Aidan’s a player for the ages
He’s only 14, but Valparaiso's Gutierrez says he to be ‘one of the best players in the state’
Valparaiso’s Aidan Gutierrez is only 14, but he’s already proved himself to be among the best high school golfers in the state.
Valparaiso’s Aidan Gutierrez is among the best high school golfers in Indiana.
These sorts of proclamations are highly subjective, and any debate will be rendered moot in May 2021 when the boys golf state meet starts.
What’s remarkable is Gutierrez even being part of the conversation. It’s not remarkable to him, his father John or his coaches. They have known he’s a special talent for years.
As a matter of fact, though, it’s remarkable.
The 5-foot-8 Gutierrez is only 14 years old and about to be a freshman at Valparaiso. He weighs 140 pounds.
He regularly beats golfers who are four or five years older.
He proved it again earlier this month, finishing second in the Indiana Boys State Junior Championship.
The IBSJC is a grueling, weeklong tournament that’s harder to win than the high school state meet in Indiana.
First, Gutierrez had to get through a local qualifier, then he had to make the cut for match play with a 36-hole qualifier, and then he had to play six matches in three days to get to the finals.
It’s against the very best players in the state. The IBSJC is a tournament that “old” junior players usually win.
Gutierrez lost to Carmel’s Clay Stirsman in the finals. Stirsman, a 2020 graduate, is going to Wake Forest to play golf. Arnold Palmer attended Wake Forest.
For Gutierrez, getting to the finals was exciting but not surprising.
“I’ve been working hard to be known as one of the best players in the state,” he said.
Gutierrez is 14 going on 25 in golf years.
In 2019, he spent almost every week from June through late August playing in golf tournaments.
Last year, Gutierrez was the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur. That’s the precursor to the U.S. Amateur. He was 13.
Gutierrez already has a list of 20 colleges he’s interested in, and among the schools are Alabama, Oklahoma State, Stanford and Texas.
All have elite golf programs. This year, the coronavirus pandemic has scrambled his schedule.
He competed in a state tournament the Indiana Golf Association put together in place of the IHSAA state meet that was canceled.
Gutierrez finished second, shooting a 2-under 70 in the second round at Purdue’s Ackerman-Allen Course. With winds gusting up to 30 mph, according to John Gutierrez, it was the only under-par round that day.
Gutierrez likes to play in bad conditions.
“I feel like it’s a chance to pick up strokes on the field,” he said. “I practice all the shots — stingers, low shots and draws. I’m really confident in those situations.”
Gutierrez said the downtime has helped his game.
Sort of.
He just finished tied for 35th in the Northern Amateur. He was the youngest player in that field.
“It’s good and bad,” Gutierrez said. “I have some rest and more time to work on different areas of my game. I have time to work on the physical and mental side of my game. I really love trying to go out there and make a name for myself.”
Gutierrez is ranked 25th in the world for the 2024 class, according to Junior Golf Scoreboard.
He doesn’t like to dwell on his rankings.
He knows they can be inaccurate.
Gutierrez also knows exactly where he wants to be when he’s done with college — playing on the PGA Tour.
It’s not an unrealistic dream. It’s a possibility he’s not afraid to talk about it, either.
In Gutierrez’s mind, if he can keep executing the shots, he’ll be playing alongside Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka in about 10 years.
Stay tuned.