USciences freshman Thomas Larkin was recently named the Golf Association of Philadelphia' (GAP) junior Sportsperson of the Year.
The Junior Sportsperson Award is presented to the Junior golfer who demonstrates fairness and respect to fellow competitors and graciousness in winning or losing.
Below is his spotlight featured in the award ceremony's program, courtesy of Tony Regina:
AS 100-DEGREE HEAT stifled the golf swings of his groupmates, Thomas Larkin didn't complain. He didn't roll his eyes or mutter condescending remarks under his breath.
Instead, Larkin offered words of encouragement to Kevin Deng and Carson Thompson throughout the 22nd Christman Cup. No mopes. Just jokes.
"There's nothing I want more than for the whole group to play well. I'll try to be the light at the end of the tunnel for someone who might be playing badly," Larkin, 18, of Drexel Hill, Pa., said. "I like keeping the vibe in the group positive, even if someone is beating me. I'll take that as an opportunity to embrace an opponent. You don't want to look at it as a negative thing. You want your opponents to be in a good mood and playing their best."
If Larkin is living his best golf life, then it certainly didn't go unnoticed in 2021. He is GAP's Junior Sportsperson of the Year.
"It feels awesome. Honestly, I'm a little surprised," Larkin, a GAP Youth on Course member, said. "It's an honor, and I thank GAP for choosing me."
"Thomas exemplifies sportsmanship. He's courteous and respectful to all GAP staff, volunteers and, perhaps more importantly, his fellow competitors," Neil Gilman, a GAP Tournament Director, said. "He's always smiling. He's always appreciative. He's always a good sport, not to mention a good competitor."
The congenial, comedic Larkin you see today is a stark contrast to the frustrated, feverish Larkin seen circa 2015.
"My dad (Michael), my brother (Michael) and the people close to me will be the first ones to tell you that I used to be a little bit of a hothead on the golf course. That, I realized, wasn't the way to go about things at all," Larkin said. "When I started to even take positives out of bad situations, that's when I really excelled in my golf game. I saw results in that, in being mature on the golf course and in being able to smile even though you made a mistake."
Proof is in the aforementioned Christman Cup at Chester Valley Golf Club. Larkin shared runner-up honors with Huntingdon Valley Country Club's Patrick Isztwan. He also placed sixth in the Harry Hammond Award race and finished 11th in the Junior Player of the Year standings.
Larkin, a recent Cardinal O'Hara High School graduate, enjoys golf beyond competition and camaraderie among contemporaries. He's worked as a caddie at Llanerch Country Club since 2015.
"My brother Michael started caddying at the club. He would always come home, blowing up about Llanerch, the people and what loop he had that day. He fell in love with it," Larkin said. "I was all over it once I [became eligible to caddie]. I fell in love with it."
Also climbing Larkin's love ladder are his new academic surroundings. Larkin is a freshman at the University of the Sciences majoring in pharmaceutical and health care business. He is a member of the men's golf team – an impactful one at that. He broke the Devils' previous Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championship (CACC) individual scoring record by two strokes on Oct. 4-5.
"[College at first] was a little bit academically challenging. I was thrown into a whirlwind, but then once I got into a groove, I'm really enjoying it," Larkin said. "The people I've met have been great."
Always a Larkin light at the end of the tunnel. – Tony Regina
