All in the Family: Scott Third Nye to Enter "W" Hall of Fame

Golf and The College of Wooster were in Scott Nye’s blood right from birth. However, for those who think his induction into the "W" Association Hall of Fame was a foregone conclusion … it wasn’t nearly that simple.

Growing up as the second son of Wooster’s legendary golf and soccer coach, Bob Nye, one might assume that Scott was pushed to play the sports dad enjoyed best and attend the school dad coached at, but that was not the case at all.

"Even though (Scott) wanted to, we didn’t let him start hitting (golf) shots until he was six or seven," explained the elder Nye. "He played basketball and soccer, and was good at both of those. He played some baseball, too. We wanted him to try a lot of different things before saying this is what I like to do."

In his early teen years, Scott decided golf would be his sport. He displayed a lot of potential during his secondary education, captaining Wooster High School’s state championship team in 1980 and winning the Cardinal Conference title twice as an individual (1979-80). Although Scott thought he was still just scratching the surface of his golf ability, he needed to go to a college that offered more than that.

"I chose Wooster because I needed some extra attention to help me become a better student," remarked Scott. "My grades were poor in high school and I needed some help. The late Byron Morris had a large impact on my decision."

While working to improve his academics, Scott also used a "tireless work ethic," according to his dad and coach, to better his golf game and make an immediate impact with the Scots. He earned the first of his All-American honors, tying for 28th at the NCAA Division III Championships as a freshman (75-77-78-77).

Although Scott’s sophomore season ended with his highest finish at the NCAA tournament — a tie for third (74-79-78-72) and only six strokes off the national champion’s pace — it was his junior year that he considers his best, and with good reason. Scott, now 40, was the medalist at the Wooster Invitational with a then-tournament record of 143 and finished in a tie for first-place (221) at the Penn State Invitational, which was comprised mostly of Division I teams, followed by his earning first-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors and honorable mention status on the All-America Team.

To cap his career, Scott won the first-ever North Coast Athletic Conference individual championship (74-75) and tied for 22nd at the NCAA Championships (79-76-76-73), joining his brother and fellow
"W" Hall-of-Famer, Greg, as the program’s only four-time All-Americans.

Scott has continued to excel in golf since his days at Wooster. He won seven events as a pro in the eastern Pa., and Washington, D.C., area, and currently is in his fourth year as the head golf professional at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., rated among America’s Top 100 Golf Courses by Golf Digest. Prior to that, he was the head pro for 11 years at the Country Club of York.

Personally, Scott and his wife, Sissy, have three children — Scotty (9), Leigh (7), and Thomas (4) — and reside in Bryn Mawr, Pa.

All in all, it was a great four years for father and son.

"Sometimes playing for your father can be very difficult for both father and son," said Scott. "For me, it was a blast and just right for me at that time in my life. It was a great experience, one that I will always cherish."

Dad concurred, "(Scott) was a very comfortable person to work with. He was most willing to accept the responsibilities of leading the team … (and) was always prepared to do a good job competitively."