WARREN SCHUTTE
PLAYING CAREER & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1986 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPION
At 14 years old, Warren traveled alone from South Africa to San Diego to compete in the Junior World Championship. Playing the final hole with the championship on the line, Warren drove his tee shot into the trees. From there, he hit a life-changing 2-iron out of the trees and onto the green of the par 5. Two putts later, he had made birdie to win the championship by one shot.
But the significance of that week went far beyond winning a golf tournament.
It was during the Junior World Championship that Warren fell in love with America and began dreaming about returning one day to play college golf. Just as importantly, it was the first time he met American college golf coaches.
That week opened a door—and changed the direction of his life.
A 14-year-old kid who had traveled halfway around the world to play a junior golf tournament left San Diego as a Junior World Champion, but also with a new dream: to return to the United States and play college golf.
NCAA CHAMPION — 1991
Warren’s journey eventually led him to UNLV, where his 1991 season ended with an extraordinary run. He won the final four collegiate events of the year:
Oklahoma State’s Event • Conference Championship • NCAA West Regional Championship • NCAA Championship
The run culminated at the NCAA Championship, where Warren became the first individual NCAA Champion in UNLV history and the first foreign-born player to win the NCAA Division I Individual Championship in its 108-year history.
Tied for the lead with just two holes remaining, Warren finished birdie–eagle — making birdie on the 17th before rolling in a 50-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole to win the national championship.
It was a defining stretch in a career built around preparing to perform when the outcome mattered most.
U.S. AMATEUR PUBLIC LINKS CHAMPION — 1992
A year after winning the NCAA Championship, Warren stayed in the United States for a summer of competitive golf. He qualified for the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, then turned his attention to the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.
After two rounds of stroke-play qualifying, he nearly didn't make it to match play.
Only 64 players advanced — and Warren entered the match-play bracket as the 62nd seed.
Match play, however, had always been one of his strengths. Even after finding himself 2 down after 10 holes in his third match, Warren battled back and continued his run through the bracket.
Along the way, he faced incoming UNLV teammate Chris Riley. The two would become lifelong friends, and Riley would go on to become a PGA Tour winner and represent the United States in the Ryder Cup.
Warren ultimately reached the 36-hole championship match against Richard Mayo Jr. The match remained close through 30 holes. A pressure chip-in for par kept Warren 1 up, and from there he made two more birdies over the closing holes to finish the match 3 & 2 and become the first foreign-born champion in U.S. Amateur Public Links history.
The victory carried an extraordinary reward: an invitation to the 1993 Masters Tournament.
THE MASTERS — 1993
Winning the 1992 U.S. Amateur Public Links earned Warren an invitation to the 1993 Masters Tournament at Augusta National — and produced experiences that would stay with him for a lifetime.
Masters week began on Monday with a practice round alongside Gary Player, Fuzzy Zoeller and John Daly. On Tuesday, Warren played with two of the game’s greatest legends, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
Then came Thursday.
Warren was paired with Palmer for the opening round. Palmer birdied each of the first three holes and suddenly found himself leading the Masters. The galleries grew as they made their way around Augusta National, with what seemed like everyone at Augusta walking alongside them.
It was a moment Warren would never forget.
When they reached the 18th tee, Warren looked at Palmer and said, “Come on, let’s birdie the last hole.”
Palmer looked back and replied, “I’m just trying to make it up the hill.”
He did considerably better than that.
Palmer rolled in a 20-foot putt for birdie on the 18th green, then looked over at Warren and said, “Don’t let me down.”
From approximately 15 feet, Warren rolled his own putt into the center of the cup.
Birdie. A first-round 73. And the perfect ending to an unforgettable day at Augusta National.
From a 14-year-old traveling alone from South Africa to compete in the Junior World Championships to walking the fairways of Augusta National with Arnold Palmer seven years later, the journey had come a very long way.
