Brian Gielser is surrounded by golfers.

The Slippery Rock High senior is a golfer, too, but, as he puts it, "I think of myself as a basketball player who plays golf."

In many ways, Gielser will be an outsider at the PIAA Boys Golf Championships at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York Monday and Tuesday.

While basketball is his No. 1 sport — he averaged 19.3 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Rockets last season — many of the 48 competitors in York will be full-time golfers.

In fact, Gielser didn't begin focusing on golf until mid-July.

"I was still doing a lot of work in basketball," Giesler said. "I started working hard (on golf) around mid-August. To me, that makes getting to (the state tournament) even more of an accomplishment."

Despite getting a late start, compared with much of his competition, Gielser averaged a 74.6 in the six District 10 Region 2 megamatches, tying for second in the region with teammate Brett Rinker.

Giesler has had to be less aggressive on the course, he said.

"I had to play a little more passively," Giesler said. "I couldn't play risk-reward, going for birdies instead of making pars. I started a more flat-line approach, and it has paid off."

It was a hard move for Giesler, who had to temper the usual aggression he displays in basketball because it couldn't be applied to golf, especially with the talented field in District 10 and Western Pennsylvania as a whole.

"To make it to any level past District 10 with as many good golfers as there are is quite an accomplishment," Gielser said.

He should know. He goes up against two of them on an almost daily basis.

His teammate, sophomore Brett Rinker, had the same average as Gielser. Grove City senior Ryan Prokay averaged a District 10-best 71.5.

Prokay placed second at the West Regional Monday with a 2-under 70.

Prokay has been amazingly consistent, mainly because of his added touch in the short game.

He and Rinker have formed a friendly rivalry, Prokay said.

"Brett is so solid, so good," Prokay said.

Rinker has added 20 yards to his tee shots this season. That, along with his excellent short game, has helped him turn pars into birdies.

All three — competitors on the course, friends off it — said playing with and against each other has been one of the highlights of their careers.

"I've known Prokay and Brett for a long time," Giesler said. "The competition between us fuels me."

•

Other contenders — Gielser, Rinker and Prokay won't be the only Butler County golfers shooting for a state title.Seneca Valley senior Mike McNulty advanced for the first time after not making it out of the section tournament last year.Butler junior Marissa DeCola, who tied for second in the girls west regional with a 1-over 73, will be looking to improve on her ninth-place finish in 2009.