Trevor Gutschewski once again cemented his name in the golf history books. This time it was on a national scale. The Westside senior competed in the United States Golf Association Junior Amateur Championship in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. After several days of match play, Gutschewski came out on top, after defeating Tyler Watts of Huntsville, Alabama 4 and 3 in the 36-hole final. Gutschewski became the first USGA champion from Nebraska since Johnny Goodman won the U.S. Open in 1937. Some of the biggest names that have previously won this tournament are five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods and two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler. The University of Florida commit also earned a spot in the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, after his high school graduation.
“Obviously this was a much bigger stage with bigger stakes attached,” Gutschewski said. “I acknowledged that going into it. Other than that I kind of had the same mentality I have always had. Which was to play the game I know and have been playing my entire life.”
Last season Gutschewski led Westside to one the largest comebacks in state tournament history. Going into the final round of the NSAA State Championship, the Warriors were in third place and down by ten strokes. Along with his teammates, Gutschewski led the historic comeback with a 69 in the final round and helped Westside win back to back state championships.
So after all that, one might want to take the summer off, but not Trevor Gutschewski.
“It’s been a busy summer,” Gutschewski said. “A lot of golf and a lot of development. Obviously this has always been a huge goal for me. I feel like any junior golfer would give anything to be in the position I’m in. To be able to play at this level is a huge opportunity and I was pumped to compete with the best of the best.”
Currently Gutschewski is arguably one of the biggest names in the junior golf world. Winning at this level truly puts your name out there, the way winning a regular tournament never would. That being said, Gutschewski is handling the newly acquired “fame” just fine.
“It’s not really the reason I play,” Gutschewksi said. “I play this game because I love it and it makes me happy. Wherever else it takes me is just an extra bonus.”
This opportunity and win is a huge accomplishment for Gutschewski. To his high school coach, Jered Hellman, it gives a huge boost to Westside.
“It means everything to our golf program,” Hellman said. “We pride ourselves on hard work, dedication and playing for more than ourselves. You don’t win the greatest junior golf tournament in the world without outworking your competitor. Trevor’s ball striking, putting and what might have been the most important his fitness and strength were all on display for the golf world to see.”
Golf is commonly not a team sport, players have to coach themselves at times. That being said Hellman does his absolute best to keep in touch with Gutschewski and assist him on and off the course to the best of his ability.
“We talk, text and facetime when we can when he is at a big event,” Hellman said. “He has a lot coming at him and the last thing I ever want is to be a distraction. We talk about course conditions, course set up, how his caddy (two-time state champ and Nebraska golf recruit Jackson Benge) is holding up, how his body feels. I usually try to boost his ego a bit by telling how great he is and what a stud that he is! Trevor feeds off those that he knows care about him and wants to win more than anyone I have ever met. He always knows I’m here and he always hears from me after a round.”
Having a coach there to help you through a tough environment makes it easier. Especially considering Gutschewski was an extreme underdog in this tournament. Gutyschewski was the lowest ranked player to reach the quarterfinals of the USGA Junior Amateur tournament, sitting at 3,570 globally. Although coach Hellman was not there in Michigan, he was in Gutschewski’s corner the whole time. Any way he could help give him an edge over the competition, he was going to do it.
“He was tougher, mentally stronger, more prepared and one of the most talented golfers in the field,” Hellman said. “In our book Trev wasn’t an underdog. His rating said otherwise but those that know golf have known Trevor is special. I have spent hours on the phone and messaging Coach Deacon at Florida going back to when Trevor was 14 years old and they couldn’t talk to him yet. We both talked then about how he was “special” and Coach Deacon thought he was getting a difference maker. Well, the world now knows how truly special he really is”
Gutschewski is indeed a special player and obviously he is flying high right now after all the success he has the past couple weeks. Looking forward, there is a different trophy Gutschewski has in mind. That being the State Cup. This upcoming season Gutschewski will be playing the one spot and wants more than anything to take his team all the way one more time.
“I can’t wait,” Gutschewski said. “I love this program and everything we have accomplished in the time I have been here. We are just going to continue to play the same game we have always been playing. The game that won us the last two state championships. Winning with that team means the world to me and I cannot wait to do it one last time.”
Westside will honor Gutschewski and display the USGA Junior Amateur Championship trophy at the Bellevue West football game on Thursday September, 19th.
