Student-Athlete Spotlight: Kyle Anderson
By Abram Choate ’98 and M.Ed. ’17, assistant director of athletics for athletic communications
Once thinking he would not return to Howard Payne University for his final year of eligibility, Kyle Anderson is enjoying his best season on the golf course and truly taking in his final year as a Howard Payne student-athlete.
A native of Pearland, Texas, Kyle grew up with a deep love of baseball. His free time was filled with travel and spring and summer ball. After turning his attention to golf after entering high school, his golf game developed. His game has now steadily improved throughout his time at HPU, gaining a #8 ranking regionally and 17th nationally at the end of the fall 2022 semester.
Now as a leader on the Yellow Jacket men’s golf team, he hopes the team’s success will translate into an NCAA III national tournament appearance for the men’s program in 2023.
Wanting to become a Texas Game Warden, Kyle completed a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from HPU in 2022 and is now pursuing a second undergraduate degree – this time in psychology – and finishing his final year of eligibility due to the COVID-related extension.
Other than golf, what other sports did you play growing up?
K.A.: I grew up playing baseball from four years old up to 13 years old. I played travel ball, spring ball and summer ball all the time. I got burnt out from playing it so much, so I gave that up in my freshman year of high school. A close friend picked up golf, so I went to the course with him to see how it was. I fell in love with it the first time I went.
"It's been fun playing at a higher level, and the American Southwest Conference has gradually gotten better every year."
What type of success did you have on the course in high school?
K.A.: I didn’t really have much but ended up making the team my sophomore year. That year, I just did JV tournaments, bouncing around with a few varsity tournaments. I didn’t realize I was decent at golf until my senior year. We won district and made it to the regionals. We tied for second, so we advanced and ended up losing by two holes in the state tournament. That was still good, because statistically we had the hardest region in 6A at the time. The summer after high school and before college, things really clicked for me on the golf course.
How did you end up connecting with HPU?
K.A.: I have a ranch house in Coleman, so to get from Houston to Coleman you go through Brownwood. I saw billboards for HPU, so I looked it up to see what it was about and saw HPU had a golf team and a criminal justice program. I emailed Coach Drummond and came on a visit a few months later. I fell in love with the campus and he gave me an opportunity to play.
Tell me about your experience on the golf course these past four years.
K.A.: It’s been fun playing at a higher level, and the American Southwest Conference has gradually gotten better every year. Playing against higher-level players has helped me up my competitiveness. When I first got here, I was fine with shooting 75 or 76 – but in a tournament, that barely got you top 20, so I had to switch something up. I’ve gotten relatively better each year.
Talk about the fall 2022 season and some of the milestones you hit.
K.A.: My lowest scoring in a tournament total in a 36 hole was 137 for two days and in a single round was 66 that final round (UMHB Invitational).
Talk about your experience at HPU off the golf course.
K.A.: The year before COVID we got six new guys and we have gotten really close these past few years. We do anything and everything together like going to eat, playing golf, hanging out or going back to each other’s houses in our hometowns on the weekends. I’m really big on hunting, so having a ranch house in Coleman is nice on weekends during hunting season.
What is most exciting about this last semester of golf for you?
K.A.: Definitely just getting to play. We have seven tournaments, which is the most we’ve ever played in a single semester, so that will be fun. We’re all experienced as well – this will be the fourth year our top six players will get to play together. Hopefully, we have all the experience we need to do the best we’ve ever done.
What is one HPU experience that is an especially fond memory?
K.A.: The tournament in Arkansas over Spring Break last year was a favorite. We decided to take our time on the drive up there and on the way back to stop at a few different courses. The bond we made on that trip, on top of the bond we already had, was awesome. Everything that came along with that trip was a blast.
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