Jeff Hager remembers when his son Tyler was 10 years old and asked him about joining the Lehigh Valley Junior Golf Tour.

“He told me that he wanted to join, and he thought he could play,” recalled his father. “I wasn’t sure, but I knew he could golf. He just never really saw kids of that caliber play.”

The younger Hager soon relieved his father’s anxieties and fears when he won his first tournament.

The older Hager knew it could be the start of a successful youth career - but probably never dreamed it would be as successful as it has turned out.

Over the next seven years, Hager blossomed into one of the area’s elite golfers.

He recently completed another successful campaign that earned him the 2022 Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Golfer of the Year award - the third time in four years he has captured the award. His success on the links has also earned him a college scholarship to St. Peter’s University in New Jersey.

This past season, Hager played an instrumental role in helping Palmerton win its fourth consecutive District 11 Class 2A crown, along with its third straight Colonial League title.

Hager ended his Blue Bomber career with a 22nd-place individual finish at states, and a runner-up finish in the district tournament. He also finished second in the league, and had an overall scoring average of 71 this season.

Palmerton head golf coach Alex Knoll has appreciated Hager’s efforts on and off the golf course.

“Tyler had another great year for us,” said Knoll. “He qualified for his third state tournament, which is an amazing accomplishment with how strong the golfers are in District 11.

“He has been our leader for the past four seasons, and he is one of the main reasons we have won three league and four straight district titles. We are all excited to see how Tyler continues to develop at Division 1 St. Peter’s next year.”

For Hager, the road to being a high school star and earning a St. Peter’s scholarship began in its own unique way.

Hager began playing golf at the age of four when his father gave him a smaller version of golf clubs. The elder Hager figured his son had already found his niche when he wanted to go to the driving range at Hideaway Hills Golf Club.

“He always liked to come along with me to golf,” said his father. “He liked it, and he always had fun. I would tell him to hit it as long as he could.

“From the start, Tyler could always hit the ball. As he got older, we worked together to get them to go straighter. He also always took things very seriously, and I knew he had a high ceiling as a golfer. He was relaxed and looked forward to playing, especially with kids who were a few years older than him.”

The younger Hager soon played his first round of golf at age nine at Mahoning Valley Golf Club. He also realized that he had found his sport. Growing up, Hager had played baseball and basketball, but they suddenly took a back seat.

“That was special,” said the younger Hager. “I played my first tournament at 11, and my dad helped me through it.

“I really wasn’t nervous out there, and I was having fun. It was pretty relaxing to me, and it was awesome.”

Hager continued to improve his game until he reached high school, where he began to sense his comfort zone. During the season and the offseason, Hager would take advantage of the opportunity to hit golf balls into a net at his father’s business warehouse to avoid the “winter itch.”

“I was fortunate to play with a great coach and a great bunch of guys at Palmerton,” said Hager. “They all made it easier for me. Probably my most memorable moment was winning the league championship in 2020.

“But I also was fortunate to play with and against guys in high school who I grew up with on the junior tour like the Vitals at Liberty and others.”

He worked to improve his short game, and the tournament opportunities expanded to New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Florida, Virginia, and Georgia. In August, he won a two-day tournament at Penn State.

Hager also has worked on the mental aspect of his game that has helped bring it all together.

“When I was younger, I would hit a bad shot, and it would drive me out of my mind,” he recalled. “Over the years, I have learned to accept the reality of the shot and move on. I also take a few weeks off once the school season is over and not touch a club.

“Before every match at the first tee, I take a deep breath and exhale. Then I am ready to go.”

Hager plans to pursue a degree in sports management at St. Peter’s, with an emphasis on analytics based on his love of Math as a subject. He likely doesn’t see himself pursuing a pro career, mainly due to the draining rigors of the professional tour.

“I could see a career, but I don’t think I would enjoy traveling every weekend,” he said. “I’m looking forward to my college career, and I hope I can be pretty consistent and successful.”

Over the past four years at Palmerton, Hager certainly was.