Sophomore Andri Bjornsson from Reykjavik, Iceland is gearing up for the home stretch of his second year on the Nicholls golf team. Bjornsson has finished in the top 10 in two tournaments this year while averaging 75 strokes per round to lead the Colonels. He took some time out to speak with the Nicholls Worth.

Q: What brought you here to Nicholls?

A: Throughout my junior golfing career, coming to America for school and golf was always something I wanted to do. Furthermore, while I was still in high school, two of my Icelandic friends were already here playing.

Q: It must be an interesting experience, right?

A: So far my experience here at Nicholls has very much been an enjoyable one. One of the biggest attractions for me coming here is the ability to play golf and practice all year round. I have also met a lot of people from other countries and have had a small insight of different cultures.

Q: What is it like get the chance to play golf and come to school?

A: I feel so lucky and privileged to come to the United States, the land of opportunity, and fulfill my dreams of becoming a professional golfer while getting a high level education.

Q: When did you start playing? What drew you to it?

A: I started playing golf at the age of 10. It was my father who got me into the game at my local club in Iceland.

Q: Is golf big in Iceland?

A: Iceland has a total population of 300,000. It is a growing game, but still soccer is the biggest sport in Iceland.

Q: You guys have a pretty diverse team. What do think that says about the global appeal of golf?

A: This just shows the opportunity of young athletes like ourselves to come to America. Like I said before, golf is a growing game all over the world with many top class professionals from different countries. We have players from six different countries on our team, and it is so nice to have that diversity.

Q: How much of golf is mental?

A: Golf is very much about being able to control your emotions while playing good or bad. Being able to think your way around the golf course properly is essential. This is hard to do sometimes for us as we play 36 holes in one day, and it can become mentally draining. However, I feel most of the time that I am pretty good on the golf course.

Q: How is Iceland different from here?

A: Everything in Iceland is smaller. There are less competitors to play against, and maybe a fewer number that can compete for national titles. The courses are a lot different with different grasses, weather conditions and bunkers.

Q: How important is it to network and display your talents as a golfer?

A: Well, I feel as if I’m a pretty level-headed guy, and I really only tell my family and closest friends about my performances, whether they are good or bad. Furthermore, I tell my coach back in Iceland. I don’t feel it is really that important to network my golfing talents. As long as I am keeping my coach happy and helping my team, that is all that matters.