On Nov. 10, National Signing Day, local Orcas Island athlete and Spring Street International School senior Burly Hildreth signed the National Letter of Intent, committing to play college golf at Seattle University beginning in fall 2022.

For the last five years, Hildreth has been competing on the mainland against highly talented junior golfers and professionals, from around the world in hopes of being selected to play for an elite college golf program. Hildreth’s golf coach, Jeff Coston, is a Seattle University alumni and former PGA Tour player.

“One of my goals has been to play golf at Seattle University, where I hope to break some of Coston’s old scoring records,” Hildreth said.

He has finished in the top-10 in the last three Washington State Championships and placed second at the AJGA Transamerica in 2020. He qualified and made the final cut in the 2021 IMG Junior World Championship in La Jolla, California and also finished in the Elite 8 at the 2021 PNGA matchplay. It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child, thankfully, many of our villagers on Orcas Island play golf.

“While it’s always awesome playing in the mainland golf tournaments among highly competitive junior golfers and professionals, I always look forward to playing the Tuesday afternoon scrambles and a round of golf with the gang at Orcas Island Golf Course,” Hildreth said.

Hildreth, who just celebrated his 18th birthday, is a three-time course champion at the Orcas Island Golf course and holds the course record for lowest score. He has also had two hole-in-ones on that course.