▁him ▁from ▁other ▁golf ers . ▁Spe aking ▁of ▁Mer kow ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁G oss ▁predicted : ▁" He ▁is ▁someone ▁who ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁c us p ▁of ▁really ▁doing ▁something ▁spect ac ular . ▁He ▁has ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁talent ." ▁ ▁Mer kow ▁graduated ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁and ▁ended ▁his ▁career ▁ 6 th ▁in ▁North western ' s ▁all - time ▁stroke ▁average , ▁at ▁ 7 4 . 2 7 . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁his ▁Conference ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁hon ors , ▁he ▁was ▁twice ▁named ▁All - Big ▁Ten , ▁was ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁P ing ▁All - M id west ▁Region ▁team , ▁and ▁was ▁Academ ic ▁All - Big ▁Ten . ▁ ▁International ▁career ▁Mer kow , ▁playing ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁Mac c abi ▁Games , ▁won ▁a ▁gold ▁medal ▁in ▁the ▁individual ▁competition ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁Pan ▁American ▁Mac c abi ▁Games ▁( which ▁ended ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 ) ▁at ▁H aco aj ▁G olf ▁Club ▁in ▁Buenos ▁Aires , ▁Argentina . ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁ 2 8 2 ▁( − 1 0 ), ▁compet ing ▁in ▁the ▁age ▁ 1 8 - and - up ▁open ▁division , ▁winning ▁with ▁a ▁ 6 7 ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁round . ▁He ▁also ▁won ▁a ▁second ▁gold ▁medal ▁as ▁the ▁U . S . ▁best ed ▁second - place ▁Argentina ▁in ▁the