

But making the grades comes with some sacrifices.

“Traveling causes you to miss a lot of classes,” said Baker. “The biggest challenge is staying caught up in classes. You can't go out and do a lot of things that other students get to do.”

Baker will graduate in May, yet his plans are still up in the air. You can be sure, though, that his one true passion will always be golf.

“I'd love to be playing golf professionally,” said Baker. “In a perfect world I'd love to make a living that way.”

Whatever he decides to do, know that he has enjoyed his time enormously at Iowa State. Playing in the Big 12 has given Baker a chance to play against some of the top competitors in collegiate golf and he wouldn't have it any other way.

“The people you meet are great,” said Baker. “You can't pass up the experience. The places you go are just amazing.”