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When Daniel Summerhays turned 19, the Brigham Young University sophomore embarked on a two-year mission trip to Chile.

It was standard practice for a young Mormon man, but Summerhays left behind a budding golf career. He was a first-team all-Mountain West Conference for BYU as a freshman in 2003, and in high school he was the Utah State Amateur champion in 2000 and 2001.

When Summerhays returned in 2005, he headed back to the golf course and played nine holes. He shot a 42.

"It's very difficult to come back after taking two years off," said Summerhays, a nephew of Champions Tour player Bruce Summerhays. "The things I learned in Chile as a missionary gave me more of a sense of purpose and allowed me to understand what it takes to be great."

Two years later, Summerhays walked up No. 18 fairway at the Ohio State University Golf Club's Scarlet Course leading the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational by two strokes.

Summerhays two-putted to become the Nationwide Tour's first amateur champion. He finished at 6-under par 278, ahead of runners-up Chad Collins and Chris Nallen at 4-under par 280.

"It's been a special week," Summerhays said. "On walking up the 18th, there's nothing like that. People whistling, clapping and cheering. It almost makes your heart want to break out of your chest it feels so good. I'll never forget that feeling or atmosphere."

Summerhays entered the final round playing in the final group with Nallen as his playing partner. Nallen was gunning for his second career Nationwide Tour win. The first came in 2004 at the Gila River Classic.

"Daniel played great. I don't remember a bad shot he hit," Nallen said. "He played great all week. He's been in big events before, and he handled himself wonderfully. Hit the shots when he needed to hit the shots and made the putts when he needed to make the shots.

"He's got a bright future ahead of him."

Summerhays hit 12 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens in regulation to finish with a 2-under par 69. He walked to the No. 10 tee after bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 to finish even par on the front nine.

Summerhays then bombed a drive at No. 10, a 442-yard par-4.

"I hadn't hit any bad shots on Nos. 8 or 9 so I wasn't frustrated," Summerhays said. "On 10 I just murdered a driver, and as I was walking off the 10th tee, I thought if I shoot 2-under I'll probably win this golf tournament."

Summerhays' second shot was a 9-iron to 10 feet. He made the putt and added a tap-in birdie on at No. 12, a 562-yard par-5. He made conservative pars on the other seven holes to shoot a 2-under par 33 on the back nine.

The pressure of leading a Nationwide Tour event on the back nine as an amateur hardly troubled the 23-year-old. Summerhays credited the two-year mission trip on helping him grow stronger mentally.

It is no coincidence then, in the two years since he returned, his game continued to improve. As a junior at BYU, Summerhays was named First-Team PING Division I All-American, earning him a a spot in the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational.

"I've learned a lot about how to control myself and what my tendencies are," he said. "I've been in some final groups in college and I know what I have to do in certain situation.

"I still have a lot of things to learn, you never know, tomorrow I'll go play nine holes and shoot a 40. That's what golf is. It's a master teacher. It'll get you up real high and it'll beat you right back down."

With one year remaining at BYU, Summerhays faces a tough decision. Within the next 60 days, if he declares himself as a professional, he can play the remainder of the year on the Nationwide Tour as well as next season. Or he can wait until Jan. 1, 2008 and declare for the 2008 season.

"The decision to turn pro has been a long process to figure out," Summerhays said. "I have no idea what is best for me. I do think, whatever I chose, I'll make it work. Whether I turn pro, go to qualifying school in December or finish school, if I commit myself to get better and set goals, my golf game won't go anywhere."