Mulbe Dillard lV, a senior business administration major at FAMU, thrives as a student-athlete. Dillard plays golf for FAMU and has continued to compete in the sport despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dillard was exposed to the sport at age 2, when he would watch his father hit balls at the local driving range. Dillard started replicating his dad, and when he got of age, he was able to start competing in high school.
He was able to earn a scholarship at FAMU and began his journey to being a professional golfer.
Although the pandemic has caused changes in how the sport is played on the college level, Dillard continues to be exceptional on the golf course.
Dillard finished No. 1 in the rankings of Black golfers on the collegiate level and top amateur in the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) tournaments over the summer.
Earlier last year, Brian Howard, a media contact for the Office of Communications, profiled Dillard with his talents and accomplishments in mind as well.
“FAMU will look to get off to a great start in Feb. 20-21 with the Invitational at Savannah Harbor in Savannah, Ga.,” Howard wrote in the profile piece.
It looks as if FAMU did “get off to a great start.” Dillard tied for fifth place out of 87 competitors this past weekend in the invitational at Savannah Harbor tournament.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the world of golf has changed drastically for student-athletes.
For example, in collegiate tournaments, it is now necessary to play as a group instead of being matched up with two other golfers from other schools. Collegiate teams now play in a group of five people from the same school to prevent the spread of COVID and keep players in a “bubble,” as Dillard describes it.
With so much to focus on, Dillard has been working on the art of patience and “trusting the process.”
“This year, in particular, everything hasn’t come easy,” Dillard said. “I’ve learned being patient more, golf is definitely a game of patience.”
Learning to become a person who understands patience and working on that part of his game, Dillard continues to strive to become a professional golfer post-graduation.
Amid the pandemic and challenges he has had to face, Dillard continues to stay disciplined with his practice and understanding that he cannot control what happens in life. Nevertheless, Dillard plans to keep a firm hold on the outcome of his goal to be a professional golfer post-graduation.
“Knowing that after graduation that I will be able to pursue golf as a full-time job keeps me motivated to continue to thrive and work as hard as possible so that I can have a good experience playing the game,” Dillard said.
It is essential to be mentally aware that things can happen in life, such as a global pandemic. However, Dillard proves that anyone can overcome the obstacles set in front of them with an understanding and motivated mindset.