Jason Cassidy

Barry Faulkner

In a week when golf occupies a larger-than-normal portion of the

Newport-Mesa consciousness, Jason Cassidy barely has time to pay the

Toshiba Senior Classic any mind.

The Estancia High senior said he may join the Newport Beach

Country Club gallery Sunday for the final round of the three-day

Champions Tour event. But, until then, his focus remains on mastering

the game, not watching the game’s masters.

Such single-mindedness is nothing new to the 18-year-old standout,

who began playing golf at age 10, started taking lessons at 12 and

has played in junior tournaments since he was 14.

“I try to take one day off a week,” he said. “I try to work every

other day on all parts of my game.”

The fruits of this labor have been apparent in all four of his

varsity seasons, each of which he has been the Eagles’ No. 1 player.

He shot 2-over-par 73 to help his two-man team (along with Estancia’s

Marcus Sostak) to a second-place finish in the Mesa Verde Two-Man

Invitational March 10 at Mesa Verde Country Club. The Daily Pilot

Athlete of the Week also carded a 36 and 40 in separate nonleague

nine-hole matches against Sunny Hills last week, posting the lowest

individual 18-hole total for both schools.

In career prep dual matches, he has been medalist (top individual)

in more than 50% and has finished in the top three in 90% of the

Eagles’ dual matches since arriving at the school.

With Estancia’s shift from the Pacific Coast League to the Golden

West League this year, Cassidy, fifth at the PCL individual finals a

year ago, has set his goal at winning the Golden West individual

title and advancing to the state individual tournament.

In pursuit of this goal, as well as his consistent desire to

improve in a game that measures progress in minuscule increments,

Cassidy made several changes heading into his swan-song prep

campaign.

Most notably, he altered his swing, abandoning the big draw he

used to play on iron shots for a more straight-ahead approach. The

change, prompted by a new teacher, has helped shore up what he

believes is the weakest part of his game. It also called upon his

faith and patience that such a dramatic change would produce better

results.

“I fixed my swing about six months ago and my teacher and I

believe it will take about a year of working hard on (the new swing)

to feel totally comfortable,” Cassidy said. “At this point, I think

I’m already ahead of where I was before the change.”

Another positive has been some work with a sports psychologist,

which has helped him make solid advances in the mental aspects of the

game.

“Everyone out there has talent, but the mental part of the game

separates the ones who win tournaments,” he said. “I think my mental

approach was pretty weak until I started working with the sports

psychologist last year. He gave me some routines I can use every day

on the course. It’s a lot of visualization and positive thinking. I

also think my maturity has helped me with the mental game.”

Cassidy, who owns a 3.85 GPA, said he hopes to play competitive

golf through college, which could include a freshman year at

Saddleback Community College, followed by a transfer to Long Beach

State.

He also believes his interest in a business career could help golf

remain a part of his life for decades to come.

“People do take business meetings on the golf course,” he said.