Four Sign National Letters of Intent

BERKELEY – Cal announced the signings of Jamie Cheatham, Collin Morikawa, Alex Park and Sean Yu to national letters of intent Wednesday. The four current high school seniors will arrive at Cal in August of 2015.

Morikawa highlights the class with his AJGA First-Team Rolex All-American and SCPGA Curtis Cup Player of the Year selections in 2013, two-time Wyndham Cup member (2013 and 2014), as well as his No. 65 Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Boys Rankings. Cheatham and Yu are also ranked among the nation’s top 160 junior players in the latest rankings released November 10.

“Walter [Chun] and I are excited that these young men have chosen the Cal men’s golf program to help pursue their dreams,” head coach Steve Desimone said. “With the start of each recruiting year, you’re not sure how it will pan out and you’re always hoping for the best. With the signing of Jamie, Collin, Alex and Sean, we have one of the best recruiting classes in the country. These young men have a tremendous balance of school, golf, citizenship and integrity. What’s even more exciting is that they can’t wait to be part of the team atmosphere. When you add that all up, you know the program will continue to move in the right direction and will make the Cal golf community proud.”

Jamie Cheatham, Fr., HS (Rancho Santa Fe, CA/Torrey Pines HS)
Cheatham tied for third in the San Diego Section and was the Player of the Year during his 2014 junior season for a Torrey Pines High School squad that won the section title with a tournament-record 10-under par team score of 710. Cheatham was also a first-team All-San Diego Section player and earned a spot on the San Diego Union-Tribune All-Academic squad.

In addition, Cheatham is a two-time winner on the junior golf circuit in 2014 among seven finishes in the top 10. He won at the AJGA ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior (68-72-71 – 211) with a chip birdie on the 54th hole to get into a play and then won on the third playoff hole. Cheatham also won the Toyota Tour Cup Series Desert Princess (70-74 – 144), while he tied for third at the Junior Americas Cup (74-75-73 – 222) and a U.S. Amateur Championship section qualifier played in Mission Viejo where he missed qualifying by a single stroke (71-71 – 142)

“I chose Cal because of its amazing combination of top notch academics and athletics,” Cheatham said. “It is a combination you don’t really see in too many universities. I’m really looking forward to the great team atmosphere that Cal has and improving as much as I can as well. I’ve always dreamt about playing golf for Cal, and so, I’m truly grateful for this amazing opportunity.”

“Jamie is a relatively late bloomer, but once he found some confidence early on this spring he kept right on going into the summer, highlighted by his win at Mission Hills,” Desimone said. “Jamie is committed to improving on all facets of his game and that bodes well for his future and ours. I’m also really excited for what Jamie will bring to the team culture. He’s been a dedicated teammate at Torrey Pines High School and that’s important for any program to have such dedication.”

Cheatham is the son of Scot and Aileen Cheatham.

Collin Morikawa, Fr., HS (La Cañada Flintridge, CA/La Cañada HS)
Morikawa was an AJGA First-Team Rolex All-American in 2013 and an honorable mention selection in 2014. He was selected to represent the West in the 2013 and 2014 AJGA Wyndham Cup while also being recognized as the SCPGA Curtis Cup Player of the Year in 2013 when he played for the West team in the Wyndham Cup for his first of two consecutive seasons. He is also a three-time Rio Hondo League Most Valuable Player.

Morikawa has had six top-10 junior finishes in 2013 and 2014 highlighted by a victory at the 2013 Western Junior Championship (69-67-68-67 – 271). He was also tied for second at the Corey Pavin Southern California Invitational (68-76-70 – 214) and third at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions in 2014 (65-71-71-64 – 271), while he finished fifth at the 2013 AJGA Junior PLAYERS Championship (78-67-71 – 216). Other notable finishes include tying for ninth at the 2014 AJGA Thunderbird Invitational Junior (70-70-72 – 212) and the 2013 AJGA FootJoy Invitational (72-71-69-76 – 288).

“I chose Cal because I feel like the coaching staff is one of the best in the country,” Morikawa said. “I believe they can bring my game to another level that it’s never been to. Also, the academics at Cal are unbelievable. I wanted to find a balance between golf and academics, and I felt Cal was the perfect fit for me. I feel like if we work hard together and learn from each other that we can win a national championship.”

