2 0 0 3 ). ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁three ▁Jewish ▁students ▁at ▁the ▁high ▁school . ▁Spe aking ▁about ▁being ▁Jewish , ▁Mer kow ▁observed : ▁" It ▁does ▁drive ▁me . ▁ ▁When ▁I ▁make ▁it ▁on ▁[ the ▁P GA ] ▁Tour , ▁I ' d ▁like ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁known ▁that ▁I ' m ▁Jewish . ▁Whether ▁it ' s ▁we aring ▁my ▁Star ▁of ▁David ▁[ around ▁his ▁neck ], ▁or ▁having ▁a ▁Ch ai ▁on ▁my ▁[ g olf ] ▁bag , ▁I ▁want ▁to ▁show ▁that ▁there ▁are ▁good ▁Jewish ▁athlet es ." ▁ ▁College ▁He ▁chose ▁to ▁attend ▁North western ▁University , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁an ▁econom ics ▁major . ▁ ▁Mer kow ▁won ▁the ▁individual ▁title ▁at ▁the ▁Second ▁Ann ual ▁Big ▁Ten / P ac - 1 0 ▁Challenge ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁and ▁led ▁his ▁team ▁to ▁the ▁team ▁title . ▁He ▁beat ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁NCAA ▁Champion ▁James ▁Le pp , ▁with ▁a ▁ 5 4 - hole ▁career - best ▁score ▁of ▁ 2 0 9 ▁( 7 - under ). ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁at ▁the ▁ 3 6 th ▁Robert ▁Ke pler ▁Inter col leg iate ▁he ▁took ▁third ▁place , ▁with ▁a ▁ 1 - over ▁ 2 1 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁named ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Gol fer ▁of ▁the ▁Week ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