DETROIT (8/9/2017) -- It has been a return to excellence this summer for University of Detroit Mercy head men's golf coach
Luke LaFave '02 as the former Titan standout has posted a pair of wins in his return to playing competitively.
LaFave won the 35th Wes Dixon Memorial Golf Tournament back in June and the 54th Western Ontario Men's Golf Championship last weekend in his return to amateur golf.
He played professionally for over 10 years, but between a full-time job and his Titan coaching duties, he no longer had the schedule to balance playing as a professional.
"It was a long process to return back to amateur status," said coach LaFave, who is entering his fourth year as the head men's golf coach this season. "I turned pro right after college and the process to get back to amateur was just about two years long. There is a probation period where you can't play in any pro or amateur events so it was a long process to finally get back to playing competitively."
In his first competitive event back in June, he played with his father at the Wes Dixon Memorial Golf Tournament on Father's Day Weekend. It was a weekend the LaFave family will never forget as he shot a course record 8-under 63 in the first round and went on to win with a 136. In the second round, his dad nailed a hole-in-one on the 18th hole.
"It was a tournament that I was looking forward to because it is in my hometown of Peterborough," said coach LaFave. "I always wanted to win it. I played in it as a junior amateur and then I found out I was eligible to play just a few weeks before the tournament."
At the Western Ontario Men's Golf Championship, LaFave was the medalist with a 140 scorecard after tallying a 1-under 71 in round one and a 3-under 69 on the final 18. His win was in come-from-behind fashion as he had to birdie two of his final three holes to force a playoff, and then won on the first playoff hole.
"I am probably playing the best golf since my mid 20's," said coach LaFave. "It has been fun to be back and playing competitively as an amateur. I didn't have a lot of time to play as a professional, but now as an amateur, putting together a playing schedule is more manageable."
LaFave hopes that the competitiveness he has shown this summer will challenge his players, all of whom have taken notice on his play this summer.
"All of the guys reached out to me and congratulated me on the wins and that was nice. I spend all year of being proud of them and all their hard work so it was nice that they can be proud of me. With that said, I hope it's good motivation for the guys to get back here and work harder," added coach LaFave.
As a student at Detroit Mercy from 1998-2002, LaFave was part of a program that won three Horizon League Championships (1999, 2001, 2002). He quickly made a name for himself earning All-Conference and MCC Newcomer of the Year as a freshman. As a senior, he was selected the President's Award winner as Detroit Mercy's most outstanding senior student-athlete and is still among the leaders in career scoring with a 76.80 average.
After graduation, LaFave competed on the Great Lakes Tour and several other mini-tours before embarking on a career as a golf coach and tournament director.
"Right now all I will say is that I have 12 years until I can compete on the champions tour," said coach LaFave.
