Editor’s note: The Daily Illini sports desk sits down Sunday nights and decides which Illinois athlete or coach is our Illini of the Week. Student-athletes and coaches are evaluated by individual performance and contribution to team success.
Former Illini golfer Luke Guthrie has won two-thirds of $1 million since becoming a professional in June. But despite his success, he hasn’t been living it up.
“I am driving a Hyundai Sonata, my mom’s car,” the 22-year-old said. “She loans it to me once in a while when I have long road trips.”
“I had a Camry in college, but it’s getting older, so my parents didn’t really trust it on the road with me on some of these longer trips. They didn’t want to see it break down on me.”
Guthrie hasn’t had to worry about his golf game breaking down on him. In seven Web.com events, he has had six top-10 finishes and two victories.
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He won his second Web.com Tour title in two weeks Sunday at the WBN Classic in Midland, Texas. He was able to complete the five-stroke come-from-behind victory by shooting a 66, 6-under-par, in Sunday’s final round. He was helped out when leader Cameron Percy shot consecutive bogeys on holes 16 and 17, giving Guthrie the edge he needed to win.
“I’ve been executing my shots,” said Guthrie, who also won the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft on Sept. 16. “The putter has been cooperating. In golf, when the putts are going in, you’ve got to take advantage of it.”
The victories vaulted him to the top of the Web.com Tour money list with $382,463. Add that to the $284,672 he made in three PGA Tour top-20 finishes this summer, and he has made $667,135 in the three months since ending his collegiate career.
With his brother and Illinois assistant coach Zach Guthrie serving as his part-time caddy, Luke was able to top the list despite only competing in seven of the tour’s 22 events so far. He leads No. 2 Luke List, who has competed in 20 events, by $51,384. At the end of the season, the top 25 earners on the Web.com Tour will receive their PGA Tour cards; Guthrie has already guaranteed his spot in the top 25.
Yet another example of how everything has been clicking for Guthrie since winning his second-consecutive individual Big Ten Championship and fourth team championship in April, as well as helping the Illini to the NCAA Championships in June, Guthrie hit his fourth hole-in-one at the WBN Classic on Friday.
“(I’ve had success by) just applying everything I learned under Coach Small and my brother, Zach Guthrie, at Illinois,” he said. “There’s a certain way that those coaches teach you how to play the game. They teach you how to prepare mentally and get your skills better.”
Guthrie may be out of eligibility, but the fifth-year senior in Business isn’t finished with his education at the University. He is currently enrolled in 13 credit hours to finish up his bachelor’s degree.
“A degree is important, especially from the University of Illinois,” he said. “It’s a big thing and a back-up plan. Plus, I put four years of hard work into my school and the academic side of things and those would all be worth nothing if I don’t finish this out and see this through. I need to finish this up.”
The Quincy, Ill., native’s classes meet on Monday and Wednesday, but, due to his tour schedule, he hasn’t been able to attend many classes.
Guthrie said he has been too busy with golf to make any significant purchases, but he does plan on celebrating his back-to-back victories by attending the Ryder Cup this week in Medinah, Ill., with his girlfriend, Illini golfer Kaitlyn Wampler, and friends.
He competed for the United States in the Junior Ryder Cup in 2004 in Westfield Center, Ohio. He and another former Illini Chris DeForest halved their match against current world No. 1 and Team Europe member Rory Mcllroy and Marius Thorp.
He plans on finishing the season with one PGA and three Web.com events before graduating in December.
In January, Guthrie will begin a new stage of his life as a member of the PGA Tour.
“Ever since I was a kid growing up, (playing on the PGA Tour) has been my dream,” he said. “Ever since I was little, people asked me what I wanted to do, and I answered, ‘Be a pro golfer.’ My parents and my family probably giggled at me when I was young, but, now, I’ve earned a pot to go out there and play full time.”
No one is giggling now.
Johnathan can be reached at [email protected] and @jhett93.
