Cleveland Golf/Srixon added LSU senior golfers Sang Yi and Austin Gutgsell to their list of NCAA Division I All-American Scholars this summer, and they’re continuing their excellence into the fall.
Golfers receiving the honor must meet certain criteria involving their active participation in their university’s golf program, as well as excelling academically.
The recipients must be a junior or senior, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.2 and they must participate in at least 70 percent of team competitions or the NCAA Championships.
“I put a lot of hard work into this, and seeing the benefits is always a good thing,” Yi said regarding the honor.
During his time as a Tiger, Gutgsell maintained a 3.45 GPA, while Yi earned a cumulative 3.4 GPA.
“I’m honored because I set this as a goal for myself when I began playing at LSU,” Gutgsell said.
Both golfers proved themselves on the course as well, with Yi placing third in last weekend’s Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic and Gutgsell taking the No. 1 spot at last year’s David Toms Intercollegiate tournament.
Yi and Gutgsell are the only seniors on the squad following the departure of NCAA Champion John Peterson.
Peterson said their ability in the sport along with their current academic standing will provide them with the right tools to lead the younger players.
“They’re both great seniors. They will both have a big leadership role on the team this year,” he said.
Peterson described Yi as a hard worker both on the course and off, and said Gutgsell works harder and puts in more time at practice than anyone on the team.
Gutgsell said extended time on the green doesn’t limit his commitment to school work.
“You’ve got to put in time with academics just as much as golf,” Gutgsell said.
Both Yi and Gutgsell practice golf around six hours a day every day of the week. This leaves little time to catch up on schoolwork, which they say is a challenge.
“It’s very difficult keeping up with the material, especially before exams. As a student-athlete you will miss school, and you have to make it up one way or another,” Yi said.
Leading a successful Division I golf program is a challenging task, but it’s one that Yi and Gutgsell have said they are prepared to take on.
“I think you have to lead by example. If the younger guys see us doing the right thing, they will follow in our footsteps,” Yi said.
 
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Contact Morgan Wampold at [email protected]