JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley graduate Kevin Cunius saw it as the opportunity of a lifetime.

But at 19, he wasn't certain he was ready for it.

Cunius is entering his sophomore year in the professional golf management program at California (Pa.) University, a program that requires each student to serve five internships over four years.

Rosapenna, a world-class golf resort in County Donegal, Ireland, had taken in students from Cal's program before.

“Last January, we all went to a PGA merchandise show,” said Cunius, a freshman in the program then. “I came across Griffin Fitzpatrick, a student in Cal's golf management program who went to Rosapenna as a sophomore.

“He said the scholarship was open for this summer and was asking if anybody was interested. Then he suggested I take it.”

The scholarship called for a three-month stay at the resort and Cunius would be solely on his own.

“That's a long time to just drop everything and go,” Cunius admitted. “I had never even worked at a golf course before.”

Cunius played high school golf at Seneca Valley his sophomore year. He tried out for the Raider squad his junior year and didn't make it. He did not try out his senior year.

Instead, he did his senior project on different sports facilities and related job opportunities — and came across California's professional golf management program.

He decided to go for it.

And he decided to go to Ireland.

“That (Rosapenna) scholarship is a tremendous opportunity for a kid, but it is a tough one to accept,” Cal's PGM program director Justin Barroner said. “It is a gutsy commitment.

“Kevin definitely has a future in the golf profession. We require students to do five internships because we want them to experience different facets of the business at different locations.”

Cunius left for Ireland on May 20. He did not return until a few days ago.

In the meantime, he served the golf clientele at Rosapenna in every way possible.

“The first two weeks, I just watched and observed everything,” Cunius said. “I worked in the pro shop, waited on customers, met the members.

“I spent a lot of hours working on the golf courses, doing everything from fixing divots to cutting greens, trimming fairways ... you name it.”

Rosapenna has two golf courses. One, known as the Old Tom Morris course, has been around since 1893. The other, Sandy Hills, opened in 2003 and is known as the most difficult course in Ireland.

“There is so much history there,” Cunius said. “If I learned anything, I found out a lot about myself. Just experiencing a different country, a different lifestyle while living on my own is something I'm so glad I did.

“I'll remember my time over there for the rest of my life. It really was an experience of a lifetime.”

Cunius said he confirmed what he's known for a while — he wants to build a career in golf.

“They say that you should have a career doing something you love and this is it for me,” he said.

Barroner said that Cal's PGM program “has 100 percent job placement” with its students.

“We're very selective as to who we bring into the program,” Barroner said. “Besides meeting the university's qualifications to attend school here, our students have to possess a certain level of golf knowledge and playing ability.

“Each applying student must play a round of golf under the watch of a PGA-affiliated pro and perform at a certain level. We work with their game once they're here to maximize their playing ability.”

Cunius played his round at Cranberry Highlands.

“The club pro signs a letter verifying your score,” Cunius said. “You basically need to have a handicap of 10 or lower to get into Cal's program and mine's a 7.”

Cunius said he has no idea at this point where his next internship will be. Barroner said a second internship at a prior facility is permissible “because it could lead to a possible job there.”

Would Cunius return to Ireland?

“I'm not ruling it out,” he said. “But I have a long way to go. I'm just happy I'm on the right path.”