Coyle Combo: Incoming Men’s Golf Transfer Wins Southeastern Amateur
COLOMBUS, Ga. – Luke Coyle’s sizzling summer continued as the incoming men’s golf transfer came from behind to win the 96th Southeastern Amateur on Saturday at the Country Club of Columbus (par 70, 6542 yards).
Coyle was 4-under par in the tournament’s final round, reaching a 9-under tournament total that put him in a playoff with Carson Baez of the University of Richmond. Coyle would birdie the first playoff hole to claim victory, marking his second big win of the month after the native of Campbellsville, Kentucky, also won the Dogwood Invitational earlier in June.
A rising junior for Kentucky this fall, Coyle started the tournament with four birdies over his first five holes to build some early momentum. He faltered down the stretch in round one, however, as a 4-over back nine left him at 1-over par through 18 holes, seven shots off the lead.
Coyle responded in a big way on day two, matching the round of the day with a bogey-free 6-under par card of 64 to climb into a tie for tenth, just five shots off the pace. He continued the surge during the final round, going out in 5-under par, 31, to firmly put himself in contention. A clutch birdie on No. 17 (par 4, 476 yards) was enough to get Coyle into a playoff, where he proceeded to emerge with the trophy.
The Southeastern Invitational was created in 1922 by Fred Haskins, former head golf professional at the Country Club of Columbus. Former champions of the tournament include Doug Sanders, Tommy Aaron, Danny Edwards and Curtis Strange. Among past runner ups of the event are: Mason Rudolph, Ben Crenshaw, Fuzzy Zoeller and Paul Azinger.
Coyle played his first two seasons of collegiate golf at the University of Alabama before transferring to Kentucky in May. He attended Taylor County High School where he played on the varsity team beginning in seventh grade. Coyle was named Mr. Golf in the state of Kentucky in back-to-back years in 2021 and 2022 and helped lead his team to consecutive state championships in 2019 and 2020.
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