Q&A with PGA Golfer Justin Lower '11

The 2024 season was a particularly exciting time to follow PGA player Justin Lower ‘11; not only did he secure several Top 10 placements in tournaments but he also qualified for his first major championship: the 124th U.S. Open. 

MU: Tell us about your journey getting to the PGA tour

JL: I turned pro in 2011, a few months after I graduated, and it took me ten years to make it to the PGA tour. I played a lot of mini tours during those ten years, with six total years spent on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Can you give us a “behind the scenes” for what it’s really like to be on the PGA Tour? 

I’ll just give you a glimpse of how my family and I travel. Players pay for their own travel–most people think it’s paid for. My wife and daughter travel with me; my daughter is 20 months old and has probably been on 60 flights already. We have five checked bags we travel with, as well as several carry ons. It’s a bit hectic getting through the airport, but we make it work. Once we land, we load everything in our courtesy car and head to wherever we’re staying. Tournaments start on Thursday, so we typically practice on Monday, play nine holes on Tuesday, and play nine holes and practice a bit on Wednesday. Then, on Thursday and Friday, you play in hopes of making the cut for Saturday and Sunday. If you don’t make the cut, you just do whatever you can to get home.

How did your time at Malone help prepare you for where you are now? 

My time at Malone was spent learning to play – I thought I was good when I graduated from high school, but I improved so much in college. Coach Hyland was key in that improvement, but he helped me off the course, too. He showed me how to get my priorities straight and how to be a good human. It made a big difference for me.

How do you continue to stay in contact and involved with the Malone community? 

I mostly stay in touch with Malone through the golf team. I still talk with Coach Hyland once or twice a month, and I keep up with the current team’s performance throughout the season. I’m also frequently in touch with the guys I played with at Malone, just keeping up on life. Most of us were from Ohio, and during my senior year, the starting five were all from the same county. Anytime I’m home we try to get together and play; we always have a great time, especially if Coach is there.

What advice would you have for current Malone students or other young golfers who aspire to be where you are today? 

Work as hard as you can and get your priorities straight. You never know what kind of doors or avenues will open; network as much as you can, send ‘thank you’ notes, do things right, stay consistent. It’s been a crazy journey for me, but the biggest thing is keeping things simple, one day at a time, and just enjoying the process.