Ramstein's Grayden Taylor putts on the No. 13 green during the final round of the DODEA European golf championships on Oct. 10, 2024, at Woodlawn Golf Course on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Coming Saturday: Athletes of the Year in tennis.

Ramstein’s Grayden Taylor entered the 2024 DODEA European golf championship playoff on Oct. 10 with a major advantage over his opponent, Tyler Korrell of Stuttgart.

On top of being at his home golf course of Woodlawn Golf Course on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, he had the experience factor. Not only was a senior going against a freshman, but Taylor could bank on past results.

When Taylor was a sophomore in Colorado, he played in a regional-tournament playoff to decide the alternate spot for the state competition. He won that one in a manner that may seem familiar to those who watched from the patio above the No. 18 hole at Woodlawn.

“I felt way more pressure when I was playing back then because all my teammates and coaches were watching me,” Taylor said. “I was able to win that one and make a long putt. That was a big confidence booster, even though I didn’t qualify for state.”

The son of Troy and Mariah Taylor may not have advanced to the finals that year, but Stars and Stripes’ 2024 boys golf Athlete of the Year replicated that play at the biggest stage in DODEA en route to winning the boys individual European crown.

Needing to sink a 20-foot putt to bogey the first extra hole to extend the playoff, he did just that, wowing the crowd. With a par on the second hole, Taylor clinched the title after tying Korrell with 79 points in the Modified Stableford scoring system – with round scores of 41 and 38.

Taylor admitted he didn’t enter the playoff in the best situation, having a five-point lead evaporate over the final seven holes. That was exacerbated by a disastrous No. 18 hole, which he scratched after slicing into the woods.

“I was definitely angry after the previous hole, but I wasn’t feeling too much pressure,” Taylor said. “It was the biggest hole of my life, but I felt kind of relaxed.

“I had a lot of joy. Feeling the atmosphere and everybody watching and cheering was definitely a highlight. It felt really good.”

The win capped off what was an amazing first season in Europe.

A second-team all-district and first-team all-district selection in 2022 and 2023, respectively, Taylor had recorded two Top-5 and a couple of Top-10 finishes during his 20 tournaments in Colorado.

Despite his success in the States, Taylor said he didn’t know what to expect when he arrived in Germany, other than the Ramstein boys golf team was a powerhouse. The Royals returned the top two placers from 2023 with Christian McHugh and David Obermuller and seemed stacked once again.

Yet Taylor shot right to the top. He entered the European tournament as the top seed with an average of 39.33 points with his three-best performances, which he matched over the two-day championships.

He posted a season-high 44 points on Sept. 26 at home in a tournament shortened by weather. Scores were estimated based off per-hole performances before play was suspended. He also totaled 41 points the week prior at Lakenheath.

Taylor credited his teammates for pushing him throughout the season. The Royals dominated the team competition, placing eight within the Top 10 at Euros.

“I enjoyed being on a competitive team and knowing the best players in DODEA are at Ramstein,” Taylor said. “It was good knowing where you are in DODEA but also just having good teammates to push you to get better every day.”

Taylor did notice differences between Colorado and DODEA, especially with the fewer golfers and teams on the courses.

He said both places had their positives, but competing in Europe proved to be the better experience.

“The golf courses in Colorado I enjoyed more, but I enjoyed playing here more,” Taylor said. “(The golfers) were fun to play with, and I enjoyed being one of the top players in the field. It’s a cool experience. I didn’t get to experience that in Colorado.”