Louis Kelly will play in the GAP Open Championship on Monday.
Louis Kelly knows this is a big summer for him as he chases his dream of becoming a professional golfer.
It looks like he's going to thrive under the pressure.
The Deptford resident and former GCIT star got off to an impressive start in late June, as he shot a 6-under-par 65 to earn medalist honors in a Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) Open Championship Qualifier at North Hills Country Club.
The strong showing gave Kelly one of 29 qualifying positions for the GAP Open Championship, which will be held Monday at The Ridge at Back Brook. The one-day, 36-hole tournament features a field of 78 golfers, including professionals who are active members of the Philadelphia Section PGA.
"My game is in really good shape right now," Kelly said. "I've been putting in a lot of work since last December on the swing changes I've made. I think I'm right where I want to be. I'm focusing on my short game right now and I'll definitely be ready on Monday."
A two-time Gloucester County Golfer of the Year at GCIT, Kelly went on to star for three years at Adelphi University before finishing his collegiate career at Division I Louisiana-Lafayette in 2015. He graduated in May with a degree in business marketing.
This past spring, while still in Louisiana, Kelly overhauled his swing with the help of Robert Merrill of Athletic Motion Golf.
"I just knew the way that I was playing, I couldn't play at the highest level professionally," Kelly said. "To get technical, I was swinging down and to the left, making really steep divots, and I was inconsistent with my distances. Now I'm more shallow and ... I'm more consistent throughout the entire bag, which is definitely going to translate to the professional ranks."
The new mechanics certainly paid off at the Open Qualifier, as Kelly carded seven birdies and just one bogey. He hopes to ride the momentum into Monday's tournament, where his father will caddie for him.
"That was a great number to see and obviously it brought out a lot of confidence in me going forward," Kelly said. "I think we're going to do well [on Monday]. I definitely think I'm capable of winning this tournament and I'm really excited."
The 23-year-old Kelly is back living in Deptford and working as a caddie at Wilmington Country Club for the time being. He will play in several more tournaments this summer before turning professional later this year, and his first stop will be Q-School for the Web.com Tour, which is right below the PGA Tour.
"This is definitely a big summer for me to show people I can play at the next level," he said. "I'm also looking for sponsorship, especially in my local area in Deptford and South Jersey. They've always supported me; I had a little success in high school and a lot of people followed my career.
"We're talking about thousands of dollars -- it's not cheap to go across the country and play golf. So it doesn't matter if it's a bakery or another local business that wants to sponsor me, it would be a big help."
Kelly started swinging a golf club at age 2 with the encouragement of his father and grandfather, and won the first tournament he entered at Riverwinds as a 10-year-old. Ever since then he's been following his dreams of a pro career, and now it's getting close.
"That's why I'm playing in all these summer tournaments and practicing every day," he said. "I'm definitely ready and I think I'm qualified for the professional ranks. I had a little success in college and I think I have the attitude and the drive to chase my dream."