Calum Hill, a former student-athlete at Western New Mexico University (WNMU), has made significant strides in his golf career, transitioning from college competitions to the international stage. Originally from Kinross, Scotland, Hill joined WNMU's men's golf team in 2012 as a walk-on and quickly became a key player. His achievements during his time at WNMU include being named to the all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) team with a 74.16 scoring average in his freshman year.
Hill's contributions helped elevate the team's status, leading them to qualify for the 2014 NCAA National Championships and securing a national ranking of seventh. By his junior year, he was recognized as RMAC Player of the Year and RMAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year with a 73.13 scoring average and a GPA of 3.91.
In his senior year, Hill achieved individual success by qualifying for the NCAA National Championships and finishing second with an impressive score of -11. He graduated in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in Accounting and later completed a master's degree in Business Administration while serving as the team's Graduate Assistant Coach.
Hill's professional career began promisingly with victories at local events such as the San Juan Open and Arizona Open in 2017. His skills were further showcased when he qualified for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, where he made it through two rounds.
His ascent continued on the HotelPlanner Tour, which led to earning his DP World Tour card by the end of 2019. Hill's first major victory came at the Cazoo Classic in England in 2021, propelling him into the top 100 world rankings. He secured another win at the Joburg Open in South Africa this March.
Kent Beatty, WNMU Golf Coach Emeritus, highlighted Hill's growth: "Calum's journey is truly a dream come true...he was extremely coachable." Hill also expressed gratitude for his time at WNMU: "I really enjoyed WNMU...the environment at the school and competitive spirit made it easy for me to keep getting better."
Hill remains connected to WNMU and is seen as an ambassador for its values on tour: "As a multiple Tour winner, he's a great representative of WNMU," Beatty noted.
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