IT’S been a whirlwind year that’s about to get a whole lot busier for Luke Humphries.
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The up and coming golf prodigy, who announced himself onto the Australian golfing scene earlier this year at the Victorian PGA, is looking to retain his pro concession card with big results come the end of the year.
The 23-year-old flies out on October 11 as he attempts to crack the Western Australian Open in Cottesloe, the WA PGA in Kalgoorlie and the Perth International.
He’ll then return home for a few weeks before he tries his luck at the big ones; the Australian Open in late November, the NSW PGA and the Australian Masters.
“They’re all pretty close together and hopefully I can crack into a few of those really big events and make a cut or so and make a bit of money towards the end to try and secure my card,” he told the Post.
“I think the WA Open in particular is a good chance for me to make a bit of money and move up in the order of merit.”
Humphries needs to finish within the top 40 on the list of order of merit if he wants to retain his pro card.
He admits, he’ll need to pull some big results if he is to do so in the cut throat world of pro golf. He estimates he is currently ranked towards the 100 mark.
“It’s coming into the busy period now so it’s a good chance to bank on a few good finishes,” he said.
“It only takes a few good tournaments and you can really get up there.”
In his first year as a pro, Humphries has discovered what life on the road can be like.
He spent part of the year travelling the West Coast playing pro-ams in mining towns up to Broome.
It was a gig that he said gave him the opportunity to see a part of Australia he had never seen before.
He then qualified for the Queensland Open but failed to make an impact.
It was the same in New Caleadonia where Humphries was in top 10 contention going into the final round but a final day capitulation resulted in a mid table finish.
He does however, say it’s been all been worth it in his first year.
“In the end it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I can do what I love doing, and I’m making ends meet while I’m doing what I love doing,” he said.
“Yes it’s been a bit tough, just learning the ropes and stuff like that, but I’m starting to get the hang of it and we’re starting to get a good group of guys we can travel with. It’ll probably take four or five years to really establish yourself in the tour that you like.”
Part of Humphries’s support has come from Goulburn Golf Club’s resident pro - Jon O’Sullivan When Humphries is back in town, Jon and his wife Krystal give him hours in their pro shop to help him with his financial situation.
“It’s good to have Luke in the shop because he’s obviously a good golfer with a lot of knowledge. The fact that it works in with him playing is great. Plus the members like having him there,” O’Sullivan said.
The pro believes Humphries is capable of making an impact if he works hard. He attributes the fact that he is comfortable playing in Goulburn as a big part of that.
“A lot of kids move to the big cities which is great, but if all it means that they’re working and not practising, then it contradicts what they’re trying to do.”
“Luke’s got a great set up here. He doesn’t have the pressure of someone paying rent and things like that. So he can put more time