“Trey embodies all aspects you want in a human: grit on the course and in the classroom, grace when lifting others, and confidence when zealously pursuing his dreams. He possesses unparalleled talent and drive, making him capable of inspired transcendence.
– Kerry Hayes: Trey’s Former High School English Teacher
His name will go in the history books…of that, I am certain.”
Trey Rusthoven’s golfing story is very much an organic one; from a toddler with a plastic golf club hitting foam practice balls over his family’s one-story ranch home in Maplewood Minnesota, to falling in love with competing through the Minnesota PGA Junior Golf Minny Tours and US Kids Local events to earning his first Varsity Letter as a High School Golfer at Winona High School in Minnesota as a 7th grader to being a 3-time High School State Medalist in Missouri to being in his first year as a Professional Golfer after being accepted for full-time status on the APGA Tour.
Trey’s journeys have taken him all over the nation but given his dad was an midwest NCAA Men’s College Basketball Coach, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Platteville WI, Winona, MN and St. Peters, MO were all places the family spent time, but traveling back to the Twin Cities often to visit family and friends, heading to the family cabin on Lake Vermillion each summer as well as being a Minnesota Sports fan, has always kept Minnesota HOME to Trey.
Trey excelled in Football, Basketball and Baseball but his love is and was golf. He played football at a high level and was one of the only 3rd graders allowed to play “up” in the Winona Area Morrie Miller Youth Football League. Over the next several years he became a starter and fixture on the offensive and defensive lines – though Tight End and Linebacker were his favorite positions, his size kept compared to his classmates kept him on the offensive and defensive line. Those years would prove to be incredibly influential on him as his football teams only lost 5 games over the next 5 years, including an undefeated 8th grade season.
As if that was not enough, Trey also played for the Winona YMCA basketball team and later the Winona Area Rising Stars AAU Team that traveled all over the state of Minnesota and Wisconsin. They also had a ridiculous amount of success as a team, including a Three-peat Championship run at the Meg Vang Invitational Tournament up in the Twin Cities as well as winning every T-shirt or Drinking Cup that Just-A-Game Fieldhouse provided for their championship teams.
As a basketball player, Trey’s favorite jersey number was 21 and on the court Trey was a prolific shooter, a great ball handler and a phenomenal decision maker and passer. Those skills helped lead the Rising Stars to a winter season and summer season record of 52-10 and earning a State Championship ring during his 7th Grade Year.
Also during those same years, Trey became a force on the golf course as well, Finishing in the top 5 in the US Kids Local Tour Points for five consecutive years, as well as high finishes on the Minnesota PGA Junior Golf Minny and Players Tours while moving to the national stage being a US Kids Regional qualifier and traveling to compete at places such as Pinehurst (NC) and Horseshoe Bay (TX) just to name a few. Trey also earned his first Varsity Golf Letter from Winona High School as a 7th grader under Coach Jon Hogenson.
As the life of a college coach continued, Trey and his family settled in St. Peters, MO just prior to his high school days at Fort Zumwalt East High School, and Trey was able to experience an incredible amount of success and notoriety on the National Stage as well. Trey entered East High School as a highly regarded athlete and as a freshman earned a starting spot on the Varsity Football Team by the second game of the season and a starting role on the Junior Varsity Basketball Team respectfully that winter, but it was the opportunity to get back to high school golf that excited him most.
However, life had other plans as Covid-19 hit the world that spring and shut down everyone’s daily activities including school and all school related activities; so high school golf would have to wait another year. That said, Trey continued to play golf and golf overall at that time became the most popular activity you could do as course numbers soared all over the world because you could be outside, and the virus was not able to be transmitted effectively outdoors.
But in the meantime, Trey played where he could and soon found him in the inaugural Mack Champ Invitational at Memorial Park in Houston TX as well as a few other AJGA events as well. Trey also continued to play well at many of the local events with a 3rd place finish at the Hardin Junior Championship and several top 5 finishes in the Gateway Junior PGA events and Hurricane Junior Golf events as well. Trey kept his name relevant with a Top 13 finish at the Missouri Junior AM as a freshman and broke into the Top 4 on the Junior Golf Scoreboard state rankings for his class.
Over the next three years Trey would compete under Head Coach Rob Hawkins and his father Coach Don on a level that not many would have seen coming. During his next three years of high school, Trey became a 3-Time MSHSAA Class 4 State Medalist with 14th, 4th, and 3rd place finsihes at the State Meet; 3-Time MSHSAA Class 4 District Medalist; being a Back-to-Back District Champion and earning a spot on the Missouri State High School list for 3rd lowest round in Missouri history (65). Trey was named a 2-Time GAC Central Division Golfer of the Year and a 3-Time GAC Central Division First Team All-Conference with a Varsity Record of 14-1 in GAC Central Division Dual matches while being a Varsity Medalist in every High School Invitational event played with the High School team. If that was not enough, Trey was Named 2023 STL Today – Post Dispatch Golfer of the Year, was ranked as high as #295 nationally for 2023 class and was Ranked the #1 rated Golfer (all Classes) in the State of Missouri. (JGS).
