George Washington University Athletics
Jakub Hrinda to Turn Professional Following GW Career
4/12/2024 9:24:00 AM | Men's Golf
WASHINGTON - GW golfer Jakub Hrinda has announced his intentions to turn professional after his graduation next month. He will become the second member of the Buff & Blue to turn pro in as many years following Vince Palazzolo (Class of 2018) last year.
"This is a decision I feel very fortunate to make," Hrinda said. "My journey would not have been possible at any other place than GW. It's very rare to have the time and space to allow a golfer like myself to reconstruct his swing with the future in mind while also having the trust to continue to play tournaments."
Last season, Hrinda became GW's first representative on the All-Conference team in five years since Logan Lowe (who turned professional in 2020) and also earned PING All-Region status. The season spurred on his momentum to achieve the goal of professional status, something he will officially accomplish in July.
Hrinda has undergone quite the transformation since arriving at GW in 2019 following a highlight junior career. Prior to coming to the U.S., the native Slovakian was the youngest to ever qualify for a DP World Tour event at the age of 14 after winning the Qatar Amateur Open. He also has prior professional experience at a PGA China Event and was exempted into the Slovak Challenge when he was 18.
But things were not as smooth for Hrinda at GW as COVID wiped out the end of his freshman campaign and severely altered the 2021 season as well. During that time, Hrinda completely reconstructed his swing thanks, in part, to the help of professional coach George Gankas in California, who has drawn acclaim for a new age approach to the game.
"I had to become open to information," Hrinda said. "I wasn't open at the beginning of my college career because I was so successful at a young age. I was in a stage of denial. It took a long time, and I didn't perform the way I wanted to until the beginning of my fourth year."
That fourth year became the aforementioned All-Conference campaign for Hrinda that started with an individual championship and a 54-hole program record score of 199 at the Pacific Visit Stockton Invitational. He would later go on to win a second individual title last spring at the Ross Collegiate Classic.
"I had a great year last year, which gave me the confidence to be able to play with top players, shoot the numbers I need to shoot and contend when I can," Hrinda said. "Coach (Chuck) Scheinost did a marvelous job recruiting and the team dynamic was amazing. We had a bunch of freshmen with a lot of energy and it was fun to be around them. It just so happened to coincide with my swing falling into place.
"It's such a unique set up here with a small, tight team. I think Coach has always believed in me to perform even when I'm not at my best. He's always believed I have a low score in me."
And Hrinda has gone low numerous times in his career. In addition to the 54-hole mark, he owns the program record for lowest 18-hole score (9-under 62) and 36-hole score (10-under 132). His career scoring average of 74.07 entering his final year ranked third all-time in program history and his 71.18 scoring average in 2022-23 was the best in the program since 2001.
Now, Hrinda's sights are set on European Qualifying School which begins in September. At a location to be determined, Hrinda will take part in a four-round event that is just the first step in the hopes of earning a card on one of Europe's year-long tours. Should he advance past the first stage, there is a similar formatted second stage and then a final stage that mirrors the first two steps. Only the top 20-25 golfers in the final stage will qualify for the DP World Tour, the top international tour in the world.
There is also conditional status for the second-level Challenge Tour and other pro golf tours in Europe, a much more sustained career path compared to the U.S. Qualification system where those in Q School can not directly qualify for the PGA Tour and face higher financial challenges. Many Americans have even decided that qualifying through the European route leads to a much more sustainable career.
"There's a lot of luck and it comes down to one week in September," Hrinda said about the pressure of Q School. "If it doesn't work out, then you have to wait until next year. I'll try to simulate difficult situations as much as possible. But in that situation, you're playing for your livelihood for a whole year in one week. There's nothing you can do to make that easier. On the other hand, everyone in that field is doing the same thing so it's a fair test."
Prior to officially turning pro in July, Hrinda will cap his amateur career with a three-event swing in the UK in June. A win at any of the events, or a finish high enough in order of merit would qualify him for the Open Championship at Royal Troon in July, the oldest and perhaps most prestigious of golf's four major championships. That would be quite the way to jumpstart a professional career.
