University of Illinois golf great Thomas Detry won his first career PGA TOUR event after firing a 24-under 260 to dominate the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, beating the field by seven strokes. Detry shot
With the win, Detry earns $1.656 million payout, his largest payout as a professional by almost double. Entering the tournament, he had earned $7.573 million since joining the Tour in 2023.
“It’s incredible. It’s what dreams are made of, honestly,” Detry said on the CBS broadcast. “That last walk on the last hole was incredible. Kind of everything goes so quickly that you don’t have time to enjoy it. Luckily, my caddie was there to tell me to enjoy the moment. It’s pretty special. I’ve given myself plenty of chances in the past and never been able to conclude. Being able to put out a statement like that is pretty incredible because I’m just so over the moon happy.
Detry, 32, previously during his PGA TOUR had two runner-up finishes, five previous top-five finishes and nine previous top-10 finishes. Last season, the Belgium native finished tied for second at the Texas Children’s Houston Open and finished fourth at the PGA Championship, his first career top-10 finish in a major championship
As a PGA TOUR event winner, Detry also earns 500 FedExCup points and earns a two-year exemption, meaning he will qualify for all PGA TOUR events and the major championships.
“The emotions are still pretty high,” Detry said on CBS.” It’s incredible, all the majors. I’m playing in the Masters. I’m playing in The Open. I’m playing everything. I got my card secure here for the next two years. This is just where I want to be. It’s pretty incredible to play golf the way I’ve been and to put out a statement like that is pretty cool. Obviously, having all my friends here is pretty cool and having my family there, that’s the best thing. That’s really the best thing.”
At Illinois, Detry helped lead Illinois to three Big Ten Championships and a 2013 NCAA runner-up finish. He was a two-time All-American, was Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2013, Big Ten Player of the Year in 2015 and won Big Ten Medalist honors in 2016.
Illini golf coach Mike Small and the current Illinois team took to X from Hawaii, where they are competing in the John A. Burns Intercollegiate, to congratulate Detry.
“Thomas, your Illini brothers here from Hawaii, our first spring event of the year,” Small said. “We couldn’t get much work in today watching you win, man. You’ve worked so hard, you’ve practiced so hard, you’ve believed all these years. We’re so proud of you, man. Congratulations, and from all of us, a big I-L-L!”
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A message from the current Illini to a former Illini!
Congrats @tomdetry on winning the @WMPhoenixOpen! pic.twitter.com/zIU0LqTIjY
— Illinois Men’s Golf (@IlliniMGolf) February 9, 2025