Freshman golfer Kevin Foley spends hours a week attempting to improve his game, but this pales in comparison to the 14 years of golf he has played leading to his collegiate career.

All his work has paid off, as Foley has proven to be the top player for Penn State this year.

In his first tournament of the spring, Foley tied for fourth place at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto and also tied for seventh in the Pinehurst Intercollegiate two weeks ago.

His performances led the team in both events, helping the Nittany Lions finish 11th and third, respectively.

Foley attributes his success to his early days growing up in Somerville, N.J. His particularly large family with two older sisters and five older brothers -- two golfed at the collegiate level -- made outstanding contributions to his success.

"My oldest brother, Brian, made me a mini-club to use when I was four years old," Foley said.

"He was kind of the one who got our whole family involved in golf."

He also said that there were four courses near his home including one that was just five minutes away.

"I was able to go to that course quite a bit and pretty much just spend the whole day golfing," he said.

At age eight, he started golfing competitively in local junior tournaments that eventually led to events at the regional as well as national levels, he said.

It was these tournaments that spurred recruitment from Penn State and the University of Central Florida, he said.

"I went to UCF and they were all about golf," Foley said. "But I liked everything Penn State had to offer aside from golf. It had the best of both worlds."

Although he is majoring in business, he wants to eventually work in the golf industry.

While at Penn State, Foley relies on leadership from upperclassmen. When asked about whom provides this tutelage, Foley was quick to mention junior Robert Rohanna.

"Rohanna has really taken the leadership role on this team, and I look up to him as well as all of my teammates who are older than me," said Foley.

Foley said he hopes this leadership can assist him with his long-term goal of becoming an All-American.

Head coach Greg Nye has said he believes Foley is one of the best freshman players he has ever seen during his 15-year tenure at Penn State, Foley was taken aback by the compliment.

"It's pretty flattering that coach Nye said that of me," Foley said. "I'd like to continue to impress him and prove him right."