AUBURN, Ala. – A successful fall season has already come and gone and the men of Auburn golf are ready to build upon their countless hours of hard work, gearing up for the spring. After graduating a large, experienced senior class, head coach Nick Clinard has ushered in a wave of fresh talent with four freshman and one new assistant coach. As the fall semester rolls along, we will take a closer look at the men who are taking that step up to the next level and beginning their careers on The Plains.
Making his Auburn coaching debut, Chris Williams was a four-time All-American at the University of Washington and was the top-ranked amateur in 2013 when he turned pro.
Q: What made you decide to continue your coaching career at Auburn?
Williams: I follow college golf pretty closely. I knew Auburn had a long history of success and winning at the highest level, and I wanted to be a part of that. The atmosphere of all Auburn sports, like football, are pretty cool too.
Q: What do you enjoy most about coaching?
Williams: I really enjoy being around a team and having that strong camaraderie as a team. I also really enjoy being around young people and helping them navigate through life, school and golf.
Q: How is Auburn different from Idaho and the Pacific Northwest (PNW)?
Williams: Auburn is hot and humid and much less mountainous, but the people in Auburn are much more friendly and engaging than people in the PNW. Southern hospitality is real, and I love the southern accents.
Q: What was your favorite class you took while in college?
Williams: Public Speaking and American Indian studies. I met the wife in AIS, and I learned more about myself in public speaking than I ever thought possible. I hated public speaking prior to taking it, but I learned to love it because of that class. It challenged me in a way that was different from how I had been challenged for any other class.
Q: As a player, did you have any rituals or superstitions?
Williams: I always used an Idaho quarter to mark my ball, and would mark it with the Idaho side up.
Q: Outside of golf and coaching, what are some of your hobbies?
Williams: Peloton, College GameDay, NFL Countdown, Monday Night Football, Pac-12 After Dark, cooking and doing cannonballs into my pool.
Q: If you had not chosen golf as your sport, what sport do you think you would have excelled at?
Williams: Table tennis. I have great hand-eye coordination and a stellar back hand.
Q: Who is your favorite professional sports team to follow?
Williams: Seattle Mariners. I love baseball, it's the sport I grew up playing as a kid, and it is by far my favorite sport to watch live. There's nothing like sitting at T-Mobile Park on a nice summer day watching them win or, usually, lose.
Q: What is your favorite course you have ever played on?
Williams: It sounds cliché, but my home course in Seattle called Aldarra GC. I could play it everyday and never get bored or sick of it.
Q: What is an interesting fact about yourself that the Auburn family should know?
Williams: I once caught a fish with my bare hands. It's a long story.
Q: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Williams: Tacos. You get everything – meat, greens, tortilla and lots of hot sauce, biiig sauce guy.
Q: What is your favorite movie of all time?
Williams: "Wedding Crashers" because it is absolutely hilarious.
Q: If you could go on any TV show, which would you choose?
Williams: "Wheel of Fortune." I watch it every night, and I've always liked crossword puzzles. Also, with WOF, I get to be on TV, hang with Pat Sajak and win money. Yes, please!
Q: What advice would you give to younger guys who want to play golf at the next level?
Williams: Be yourself and never forget where you come from. Work your butt off because there's no substitute for hard work.
Q: How did you know coach Clinard, and what was your initial reaction when he reached out to you for the coaching job?
Williams: I knew Nick (Clinard) from my days playing at Washington. Auburn always had good teams, even back in my day. I was very excited about the phone call and the opportunity to be at a school and program like Auburn. I have a lot of respect for the hard work and passion Nick has put into his program here, and I knew I could learn a lot from working with him.