Rich Saferian, a senior on the Arizona men’s golf team, won the Arizona Intercolliage Tournament last week, marking the first individual win for Arizona this season. The Arizona Daily Wildcat caught up with Saferian to discuss his play at the tournament, going pro, and his dream girl.
Daily Wildcat: First, I’m going to start off with some serious questions then move into some lighter stuff after that.
Rich Saferian: Alright.
How did it feel to be the individual winner (of the Arizona Intercollegiate)?
It was great to win again. I won the 2007 junior college championship. Since then, I haven’t won. That was my freshman year of college. It definitely felt good winning again.
Why Scottsdale Community College all the way from Michigan?
I wanted to go somewhere where I could play golf all year, and, coming from Michigan, you really don’t get recruited too good for golf just because it’s cold. They’re a good school. I knew some people who went there and got opportunities to play at other places so I figured that would be a good place to start.
So it was more that you found them than they found you?
Yeah.
Did you go there with any goals about where you wanted to end up after that?
Really I wanted to end up (at UA) when I went there — either here or ASU. I heard about Rick LaRose being the coach that he is and helping a lot of people get to the next level so I figured this would be a great place.
What are your team goals for the rest of the year?
We definitely want to win, we definitely want to make it to nationals. We showed that we can play good last week, so compete good in all of our tournaments. We want to do better than we did in the fall and hopefully get a couple of wins.
Excited for Hawaii?
Yeah it’s going to be great. We went there last year and stayed right on the ocean and it’s a fun time.
Who’s your favorite professional golfer?
Favorite professional golfer? I’d have to say performance-wise Tiger Woods, definitely. How he can take his game to the next level when he has to and he just wins all the time.
What are your goals, golf-wise, after college?
I’m going to turn pro and play on the Gateway Tour I think is the first thing I’m going to do. Then in September (qualifying) school comes around so I’ll go to PGA tour school and hopefully make it there.
All right, we’re going to move into some of the lighter stuff. Are you a ladies man?
Yeah, definitely (laughs).
You have a girlfriend?
No I don’t.
All right, you can pick one girl in the world to get a night with, who is it?
One girl … Megan Fox is looking pretty good. Or Mila Kunis … I saw that one movie with her in it, The Book of Eli.
You have a nickname?
Uh, they call me Big Sexy (laughs).
That’s what I heard … I was hoping you wouldn’t tell me about it (laughs).
(Laughs).
You have any guilty pleasure songs or music that you listen to?
I like listening to … really when I want to relax I like listening to David Gray. It’s just kind of relaxing … he’s a singer from Ireland.
How about a guilty pleasure movie?
Um … Superbad, it’s a great movie.
What’s the best perk about being a golfer here?
Really all the kind of stuff we get free stuff. At the beginning of the year we got a bunch of pants, shirts, some cool shoes. We get it throughout the year too so it’s fun.
What is your least favorite thing in the world … something that just drives you crazy?
Bad drivers (laughs). Especially the roads around here. I’m from a small town so the roads here are crazy with how many people there are.
Yeah, we have a lot of those in Tucson don’t we?
(Laughs). Definitely.
Who would you say the weirdest person on the team is?
Weirdest person on the team? That’s a tough one. Definitely the funniest kid is Brad Nicholson. He’s just real quick and witty. Weird? Tom Conran probably, he’s just a little goofy.
A little goofy?
(Laughs) yeah. Just things that he says and does come off the wall sometimes.
All right Rich, thanks.
Yep, not a problem.
