FAIRHOPE — Fairhope senior Michael Ulmer signed with the University of Alabama-Birmingham Nov. 17 to play golf for the Blazers.

The former 6A individual state champion (2007) is looking to help lead the Pirates back to the state finals where they took the runner-up trophy last May.

Ulmer said the scholarship was a dream come true, but was glad to get it out of the way before taking on some unfinished business the Pirates still have on the links. "The most important thing right now is the high school team this year and getting them to state and winning a state title for us this year," he said. "I think this is our best shot. (The scholarship) is something I've worked hard for over the last eight years and all the hard work has finally paid off."

Fairhope coach Jeff Hauge said Ulmer is a leader from the practice tee to the most competitive match situation as well as around the Fairhope campus and community.

"He has played varsity since the seventh grade. As a ninth-grader he won the individual state championship and he's been a great leader, but he has always put the team first. He's more of a team guy than he is an individual and I know getting us back there and helping us win it as a team is what's most important to him. Michael works hard at every aspect of the game every day. He is an encouraging player and a true senior leader. He is going to put guys on his back and say, 'We are going to win it today.' And he's a tremendous leader in the classroom, too. He has the respect of a lot of the teachers here. Many have come up to me and said what a wonderful young man he is and they wish they had more like him."

Most recently Ulmer won the Azalea City Junior Metro Tournament in Mobile and had summer southern regional wins at Lakewood in the Southern Junior Golf Tour finals at Point Clear and another at Fallen Oak in Biloxi.

Ulmer said there were a lot of people to thank for helping him get to this point. "I just had a great support system with my family and the guys on the team, my youth minister and coach (Hauge)."

He also had a special thank you for PGA pro Jim Geram who started working with him when he first took up the game around the age of 10 years.

"We have been together a long time. Jim has just been a great teacher. He not only taught me how to play the game but how to be gentleman."

Ulmer is the son of Mark and Anna Ulmer of Fairhope. He plans to major in pre-med.