Jarred Bossio has been there; now he wants to do that – that being qualifying for the NCAA National Golf Championship Tournament. His intermediate step begins May 17 when he tees off at the Stanford University course in an NCAA Regional Qualifying Tournament.

“Last year I was happy that I made it,” said Bossio, now a senior at Idaho and a two-time winner this season. “It was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to Regionals.’ I didn’t go in thinking I could win. I was just cherishing the moment.”

This year, unlike last, he won’t be awestruck when he sees his name on a designated parking space or at his own place on the driving range or at the larger-than-life NCAA logo painted on the range. After all, he’s been there before.

He is one of 10 individuals competing along with 13 teams at the par-70, 6,742-yard Stanford University course. After three days and 54 holes, the top five teams and the best individual, who is not a member of one of the top five teams, advance to the national tournament.

“It’s a great accomplishment for me,” said Bossio of his being selected for the regional tournament. “I want to make it to nationals. It’s one of my goals but to do that, you have to make it to regionals first.”

He admits being a bit awestruck last year, which may have played a part in his opening the 2011 regional tournament with a 79. While he settled down with a 74 then a 76, his tie for 69^th was far from what he wanted – or needed to advance to the national competition.

“I’m going with the mindset that I’m going to give it my best to win,” Bossio said.

He knows of winning. He’s won twice this season in a sport during which outright victories are rare. What is more telling is he has finished in the top 10 in 16 of the 45 collegiate tournaments he’s played in four years and in the top 25 30 times. His senior season, the percentages are higher with top 10 efforts in seven of 11 tournaments and top 25 in nine.

“You can’ teach winning,” he said as he described the myriad factors that come into play during the course of a round. “If there was a secret to it, I wish I knew. You can go out and have a great tournament and still finish third.”

Nevertheless, having won leads to winning more.

“It builds confidence,” he said. “It can carry over.”