LONGWOOD, Fla. - On the range at the Legacy Club, Karoline Tuttle perfects her swing.
- Tuttle will play at the University of Florida
- Helped lead Lake Mary Prep to a state title
- Father Ken also a Florida alum
"I set up, and look, and fire," she said, demonstrating her precise follow.
It's a swing that has earned her a plethora of success in her 16 years of life, driven by a natural desire to be the best.
"Oh, she's a competitor," her father Ken said. "Yeah. Big competitor."
In fact, she's been a major player in more championships than she has friends who can drive.
"T-ball. Golf balls. She’d knock it 30, 40 yards, no problem," Ken said about his daughter growing up. "So I knew she had that to begin with."
Her talent was on display as Lake Mary Prep knocked off The First Academy to earn a state championship this fall, with her coming up big in the clutch.
“I had to make some birdies. And I birdied 15 and 16, and I knew that helped my team a ton,” she said.
Her father wasn't surprised to see her rise to the moment. It's what he's seen firsthand for years.
"It’s nothing new," he said. "She won the U.S Kids Worlds at 12, so we kind of not expected it, but it’s falling right in line."
Ken has spent the last decade teaching his daughter the game and traveling alongside her, a commitment not lost on Karoline.
"Him getting me into the game, caddying for me, U.S. kids tournaments when I was 9, 10, 11, I mean, those memories will last a lifetime," she said.
Now she'll follow his path, straight to the Florida Gators. Ken is an alum, and she committed to play golf for them as a freshman.
"I think she’s going to be stepping into UF Day 1, competing for a spot on the team," he said. "That’s our plan. She’s ready to compete and help the team."
Because competition, simply put, is in her blood.
'I wanna be the best. And I love competition," she said. "And to be the best, you definitely have to work at it, work hard."