Zack Taylor: The People's Champion (VIDEO)

To call Zack Taylor an unlikely WPIAL golf champion could be seen as an insult.

Make no mistake: Taylor has chops. But a freshman? Without a country club? That's Zack, from north .

Taylor can certainly play, but sometimes, that's only half of the battle. No country club membership can mean limited practice time and, often, missing out on sophisticated training opportunities that kids with club status may take for granted.

But the 14 year old from , whose dad, James, is a Baldwin High graduate and whose mom, Kerri, hails from Castle Shannon Borough, has a few tricks up his sleeve.

For one, there's the Baldwin Golf Complex at the 's .

The complex, overseen by Baldwin golf's Head Coach Jim Stanko, who just finished his 23rd season at the helm of the Highlanders, is quite a marvel in its use of space and is readily available for Zack and the other Baldwin hackers.

Another large factor in Zack's success is his dedicated uncle and mentor, Rich Korczyk, who even Stanko admits is Zack's true coach.

Zack and Korczyk, Kerri's older brother, have been playing golf together ever since Korczyk took Zack to the Cool Springs Golf and Family Recreation Center driving range in Bethel Park when he was 2 years old.

Then, of course, there's Zack himself, who was on his own in taking down a field of other top golfers from western Pennsylvania at the 2011 WPIAL boys championships at  in  on Oct. 6.

Zack entered the event as the only freshman in the field and left as what is believed to be the only freshman to ever win it after sinking a birdie putt on the 18th green. His 1-under-par score of 71 earned him the individual title by one stroke over a league that includes more than a few golfers with lifelong country club status.

Zack sees no reason to leave the Wallace Building. And why would he? He could soon be bringing more big trophies to the already impressive display case there.

Speaking of that, better clear some room.

View the video found near the top of this page to see Zack Taylor's first on-camera interview and to sneak a peek at the almost-famous Baldwin Golf Complex.

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