Nationally, Trey was a three-time Mack Champ Top 8 finisher including a runner-up and a third place finish his last two years respectfully. Trey also was an invited Inaugural participant of the Cisco Junior Series presented by the Mack Champ Foundation and the APGA Tour. As an incoming senior in High School, Trey was allowed to play in his first APGA Tour event as an amateur and in St. Louis at the Ascension Charity Classic. He finished that event T-18.
Trey had a Top 10 Finish in the St. Louis Junior Invitational, was a 2022 Junior PGA Championship Participant, a 2021 Gateway PGA Junior Tour Final Championship 3rd Place Finisher, a 73rd U.S. Junior Amateur Participant, a Multi-time Top 5 Finisher on the Hurricane Golf Tour as well as a 2021 Missouri Golf Association Junior Amateur Championship Top 25 Finisher.
On top of all that, Trey was also an Invited Tour Member of the inaugural Steph Curry Underrated Golf Tour for two seasons and played in the Steph Curry Underrated Golf tour inaugural Curry Cup Championship in his first year.
Upon graduation, Trey attended Central Michigan University on a golf scholarship with high hopes of building off his previous accolades. Trey played anywhere from the #2 bag to the #4 bag and Trey worked hard to hold his own, playing in every fall event as a true freshman. In the last tournament of the fall season, Murray State University’s Buddy Invitational, Trey was a playing part of the team that “on the final day of fall play for the Central Michigan men’s golf team, the Chippewas combined for two program lows on Tuesday in round three. Just having broken the 18-hole program low by two shots with a 287-team score, CMU carded a powerful 9-under 275 in the final round. Combined with 296 and 287, the Chippewas closed the tournament with a team score of 6-over 858”.
“The 858 rocketed CMU from its spot in seventh place and onto the podium, finishing third in the 10-team field. It also serves as the Chippewas’ 54-hole record, previously set at 875 on Oct. 2-3 at the Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate. The podium finish is still the best team finish to date”.
Trey also continued to challenge himself individually and was a 2023 Inaugural Southwest Airlines Showcase at Cedar Crest Participant which saw Trey and the other invitees make their first television appearances on the Golf Channel as well as in the Jim Thorpe Invitational which was broadcast on Golf Pass respectfully.
Trey returned to CMU for the spring semester excited to build off the fall schedule, but life had other plans, and he found himself on the outside looking in and being left off the travel roster for the first five events of the spring. Not trying to let that bother him, he kept working hard and when his number was called for the last event of the spring season, “Freshman Trey Rusthoven tied his career best with a 1-under par 71 on Tuesday in leading the Central Michigan men’s golf team during the final round of the Mountaineer Invitational, hosted by West Virginia, at Pete Dye Golf Club. Rusthoven led the Chippewas to a 296-team total, their best score of the three-round, 54-hole event. CMU opened on Monday with a 312 and then posted a 311 in the second round on Monday afternoon”.  Trey followed that up with another start in the Mid-American Conference Championship. Trey was one of only FIVE freshmen in the forty-five-player field.  Trey finished his only collegiate experience as a Central Michigan University Men’s Golf Letterwinner and as a member of the five person 2023-24: BCGCA-GCAA Division I All-Freshmen Team.Â
After evaluating his first year at CMU, Trey felt his best option was to look elsewhere and find a situation in which everybody could be on the same page. After looking at many options and having many discussions with several important people, Trey’s direction and mission became much clearer when he was notified that he had been given full-time status on the APGA Tour for the 2025 season. So, after additional discussion and much soul searching, Trey decided to chase his dreams and accept the invitation to play on the APGA Tour as one of the youngest players in recent history. The opportunity to begin this journey is credited to all the good people and great coaches that have been along on this journey. As Trey said when he received the invitation from the APGA – “While this is opportunity has my name on it, this opportunity has come because of all the important people in my life that have believed in me and helped push me to be the best person I can be. I am very lucky to have the opportunity to chase my dreams and I will always be very thankful for everyone that continues to help me get there.”
“Founded in 2010, the Advocates Professional Golf Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to Inspiring an inclusive future through the game of golf. We offer a trusted pathway for talent development both on and off the course. From professional tournaments to youth development programs, we are committed to creating opportunities for golfers to excel and make their mark on the game.“
“Our professional tournaments are designed to prepare members for the game’s highest level.
What began as merely four events in 2010 has evolved into a premier golf platform, featuring 18 events with a combined prize and bonus pool exceeding $1.5 million.“
So as the story continues to be written be sure to check back for updates, highlights (and low lights) as Trey’s journey to the top continues…
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“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson