Kuehne Trying To Make Name For Himself

By Ken Klavon, USGA

Oakmont, Pa. – Living in the shadows of an accomplished golfing family, Trip Kuehne is aware of his surroundings.

Time and time again he’s heard the whispers, read the newspapers. He’s Hank and Kelli Kuehne’s brother. Or, he’s the guy who in 1994 led Tiger Woods 6 up through the first 13 holes of the U.S. Amateur before crumbling in the 36-hole final and losing 2 down.

A lifelong amateur -- because philosophically he doesn’t believe in being able to return to amateur status should a crack at professional Qualifying School prove a failure – Trip is cut from the Bob Jones era: strive to be the best you can be and block out any impurities that seep in.

After completing his second round of stroke play at Oakmont Country Club Tuesday, a round of even-par 70 that put him in contention for medalist honors at 1-under 139, Kuehne nonchalantly strolled from the scorer’s table his eyes aglow even though his face spelled scowl.

The low-strung 31-year-old knew the first phase of the championship was over. The next step is where the gravy is made, namely winning the Amateur.

"It’s a long shot, but it’s a worthy goal, and it’s everything I’ve thought about when I re-dedicated myself two years ago to see how good I could be,” said Trip. “It’s what drives me when I don’t feel like practicing or working out.”

Trip, playing in his fourth U.S. Amateur, is well spoken. It’s not inconceivable to think that he could be an ambassador for the game, if not already. That intelligence grew from past experiences on the course and from lessons gleaned from family members.

The lasting impression his siblings have had on him has been immeasurable. At the 1998 U.S. Amateur, in which Hank won, Trip was on his bag. And Kelli has three USGA titles to her name (two Women’s Amateurs and a Girls’ Junior).

"They help me strive to be better,” said Trip, the oldest of the three.

Besides the 1994 loss to draw on, he has played in a Masters (1995), a Walker Cup Match (1995), two U.S. Opens (1996, 2003), not to mention being a member of the 1995 Oklahoma State NCAA Championship team. And in 1997 he was the medalist at the U.S. Amateur Public Links.

As an aside, to this day he still shoulders most of the blame for the USA Team losing the ‘95 Walker Cup Match to the Great Britain & Ireland Team, 14-10, at Royal Porthcawl G.C., Porthcawl, Wales. Kuehne posted an 0-3 mark.

"I’m one of the big reasons why we lost in Porthcawl in 1995,” said Kuehne. “I didn’t win a point. I blame a lot of that loss on myself and it drives me. If I scored two points, then you can take two points away from them and it’s tied. And we would have kept the Cup.”

Renaissance

There was a time when Trip didn’t know how to channel emotion. It squeezed him the way a boa constrictor sucks the life out of its prey. Before, he took things for granted because of his “God-given ability,” he said. He played with his heart on his sleeve, allowing his emotions to rage unrestrained on the course. Something was wrong, he knew, and he had better fix it quick or else. Then came the metamorphosis. It’s called maturity.

Talking to him today, he comes across as driven, yet serene if that makes sense.

"I’m a lot better, a lot more in control of my emotions,” said Trip. “I used to think that I had to hit 14 fairways and 18 greens.”

Somewhere along the line following the U.S. Amateur Public Links golf became less important. Suddenly, after graduating college, priorities changed. He became a stock analyst and got married. Soon wife Dusti had son, Will.

However, he underwent a transformation in 2001 that would explain his competitive resurgence. The inspiration can be traced to Will. Trip wanted him to see daddy play and not have to rely on telling stories of his life’s good old days in golf.

He got refocused. Set goals.

"Each day I have a practice routine,” he said. Grabbing 125 balls, he practices mainly on his putting for about two hours, does all the retrieving, works out for another half hour and then heads to his Dallas home for dinner by 6:30 p.m.

The grinding has paid off. At this year’s U.S. Open, he was the low amateur. That placing helped him get named to this year’s Walker Cup Team.

"The Walker Cup is why I play golf,” he said.

On the course, Trip can boom the ball off the tee. How far? On both 600-plus yard par 5s at Oakmont Tuesday, he reached both greens in two. On the 609-yard fourth, he drove the ball 342 yards and then hit 3-wood to set up a 15-footer for eagle.

Prior to this year’s Open, he tested 60 drivers before settling on one. It added 25 yards to his drives, he estimated.

"It boggles my mind to see how far it goes sometimes. Golf is not a hard game when you can hit it 325 yards in the fairway,” adding that it took deep soul searching to realize putting could make or break a round.

If Trip should win this week, the Kuehne legacy would no doubt grow. If he doesn’t, there should be no shame because of the respect he has for the game.

For now, all guns are locked in.

"There’s one more thing to do in my amateur career, and that’s for me to win a USGA title,” said Trip. "Then I can ride off into the sunset. There’s one more notch for the Kuehne family and the Kuehne name.”  

Ken Klavon is the Web Editor for the USGA. E-mail him at kklavon@usga.org with questions or comments.