For SIUE senior Brady Kaufmann, golf has not just been a sport, but a connection to his family.  

Kauffman, a finance major from Jacksonville, Illinois, first picked up a club at just three years old. His dad introduced him to the game, bringing him along to a round with friends. At first, young Brady stuck to the putting green, but soon enough, he and his older brother were tagging along for full rounds.  

Having a brother five years older fueled his competitive fire. "Oh yeah, for sure," Kaufmann recalled. "I always joked with him, like one day I'm gonna beat you. Finally, when I did, I bragged a little - 'Man, I'm five years younger than you and I'm beating you.'" 

While his dad introduced him to the sport, Kauffman also credited his Uncle Dave to his love for golf. "He lives, in Wisconsin, but every time he came down, he would always wanna go golfing with my brother and I," Kaufmann said. "He always tells us he taught us everything he knew about golf, and it only took him 10 minutes, but yeah, he's awesome and funny. I like golfing with him every time I get the chance to."  

When it came time to choose a college, Kaufmann said SIUE stood out because of coach Derrick Brown's belief in him. "Coach Brown was really the first big Division I coach to show interest in me," Kaufmann said. "Even when I didn't play great when he came out to watch me, he still wanted me. That meant a lot."  

The sport has taught him more than just swinging mechanics. "At the end of the day, it's really just a game," he explained. Inspired by watching PGA Tour star Scottie Scheffler, Kaufmann reminds himself to never bring a bad round home. "I don't get too mad out there. I take it seriously, but I treat it as just a game." 

As a senior, he has set his goals high, to help SIUE win the OVC and reach NCAA regionals. During his time at SIUE the Cougars came close in both his freshman and sophomore years, finishing runner-up. "That would probably mean the most – winning as a team," Kauffman said. "But even individually qualifying would mean a lot too."  

Looking ahead, Kaufmann isn't rushing to lock down a post-graduate plan. With his finance degree in hand, he's leaving the door open. "To Be honest, I think I might try to play golf a little bit after college and see how that goes," he said.  

For now, he is preparing for tournaments with his pre-round stretch routines, and his superstition of using the same ball marker and divot tool. Kaufmann also reminisces on his days as a golfer at SIUE, mentioning how he would switch spots with one of the freshmen, saying "they've got so much time left. I'd love to enjoy it all over again."  

And like many golfers, he dreams of one day walking the fairways of Augusta National, home of the Masters. "Even if you're not a golfer, everyone watches the Masters," Kaufmann said. "That would be the dream course."  

For now, though, Kaufmann is focused on finishing strong in his final season as a Cougar- continuing the journey that started with his family back home in Jacksonville. Kaufmann will be playing in the SIUE Dolenc Invitational September 29-30.