Georgia student-athlete is in a class by himself

In the academic role of a student-athlete, Michael Green is anything but par for the course.

On Saturday, Green graduated summa cum laude in the University of Georgia's ceremonies at Sanford Stadium. There were plenty of student-athletes on hand who had more decorated careers on their respective playing fields than the former Richmond Academy golf star. There was not a single one who could compete with him in the classroom.

"I've never had a guy who has been so proficient in the classroom as he has been," said Georgia golf coach Chris Haack.

Green recently received the Dick Bestwick Scholar-Athlete Award for having the highest grade-point average of all male athletes in the senior class with a 3.98. It can go on his distinguished resume with other academic accolades including the Joel Eaves Award, Jack Carlyle Fraser endowed scholarship, a UGA Charter scholarship and a host of other Southeastern Conference and university honors.

"It's definitely an honor for me," Green said of the academic recognition. "Getting those awards for the highest GPA means a lot because it's a payoff for four whole years. It's not just one year or one semester of hard work. I was able to keep it up the whole time and that means a lot that I was able to stick to those goals for four years."

Not that Green has much to complain about in the results of his degree with honors in finance, but those two one- hundreths of a point irk Green as much as a bogey on his scorecard. The difference between a 3.98 and a perfect 4.0 was a measly A-minus he received in an Intro to Marketing class after the university implemented a plus-minus system a couple years ago.

"Probably not a very hard class compared to a lot of the science courses I took," Green said with a chuckle. "But it was boring enough to get me. They kind of changed the rules on me there. If not for that I would have kept a 4.0. I was still happy to have no B's, I guess."

That desire for perfection is what distinguishes Green from everybody else, says his coach.

"It kind of tells you the kind of guy he is because he's as competitive in the classroom," Haack said. "Most guys would be happy with saying they've never made a B their entire life. But he was not happy that he didn't achieve that 4.0 for his entire career. That tells you whatever he puts his mind to he wants to do it the best he can."

The same can be said for Green's golf, but that's not a forum where he's had the same control. When he joined a program four years ago that was fresh off a national championship, Green knew the competitive golf environment he was getting himself into. He could never quite make the top five in a program that consistently ranks No. 1 -- especially this season when everybody returned from last year's squad.

"We've just been so strong," said Green, who had the highest- ranked stroke average (72.33) of any SEC golfer that played fewer than 10 tournament rounds this season. "Every year we've been ranked No. 1 going into NCAAs. It's hard to crack a lineup like that. I feel like had I been able to get in there and play a few weeks and kind of get a rhythm it might have been different. But it's tough when you have players like we have."

Said Haack: "Michael is just as talented as anybody on this team. He just happens to be the sixth guy on a really, really good team. Unfortunately in our sport you can't sub in and out of rounds. Only five guys play, and unfortunately somebody who is a really good player has to sit out. It certainly doesn't diminish their value to the program."

Haack, in fact, considers Green as one of the most valuable assets for Georgia, befitting his co-captain status.

"Part of the reason we're ranked No. 1 is because of guys like Michael who continue to push for playing time and make all those guys work a little bit harder," Haack said. "I would say he has had as much impact on our success as any of the other guys."

Green said that has made him feel just as much a part of Georgia's SEC Championship season as the five players who will leave Tuesday to compete in the NCAA regionals in Orlando.

"You're not right there with your team, but you've got to look at your contribution beyond that," he said. "Being at practice with them every day and trying to push them to get better. And always being ready on the bench in case somebody does get hurt. I definitely feel like I've been a part of the success even if I wasn't there on the bench. "

Despite his limited tournament opportunities at Georgia, Green hasn't ruled out trying to make it as a professional. Haack has even encouraged him, citing the tour success of other Georgia "sixth men" who languished on Haack's bench such as Bubba Watson and Justin Bolli.

"I don't think he's totally given up on the possibility of the playing side because he's as good as any of the guys on this team," Haack said. "It wouldn't surprise me one bit to see him decide to play and have some success."

While Green has interviewed for several investment advisory positions, applied for some post-graduate scholarships and considered pursuing an MBA program or law school, he hasn't yet let go off his golf dreams.

"It's still in the back of my mind that I can play," he said. "I haven't really seen what I can do (on the course) over a long-term period. Every summer where I've played six to seven events I've played really well. I don't think it's worth me throwing in the whole dream after four years of maybe not playing as well as I wanted to.

"If I give it a try, I want to go into it head first and give it at least five good years and a real shot. I hate to do anything halfway. I'd hate to get a job going in every day thinking, 'Man, I could be out there playing golf.' And I'd hate to be a tour pro thinking, 'Man, I should have got a job.' I want to go one way or the other 100 percent."

Green has earned his options through hard work. Should he choose a different professional route, golf and the ultimate goal of any Augusta golfer of playing in the Masters Tournament will never leave Green.

"I'm never going to quit being competitive and never going to quit wanting to win golf tournaments," he said. "No matter what I do I'm going to have to find something where I can get on a golf course and compete. Even if I remain an amateur, the big events for me every year would be the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur. When I think of them the first thing I think about is a chance to play the Masters."

"Anything he decides to get into he's going to be ultra-successful at," Haack said. "If he chose not to turn pro he would be one of those formidable amateurs out there competing just like a (fellow Augustan) Jeff Knox. He's got tremendous talent."

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.