Like many boys growing up, Tyler Rea dreamed of being a baseball player. In fact, he only stopped baseball during this past summer due to injuries and to concentrate on what’s become his main sport, golf.

That decision turned out to be the right one for Rea, as he led Lincoln-Way East to a state tournament appearance in Class 3A and was selected as the 2025 Herald-News Boys Golfer of the Year.

Rea led the Griffins with a score of 157 over the two days of play at The Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington. Prior to that, he posted their top score at the Lockport Sectional at Wedgewood with a round of 72 and won the individual regional championship at Green Garden in a four-hole playoff with Sandburg’s Quinn McElligott after both finished with a round of 73.

Not bad for a kid who wanted to play baseball.

“I didn’t start playing golf until I was 10, 11 years old,” Rea said. “I got a late start because I was playing baseball a lot before that. One summer, me and my neighbor built our own course in our yards, and I just started playing.

“What I like about golf is that you might not be having the best day, but then you hit a shot that feels great and goes right where you wanted it to. You remember that shot and believe you can do it again, and that keeps bringing you back.”

Rea was one of four seniors in the Griffins’ starting lineup this season. Their bond helped them throughout their season.

“We have played a lot together,” Rea said. “All the seniors were on the varsity as freshmen, and so was one of the juniors. Playing that much together really helped with team chemistry.

“We just have a great time together. And this was Coach [Jim] Nair’s last year, so it was important for us to give him a good sendoff.”

Nair couldn’t have been happier with Rea and his impact on the team and program.

“Tyler has been an exceptional leader and standout performer for our team,” Nair said. “He served as team captain and set a standard of excellence both on and off the course.

“Academically, Tyler maintains an impressive 3.8 GPA, demonstrating his dedication and discipline in the classroom as well as on the golf course. Athletically, he has had an outstanding season — earning all-conference and all-regional honors, including a first-place finish at regionals. Tyler also captured first place at the Schuman Cup, further solidifying his status as one of the top golfers in the conference.

“At the [IHSA] State Finals, Tyler posted the lowest score from our entire area, a testament to his consistency, composure,and competitive spirit under pressure. Beyond his athletic achievements, Tyler is a great kid – humble, hardworking and respected by his teammates and coaches alike.”

Rea hopes to continue his golf career at the collegiate level as he studies exercise science and kinesiology with an eye toward being a physical therapist. He has visited Augustana, Millikin and Purdue Northwest.

After his junior year, Rea saw a place for improvement in his game and worked on it incessantly.

“I did a lot of work in the offseason,” he said. “I played seven days a week most of the time. I really worked on my game from 100 yards in. I would go to a simulator if the weather was bad and work on just shots from that distance.

“Once I got outside, I could really see the difference in my short game that all that work did.”

At the regional tournament, Rea had a lead after 16 holes, but stumbled a bit and fell back into a tie. However, he bounced back from that and managed to win the playoff.

“That’s what I will probably remember the most about this year,” he said. “I had a couple of bad holes at the end and had to go into a playoff. I just persevered on the playoff holes and never gave up. On those four playoff holes, I didn’t make any mistakes. Even though I blew the lead, I had a lot of confidence in my ability to move forward.

“We really wanted to win the sectional as a team, but we ended up coming in second to a really good Lincoln-Way Central team. It was nice to finish my high school career on a good note at state.”