“When I first met Colin in October of 2013, I really liked his spirit,” Desimone said. “He was sharp from the moment we shook hands and was really engaging throughout our time together. His golf obviously speaks volumes to his abilities and what’s more admirable is his humility with all of his accomplishments. You’ll never know that he is an AJGA First-Team All-American and an honor roll student because he carries himself so modestly. We’re fortunate to have Collin and know he’ll work hard to help this team get better.”

Morikawa is the son of Blaine and Debbie Morikawa.

Alex Park, Fr., HS (Vancouver, Canada/St. George’s School)
Park is a multi-sport student-athlete at St. George’s School, where in addition to golf he participated in freestyle skiing, tennis and volleyball to earn his school’s Senior Sportsman of the Year honors in 2013. He was his team’s Most Valuable Player in both golf and volleyball, while winning individual titles on the slopes and tennis court.

Park, who finished as the top-ranked golfer on the 2013 Canadian Junior Order of Merit, has won nine golf tournaments at the junior level highlighted by a record-breaking performance at the AJGA Lessing’s Classic Open (65-66-68 – 199). He also finished third at the 2013 CJGA Mizuno Nationals (70-68-73-70 – 281).

“I chose to attend Cal because it has an excellent academic reputation as well as a phenomenal golf team with top notch coaches,” Park said. “I’m really looking forward to learning from all the top players in America and building lifelong relationships with my teammates. Playing on one of the best teams in the nation is an amazing opportunity for me. Most importantly, I feel Cal is the perfect place for me to grow into the next stage of my life.”

“There are many things I like about Alex,” Desimone said. “Not only is he the consummate hard worker, but he is also a multi-sport athlete. He knows the importance of team and working together to reach a common goal. Now that his focus will be primarily on golf, he’s going to take off and not look back. His 11-under par performance at the AJGA Lessing’s Classic is a glimpse of what the future holds for him. I also very much respect his service to the community. Alex volunteers his time with the Canadian Cancer Society and the Dream Lift Sunshine Foundation for Disabled Kids. Knowing that Alex gives back to the community should be recognized and applauded.”

Park is the son of Ken and Julie Park.

Sean Yu, Fr., HS (Taipei, Taiwan/Arrowhead Christian Academy)
Yu was born in Taipei before moving to Southern California and attending Arrowhead Christian Academy in Redlands, where he was the MVP of the Victoria League and a first-team All-Riverside County selection in 2013.

Yu’s highlights include finishing tied for 33rd in the stroke-play portion of the 2013 U.S. Amateur (75-69 – 145) to advance to match play, as well as qualifying for the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur via local qualifying at Auburn Hills, Michigan (70-71 – 142). Other notable performances include winning the 2014 Toyota Tour Cup at Indian Wells (69-67 – 136) and at Western Mission Hills Resort (65-69 – 134), while he was second at the 2014 AJGA River Junior (72-68 – 140), tied for third at the Big “I” National Championship (77-66-73-73 – 289), and fifth in the 2014 LA City Junior Championship (71-68-68 – 207).

“I chose Cal because both the academic and golf programs have had amazing success,” Yu said. “I know that joining Cal will help me get to the next level of both academics and golf. Also, the coaches have incredible coaching skills to improve their players. I can’t wait to spend time with my coaches and teammates next year and hopefully help them win the NCAA championship.”

“Sean is a very talented player and that was apparent when he became the youngest player to qualify for match play at the 2013 U.S. Amateur,” Desimone said. “As he’s matured, he’s developed a better understanding of how to play the game, and his consistent competitive under-par rounds in 2014 indicate just that. In addition to his abilities on the course, Sean is an upstanding young man who is very genuine and cares a great deal for others. When you combine his skills on the course along with his care for others, you’ve got a young man that will go to great lengths to help this program grow.”

Yu is the son of John Yu and Teresa Tang.

2015 Cal Men’s Golf Signing Class

NAME (Pronunciation) - YR - EXP - HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOLS)
Jamie Cheatham (cheat-UM) - Fr. - HS - Rancho Santa Fe, CA (Torrey Pines HS)
Collin Morikawa (more-E-cow-uh) - Fr. - HS - La Cañada Flintridge, CA (La Cañada HS)
Alex Park - Fr. - HS - Vancouver, Canada (St. George’s School)
Sean Yu - Fr. - HS - Taipei, Taiwan (Arrowhead Christian Academy)