"The biggest transition for me is going to be performing on a weekly basis no matter how I'm feeling or how I'm playing. This is going to be my job and I want to approach it professionally. I want to get the most out of every week."
That starts this summer as Hrinda will look to represent the Buff & Blue at the professional level.
"This is a decision I feel very fortunate to make," Hrinda said. "My journey would not have been possible at any other place than GW. It's very rare to have the time and space to allow a golfer like myself to reconstruct his swing with the future in mind while also having the trust to continue to play tournaments."
Last season, Hrinda became GW's first representative on the All-Conference team in five years since Logan Lowe (who turned professional in 2020) and also earned PING All-Region status. The season spurred on his momentum to achieve the goal of professional status, something he will officially accomplish in July.
Hrinda has undergone quite the transformation since arriving at GW in 2019 following a highlight junior career. Prior to coming to the U.S., the native Slovakian was the youngest to ever qualify for a DP World Tour event at the age of 14 after winning the Qatar Amateur Open. He also has prior professional experience at a PGA China Event and was exempted into the Slovak Challenge when he was 18.
But things were not as smooth for Hrinda at GW as COVID wiped out the end of his freshman campaign and severely altered the 2021 season as well. During that time, Hrinda completely reconstructed his swing thanks, in part, to the help of professional coach George Gankas in California, who has drawn acclaim for a new age approach to the game.
"I had to become open to information," Hrinda said. "I wasn't open at the beginning of my college career because I was so successful at a young age. I was in a stage of denial. It took a long time, and I didn't perform the way I wanted to until the beginning of my fourth year."
That fourth year became the aforementioned All-Conference campaign for Hrinda that started with an individual championship and a 54-hole program record score of 199 at the Pacific Visit Stockton Invitational. He would later go on to win a second individual title last spring at the Ross Collegiate Classic.
"I had a great year last year, which gave me the confidence to be able to play with top players, shoot the numbers I need to shoot and contend when I can," Hrinda said. "Coach (Chuck) Scheinost did a marvelous job recruiting and the team dynamic was amazing. We had a bunch of freshmen with a lot of energy and it was fun to be around them. It just so happened to coincide with my swing falling into place.
"It's such a unique set up here with a small, tight team. I think Coach has always believed in me to perform even when I'm not at my best. He's always believed I have a low score in me."
And Hrinda has gone low numerous times in his career. In addition to the 54-hole mark, he owns the program record for lowest 18-hole score (9-under 62) and 36-hole score (10-under 132). His career scoring average of 74.07 entering his final year ranked third all-time in program history and his 71.18 scoring average in 2022-23 was the best in the program since 2001.
Now, Hrinda's sights are set on European Qualifying School which begins in September. At a location to be determined, Hrinda will take part in a four-round event that is just the first step in the hopes of earning a card on one of Europe's year-long tours. Should he advance past the first stage, there is a similar formatted second stage and then a final stage that mirrors the first two steps. Only the top 20-25 golfers in the final stage will qualify for the DP World Tour, the top international tour in the world.
There is also conditional status for the second-level Challenge Tour and other pro golf tours in Europe, a much more sustained career path compared to the U.S. Qualification system where those in Q School can not directly qualify for the PGA Tour and face higher financial challenges. Many Americans have even decided that qualifying through the European route leads to a much more sustainable career.
"There's a lot of luck and it comes down to one week in September," Hrinda said about the pressure of Q School. "If it doesn't work out, then you have to wait until next year. I'll try to simulate difficult situations as much as possible. But in that situation, you're playing for your livelihood for a whole year in one week. There's nothing you can do to make that easier. On the other hand, everyone in that field is doing the same thing so it's a fair test."
Prior to officially turning pro in July, Hrinda will cap his amateur career with a three-event swing in the UK in June. A win at any of the events, or a finish high enough in order of merit would qualify him for the Open Championship at Royal Troon in July, the oldest and perhaps most prestigious of golf's four major championships. That would be quite the way to jumpstart a professional career.
"The biggest transition for me is going to be performing on a weekly basis no matter how I'm feeling or how I'm playing. This is going to be my job and I want to approach it professionally. I want to get the most out of every week."
That starts this summer as Hrinda will look to represent the Buff & Blue at the professional level.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
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