Before they turned pro: Thomas Detry

February 9, 2025 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

Thomas Detry (photo courtesy of the University of Illinois)

Thomas Detry made history this weekend, becoming the first Belgian player to win on the PGA Tour with his victory at the WM Phoeni

Thomas Detry made history this weekend, becoming the first Belgian player to win on the PGA Tour with his victory at the WM Phoenix Open.

As a junior, Detry was selected for the 2010 Junior Ryder Cup team, which lost to Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, leaders of Team USA that year. Conveniently, Spieth and Thomas were attempting to give chase to Detry coming down the home stretch this week.

Before turning professional in 2016, Detry played collegiate golf at the University of Illinois. His best scoring average was 70.76 in his junior season, and he finished with a career average of 71.72.

He was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2013 and the Big Ten Golfer of the Year in 2015. He played alongside fellow Belgian Thomas Pieters, two years his elder. As a senior, he closed out his college career with a victory at the 2016 Big Ten Championships.

Other Amateur Victories:

2009 Riverwoods Junior Open
2010 Belgian National Juniors
2011 Grand Prix AFG
2011 King's Prize
2011 Belgium National Match Play
2012 Championnat de Ligue Amateur
2012 Grand Prix AFG
2013 European Challenge Trophy (individual)
2013 Belgian International Amateur
2013 Wolf Run Intercollegiate
2014 Sagamore Fall Preview
2015 Louisiana Classics, Boilermaker Invitational
2016 Big Ten Championship

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