PEORIA MAGAZINE May 2023

“He loves golf and he’s a monster competitor. That’s an awesome combination,” King said. “And he has a relentless work ethic. Everybody wants to be good, but not everybody works to be good. For Tommy, good is never good enough. He always wants to get better.” Kuhl put in the work to improve his stroke mechanics and the quality of his chipping, pitching and longer approach es. He learned how to better read greens. But adjustments to his mental approach were arguably more important. ‘A NATURAL TALENT’ Small has been aware of Kuhl’s passion and skill since the kid first showed up for an Illini golf camp about a dozen years ago. Tommy’s older brother, Pete, had signed up to attend the camp with a cousin. When the cousin got hurt at the last minute, the Kuhl brothers’ parents, Michael and Michele, asked if Tommy could fill the open spot, even though he was below the minimum required age for enrollment. Small consented. “He was a bag dragger,” Small re called with a chuckle, recalling Tommy lugging a bag almost as big as him. “But he was a natural talent, with good fundamentals and a good foundation.” ‘IT’S IN THE BACK OF MY MIND … WHAT HAPPENS IN A COUPLE MONTHS WHEN I’M OUT THERE PLAYING FOR A PAYCHECK’ — Tommy Kuhl When Small talks about Kuhl’s development into a high-quality college player and Tour prospect, he talks about maturity, slowing down, developing a routine, being a positive person and, perhaps most important, self-confidence. “The key to success when you’re a pro is you’ve got to believe in yourself,” Small said. “You have to chase your goal with supreme energy and optimism, build

that confidence and stay in the present. Don’t look back. Set your goals and make your plan, and then stick with it. “You can be playing great, but this game can bring you back to reality every day. Don’t deviate. Don’t second-guess. Just keep going.” PRO GOLF OR BUST Once Kuhl started to apply what Small and the coaching staff were telling him, he began to see positive results. Small calls the improvements in Kuhl’s short game and putting “dramatic.” By the end of his freshman season, Kuhl had recorded eight sub-par rounds and played his way into the team lineup for the NCAA tournament. After a sophomore season shortened by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kuhl averaged 73.13 strokes per round as a junior, then improved to 71.61 and earned first-team All-Big Ten recognition as a senior in 2021-22.

Such is his level of confidence that his long-range plans consist only of professional golf, although team goals are Kuhl’s focus at the moment. The Illini entered the heart of the spring season ranked No. 4 in the nation, with two spring tournament championships on their resume. They’re looking for their eighth consecutive Big Ten title, with expectations of adding to an NCAA portfolio that includes five top 5 finishes in the past seven seasons. With the end of his college career in sight, Kuhl’s pro dream comes more into focus. “It’s in the back of my mind. I have to start planning for what happens in a couple months when I’m out there playing for a paycheck,” Kuhl said. Routes to the PGA Tour are many and complex, but most start with time on lower-level pro tours. A consistent finish to his Illini career will give him a boost. Kuhl entered April ranked 19th on the PGA Tour University list. A top-20 finish will earn him a spot on the PGA Tour Canada for the remainder of 2023 and an exemption to the second round of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament. Top 10 would open immediate doors to the Korn Ferry Tour and enhanced PGA Tour qualifying opportunities. “It’s a crazy process, a long process, with a lot of moving parts,” Kuhl said. “Being a small-town kid from Morton, I don’t really think I believed a golf career was an option. But I fell in love with the game and the process of getting better, and now I see the hard work paying off. You have to love what you’re doing. It’s a sport. You have to work hard, but you have to have fun with it. If not, how are you going to do it for a living?”

Now 23 years old with a fifth season of eligibility due to the pandemic shortened sophomore campaign, Kuhl by late March had shaved his spring season average to 69.1 and twice won Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors. He’s also a three-time All-America scholar, majoring in recreation, sport and tourism.

Kirk Wessler is a former newspaper sports editor who has turned his attention in semi retirement to a new passion as a singer/ songwriter

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