Myles Jones had made his mind up by his sophomore year of high school. He was not going to golf in college. 

He wasn’t enjoying it as much as he used to, and when he would talk to colleges his freshman year, it just felt too awkward having to brag on himself all the time. 

“I’m not even really good at bragging at all,” Jones said. “People can look you up and the results. I just let people do their own thing.”

Once again, everything changed for Myles at the start of his senior season. 

“My team made me love playing golf again,” Jones said. “It was a great season. It was a lot of fun. We had some really good moments, and that wasn’t something we hadn’t had the past three years. Everyone on the team was cool with each other.” 

With his passion for the sport rediscovered, Jones took his dominance on the golf course to another level. Out of the 10 tournaments he played, he was Lambert’s low scorer in nine of them. 

His 18-hole average was a 70.3, a school record. 

The Longhorns finished second behind Milton at the Class 7A state championships at Spring Hills Country Club. Jones finished tied for the fourth-best score after two rounds. 

“This season was a lot different than most,” Jones said. “I didn’t care at all about individual scores this year. The seniors were all so close this year. If you quit halfway through individually, nobody’s going to care. It was one of the greatest golf experiences I’ve had so far. I learned a lot of things from my coaches that I’m going to carry into college golf.”

Jones additionally credits his success to different lessons he learned that helped his mentality on the golf course. 

“Don’t give up,” Jones said. “I feel like I gave up a lot of times. During your golf game or committing to a college – if you actually stick to it, you can do it. I don’t have a perfect swing, but I have a great mindset. I always find a way to make something work. If something’s bad, I’ll work on it. I try to stay emotionless on the course. That’s helped out a lot.”

During a tournament this season, Jones played at Achasta Golf Community in Dahlonega, the home course for the University of North Georgia. Jones had talked to the coaching staff briefly, but after shooting a 65 and 67 in two rounds through the tournament, he decided to seriously pursue the school. 

“I went to North Georgia for a visit,” Jones said. “He’s the perfect coach for me. It’s a great spot for me. I know most of the players, so I think it’s going to be a really enjoyable experience.”

When not on the golf course, Jones likes being on Lake Lanier, relaxing and taking a break from the mental exhaustion of playing competitive golf. 

Jones is playing throughout the summer in several amateur tournaments. He’ll play later this month in the U.S. Junior Amateur in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Though he graduated in May from Lambert, Jones said his coaches still check in on him and how he is playing in his summer tournaments. 

“There’s a pride they say of being a Longhorn,” Jones said. “It’s just a big family. You can’t be selfish if you’re at Lambert. Everything is about the team at the end of the day.”