Ty Harris

Men's Golf

'Where Are They Now Wednesday' – Ty Harris

More than 15 years after his collegiate career finished at Georgia State, Ty Harris' name can still be found frequently when looking though the men's golf record book.

Harris led the Panthers to back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances in 2004 and 2005, finishing tied for 22nd in 2004, while leading Georgia State to a school-best 11th place finish at the national championship in Hot Springs, Va.

It was those types of tournaments that set the foundation for Harris' professional career and his future after those days were over.

"After graduating in 2005, I turned pro and began an eight-year professional career," Harris said. "The majority of that time was spent on PGA Tour Canada and the Korn Ferry tours. After a shoulder surgery in 2011, I never really got back to full speed or a full playing schedule.

"In 2014 I moved to North Carolina and began working as a club professional. I am currently working in Boone, N.C., as the head golf professional at Hound Ears Club. I met my wife shortly after moving to North Carolina. In 2017, we got married in Cape Town, South Africa, where she is from. We moved to Boone the same year where I started at Hound Ears Club." 

During Harris' time at Georgia State, the Panthers were consistently ranked among the top 25 teams in the country and annually played in some of the best events throughout the nation.

"We had to earn everything we received as we competed to become nationally ranked," Harris said. "As a mid-major school, we had to compete every year for invitations into the premier events. That same mentality has always stuck with me and it is much greater to appreciate success that is earned and deserved."  

Although there were many great trips during that time, including tournaments played in Puerto Rico, the NCAA Championship appearances have always remained at the top of Harris' favorites.

"Definitely the first time we qualified for the national championship," Harris said. "When you have an entire season culminating into one week and it takes all five guys to achieve a goal, it was special. College golf is the only time you get to play as a team, and it is special when you win as a team. We took that momentum into the national championship and had a strong finish. I still cherish all the great post season runs our teams enjoyed."

Playing in those types of events also gave Harris and his teammates a leg up on other golfers after their collegiate days came to a close.  

"We were able to play a top tier schedule," Harris said. "Week in and week out we were competing against the best college golfers in the country and traveling all over the world to compete. Experience is key to continuing to improve and reach the next level and the experience I received at Georgia State is invaluable."

Harris got to play under two different head coaches at the time that both helped push him to play his best and develop a work ethic for what it would take to be successful in life.

"I was so fortunate for Trey Jones to give me a chance to play at Georgia State," Harris said. "I learned what it would take to take the next step under Trey and assistant coach Mike Holmes. And then Matt Clark helped prepare me to take the next step and was a huge assistance in my career development."

Now more than 15 years later, it is no surprise that Harris is continuing to succeed in the game of golf and making a career of it. And for those wondering, he still holds the lowest three-round score in school history (195) 17 years after the 2004 Mason Rudolph Championship where he shot both a 63 (tied for the lowest round in school history) and a 64 (tied for the third lowest round in school history). And that's without mentioning all of the awards and honors one of the most successful student-athletes in GSU history left with upon graduation.
 
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