WIAA golfer and dairy farmer Patrick Azevedo of Othello competes for the 2A title.
Most find it hard to draw connections between the greens of a golf course and those of a dairy farm. But for Patrick Azevedo, a childhood on the dairy teed him off for an illustrious golf career. The Othello High School junior won the 2A state championship his freshman year, placed in the top five last year, and hopes to capture the crown again this year as a junior. He is currently ranked in the top 50 in Washington State.
Patrick grew up in Othello, Washington on the Azevedo & Sons Dairy, a farm owned and run by his parents Lisuarte and Guiomar Silva Azevedo, who are Portuguese-American. Patrick’s father Lisuarte started teaching Patrick to golf at two years old, and by the time the boy was 13, he was consistently beating his dad. He practiced his swing at the Othello Golf Club and on the dairy – the fields surrounding their farm are the final resting place for many an errant golf ball.
Trading his farm boots for golf cleats was an easy transition for Patrick. He credits dairy farming and showing cows at the local fair for his work ethic and competitive spirit. But most importantly, Patrick says dairy farming taught him to be kind.
What does the future hold for Patrick? He has started his college visits, focusing on California schools. He hopes to play D1 golf and study something in the science field. Keep an eye out for Patrick as he competes in the WIAA tournament May 21st-22nd in Spokane.
The Dairy Farmers of Washington have been a proud title sponsor of WIAA for 22 years, celebrating high school athletes like Patrick.
