Westmoreland Senior Spotlight: Hempfield’s Austin Corona

By: Anthony Difilippo
Monday, October 4, 2021 | 10:03 AM

Austin Corona

Hempfield golf

Making the WPIAL individual tournament and qualifying for the team playoffs in the same season might seem like lofty goals. Not to Hempfield senior golfer Austin Corona.

“I’m proud of both myself and my team,” Corona said.

Corona helped the Spartans to a 9-3 overall record this season, and he made it to the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals in individual competition. The team finished in fourth place at the WCCA tournament last month.

He would not have made it that far if not for his quarterfinal round performance at Indiana, where he shot a 79. The score needed to qualify was 80, which led to some pressure-packed moments for Corona.

Now that his season is over, Corona took a few minutes for a Senior Spotlight Q&A.

What was going through your head in those final holes at Indiana?

It was very nerve-racking, especially considering that on No. 14, I had a double bogey, and I knew that I needed to par out to make it with the exception of one hole. I knew that I needed to play the best I’ve played in order to make it.

How is it different shooting for a target score rather than having to beat other people?

It felt weird because even though I was playing with a foursome, I had to keep reminding myself that their scores didn’t really matter to me. I’m used to competing against the people I’m playing with. When I realized that I had to shoot 80, it was more about focusing on myself and not how everybody else was playing.

How did you get started with golf?

My grand-pap got me started with golf when I was about 5, and he taught me everything I knew for the next five years until I got into playing for high school and then coach (Bryan) Spang took it from there. But, my grand-pap really started it all.

Do you have any advice for golfers looking to lower their score into the low 80s or upper 70s?

I would say in order to score low, you need to work on your short game. I always say, you drive for show and putt for dough. I’d always say that putting and chipping is the most important part of your game.

Have you ever had a hole-in-one?

In the semifinals at Willowbrook, I was a couple of inches away, but I’ve never had one.

What’s your favorite course you’ve ever played on?

My favorite course would probably be a course called Heron Ridge in Virginia Beach.

Do you play any other sports?

Yes, I play baseball in the spring.

What sport do you like more?

I probably like golf more because I’ve been playing it longer, and I’ve just developed over the years more of a liking for the sport.

What are your future plans?

I’m not likely to be playing golf in college. I want to go to Penn State to be a mechanical engineer but probably not golf there.

What is one thing that people might not know about you?

I’m very committed, and I’m a hard worker, and I try to have a balance between both school and sports at the same time.

Have you gotten any comments in the last year and a half about your last name, Corona?

Yes, I have. Many times. Almost anywhere I go, like a restaurant, a reservation, anything, anytime they ask my last name, they always make a face. Before all of this, it was kind of a cool last name, but now it kind of has a bad connotation with it.