Ben Sweet is taking his off-the tee drives east.

Sweet signed a letter of intent in January to join the men’s golf team at Whitman College in Walla Walla this fall.

The Whitman golf program recently moved into the top 25 ranked golf schools in Division III.

As a junior, Sweet tied for second at the Olympic League tourney in April 2021, leading the Wolves to a league title.

As a freshman, Sweet tied for 21st overall at the state 2A tourney and was named to the All-Olympic League first team, as the Wolves placed second as a team. (His sophomore season, along with all other spring sports, was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID outbreak).

Sequim’s Ben Sweet tees off on the first hole in an Olympic League golf match in April 2021. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell

“Ben is a fiery competitor and a student of the game,” SHS coach Sean O’Mera said. “In an individual sport like golf, Ben’s team-first attitude says so much about him.”

O’Mera recalled one of Sweet’s shots during a four-for-one playoff for the individual league championship in 2021: “Ben hit one of the best shots I have seen in competition, a towering 7 iron from 165 yards directly over the flag to 10 feet. He hit that shot in front of a crowd of nearly 60. Really impressive.”

Said O’Mera, “He is a joy to coach. I am sad to see him go. (Whitman) got a great player and even better person!”