For senior Luke Potter, last week’s loss stung more than most. Arizona State University, the school he called home for two years, topped the Longhorns in the Sahalee Players Championship by one stroke.
Despite the team’s second-place finish, Potter showed potential for this upcoming season, climbing 21 individual spots after shooting two under par in the final round. Still, the loss was tough.
“It sucked, but that’s golf,” Potter said. “I was fully confident that if everyone had their average game, I think we would have won.”
Not long ago, Potter was competing for Arizona State, where he kicked off his collegiate career with a bang. He recorded a 71.00 stroke average, the second lowest in ASU freshman history since 1985, and he shot par or better in 22 out of his 36 stroke-play rounds.
Continuing his success into the sophomore campaign proved difficult. After being passed up for numerous tournaments, Potter decided it was time for a change. He attended a Texas football game against Kansas State with senior Tommy Morrison and felt right at home. Without looking at any other schools, Potter transferred to the Forty Acres.
Potter credits the pressure he has experienced at Texas as the reason he’s matured as a player and teammate.
“Being an upperclassman comes with some responsibilities,” Potter said. “You’re supposed to kind of be the rock of the team and be able for guys to kind of lean on you and rely on you to play well.”
The decision to transfer proved worthwhile. In his first year as a Longhorn, Potter earned his first collegiate victory at The Hayt Tournament in Florida, ending three rounds at 10-under par. He said the growth in his mental strength is the reason he’s able to stay in the game, even when he hits a shot far into the rough or deep into a bunker.
“Golf’s really mental, so the mantra I like to have when I play is the most important shot in golf is the next one,” Potter said.
His junior year performance did not go unnoticed. NBC Sports had the Texas Longhorns ranked No. 1 in the preseason over reigning national champions Oklahoma State University. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the pressure, Potter seems to feed off the extra attention — especially when it involves Texas’ opportunity to win the national championship this year.
“I like reading about it,” Potter says. “It just drives my focus just a little bit more, knowing that you have the opportunity to go out and perform.”
Potter embraces the competition he has inside the program, going head-to-head with teammates Morrison, senior Christiaan Maas and sophomore Daniel Bennett each day. With competition pushing him to elevate his game, Potter has his sights set on capturing a national title and earning First Team All-American honors.
The Longhorns are eager to rebound this weekend after a disappointing performance at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup, an event Potter sat out. He will compete in his second tournament of the season, the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational, on Friday, where he will face a competitive 15-team field that includes Arizona State University.
While the Sun Devils aim to defeat their former teammate again, Potter is determined that on Sunday, he’ll be the one celebrating.
