One of the best athletes in the history of the Wimberley Texans has decided where he wants to continue his education, and he isn’t going very far. Golfer Jaxon Donaldson recently signed his letter of intent to play at Texas State University.
“I talked to several different schools and Coach (Shane) Howell and Coach (Logan) Davis, and they’re really cool guys,” Donaldson said. “I connected with well with them and I liked the facilities at Texas State. It is a good school, and it is close to home. When they gave me an offer, it was kind of a no brainer. I always wanted to go there.”
Donaldson is the best golf in the history of Wimberley High School and is one of the most decorated athletes in school history. He has won the individual UIL 4A Golf State Championship twice and has an additional runner up finish. He also helped the Wimberley High School golf team make it all the way to the state championship tournament as a team for the first time in school history last year. Before he heads to Texas State, he still has a few goals to obtain in his senior year.
“After last year ended, the team made it (to the State Golf tournament) for the first time in my high school career and we got fourth,” Donaldson said. “We like to think we had a chance to win it. I think a team state championship would be our number one goal. A close second would be another individual state championship.”
Donaldson will bring a refined game to Texas State. Listed at five-feet, 10-inches tall and 145 pounds last year, Donaldson isn’t the longest hitter off the tee. He makes up for it with an excellent short game and is considered one of the best iron hitters around, according to his coach.
“He is going to be real meticulous in his game,” Wimberley High School Golf Coach Dane Saucier said. “He stays out of trouble. He has a fabulous short game, and he is going to be really really good with his iron play. You know, the length of his drive, all that stuff is going to come with strength and maturity over time, but I think his iron play is what impresses me and it has been that way since he was 13 or 14.”
Donaldson broke out on the scene as a freshman shooting a six-under 65 at Plum Creek in Kyle on the first day of the state tournament. It is one of the lowest rounds posted in Texas High School Golf State Championship history. He would go on to win that state championship on a rain-shortened second day nearly missing out on a chance to enter the record books donned with golf greats like Jordan Speith, Scottie Scheffler and Ben Hogan. Without the bad weather, Donaldson would have had a shot at the 4A record of seven-under par for the twoday tournament but the round was called for lightning with just a few holes remaining in the back nine.
Since winning the state championship his freshman year, Donaldson was runner up is sophomore year and one again his junior year. Even though he has accomplished much in his short golf career, there is still room for growth.
“He has always had the game,” Saucier continued. “Obviously, as he has gotten stronger and more mature, his game has gotten longer and those type of things, but I think the thing that impresses you the most about him is just his mental maturity over the past four years. He has grown leaps and bounds in his emotional maturity on the course and being able to handle difficult situations. He can manage his golf game mentally.”
