“I came second in two events last year to the same dude. It gets really frustrating after a while. I am glad he is gone,” Harry Takis said lightheartedly.
The “same dude” Takis is talking about is Justin Hastings, San Diego State men’s golf’s up-and-coming star, who predominantly plays on the PGA Tour Americas after graduating last spring. Despite his seemingly harsh words regarding Hastings beating him twice last year, Takis’ relationship with the newly minted professional plays a major role in his success today.
Takis describes his golf game as “developing,” which has been his motto since taking up golf at 11 years of age. He has never rested on his laurels, even after checking off a lot of boxes, including playing Division I golf, being ranked the No. 1 amateur golfer in Australia and winning the Singapore Open Amateur Championship in July. Takis’ mentality is simple: “There is always a way you can get better.”
Unlike most other golfers, the Brisbane native played a variety of sports growing up. When he was 14, his father recommended that he specialize in one sport; Takis chose golf.
“I was never that quick, but I had really good hand-eye [coordination],” said Takis. “I felt like golf was probably the best bet for me if I wanted to do it professionally.”
Australia and professional golf go hand-in-hand, as there have been plenty of prominent figures in the golfing world to come from the Land Down Under. Major winners like Jason Day, Cameron Smith, Adam Scott and Greg Norman are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Aussies in the professional ranks.
However, when asked who Takis looks up to most in the golfing world, his answer lacked some of the aforementioned prominence.
“There is a guy named Greg Chalmers, an Australian golfer,” Takis explained. “Not many people have heard of him. I have been very good friends with him since I was 5 or 6 years old. He has always called me after tournaments and asked me how I am doing, and [gives me tips] if I ever need them. He has definitely been a role model.”
Chalmers’ tips and mentorship were — and are — an integral part of Takis’ physical and mental game. The young Aussie blended external tips and tricks with his mental gifts, serving him well in his early playing days. Takis’ pre-collegiate success demanded attention from a plethora of American colleges, like SDSU.
“He was high on our radar,” head coach Ryan Donovan said. “[Takis] is someone we knew was going to get better, has the right demeanor and is somebody that is going to play on Tour someday; those are the kind of guys we like. He has been good so far.”
Donovan has a knack for nurturing players during their tenure as an Aztec, equipping them with the skills necessary to perform at the highest level. Players like Xander Schauffele and J.J. Spaun entered the program as inexperienced newbies and left as budding stars. Schauffele and Spaun both won major tournaments and also represented the United States a few weeks ago in this year’s Ryder Cup.
From the beginning of his collegiate career as an Aztec, Takis hit the ground running. He started all 11 tournaments he played in last season, posting the second-best scoring average on the team (71.16, 0.83 strokes behind Hastings).In addition to Takis’ impressive freshman year scoring average, he also posted 12 rounds in the 60s, as well as 14 rounds below par last season.
However, the young Aussie mentioned that his first year triumphs did not come without their fair share of bumps, too.
“I had a tough fall [season] last year, just trying to adapt,” Takis explained. “Towards the end of the fall, I started working with a putting coach named Derek Uyeda. It has kind of been a slow and steady rise, which has been nice.”
As Takis’ freshman year concluded, he received his well-deserved recognition, like Mountain West Freshman of the Year and an all-Mountain West team selection.
After his first year of college golf, Takis was in arguably the best form of his life, propelling him into his offseason training and tournaments.
Takis’ most notable achievement this summer was his win at the Singapore Open Amateur Championship in early July. His 8-under (64) final round allowed the top-ranked Australian amateur to prove his ranking true as he coasted to an astounding 11-shot victory.
As the focus shifts to this upcoming season, Takis has been thrust into the same conversations as Hastings in a multitude of ways. Donovan is not exempt from this trend, sharing his thoughts about how the talented sophomore is now forced to step out of Hastings’ shadow.
“Harry will fill [Hastings’] shoes immediately, I don’t expect there [to] be much of a gap,” said a confident Donovan. “It took Justin four years to get where he was, and Harry is already there in year two.”
As for this year, Takis looks forward to going to battle with his teammates. He cited the upward tick that Aztecs men’s golf has had over the past couple of years as a huge reason why he did not transfer this offseason. Takis also understands his role on this season’s squad and is looking forward to asserting himself in the coming competitions.
“I am going to do my best every week to try and shoot the best number, and hopefully everyone else does the same,” Takis stated. “I am not a captain, I am a sophomore. I feel like, yes, if I play bad, I let the team down because I am supposed to go out there and play well, but I also believe [that] every time I step on the first tee, I am going to play well.”
That confidence is what Donovan loves about Takis and is also why SDSU men’s golf has such a rooted interest in the young sophomore. His evolution is still a work in progress, but a 2-under, runner-up finish at the 2025 Sahalee Players Championship has Takis on the right track.
Takis has proven time and time again that he can handle being in the spotlight, but hopes that “it is not as big as it is going to be” for the rest of his playing career. His business-oriented attitude is what has Takis primed for a big sophomore season, but also for sustained success far beyond his Aztec playing days.
