Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: Petri Oeschger/Sunshine Tour/Gallo Images
Women’s golf adds Zack Byrd as assistant coach
7/31/2018 3:36:00 PM | Women's Golf
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State head women's golf coach, Laura Cilek has announced the addition of Zack Byrd to the staff as an assistant coach. Byrd comes to Colorado State after spending the last 10 years as a professional golfer, most recently playing on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa.
"We are extremely excited for Zack, his wife Ali, and their daughters Payton, and Avery to join the Ram Family," said Cilek. "Zack is going to be a great asset for our student-athletes. He possesses a wealth of golf knowledge having played at the highest levels, and he is excited to help our players develop on and off the golf course."
"Firstly, I want to thank Joe Parker, Steve Cottingham, and coach Cilek for seeing potential in me and adding me to a wonderful athletic family at Colorado State," said Byrd. "I've spent the last 10 years playing professional golf all around the world and it has prepared me for my next step in my golf career. I am excited for the opportunity to use what I have learned in my professional career to help the young women at Colorado State achieve their goals. I am eager to get to work with Laura and I know we will both work tirelessly to provide our student-athletes with the best possible experience on and off the golf course."
Byrd is a 2009 graduate of Coastal Carolina University where he was a five-year member of the men's golf team. As a freshman, he won the Big South Conference individual championship and was named Big South Freshman of the Year. During his time at Coastal, he helped the Chanticleers to three NCAA Championship berths alongside PGA Tour member and 2016 U.S. Open Champion Dustin Johnson. Following an injury, Byrd posted his best season of collegiate golf as a senior, breaking the school record with a nine-under 63 in a round. That same year, he was the Big South Player of the Year and Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year and named third-team All-American by PING and Golfweek. He was also a two-time GCAA All-America Scholar in his junior and senior seasons. In 2012, he was inducted in the Coastal Carolina Hall of Fame.
Following his collegiate career, he declared as a professional and began his pro career with numerous wins and top-ten finishes on mini tour circuits in Southeast U.S. and nationwide in PGA sectional events. In 2011, he qualified and competed in the U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club, while also making the final stage of the PGA Tour's Q School. Byrd held conditional status with the Nationwide and Web.com Tours in 2012 after again making the final stage of Q School. He went on to hold conditional status with the Web.com Tour in 2014, before qualifying for the Canadian PGA Tour in 2015, and later competing on the PGA's China and Latin America tours.
On the Sunshine Tour in 2017, he posted a 70.98 stroke average with seven top-20 finishes and three top-10s, including a second-place finish at Investec Royal Swazi Open carding a 63 in the final round to break into the Top-700 World Ranking. Following his finish and runner-up for the tour's Rookie of the Year honor, he gained full status for the 2018 season, finishing 44th on the money list while making the cut at the 2018 BMW SA Open.
"The knowledge I have gained over my career will help us grow as a team," added Byrd. "I'm confident Laura and I will build a program that the community will rally behind and be proud of. I am extremely excited to move my family to Fort Collins and become a part of the Ram Family. Go Rams!"
"Zack is known within the golf community for his hard work, love of the game, and loyalty to his students and colleagues," added Cilek. "These are traits that will make Zack a very successful college golf coach, and we feel fortunate that he choose Colorado State!"
Byrd comes to Fort Collins with his wife Ali and daughters Payton and Avery.
"We are extremely excited for Zack, his wife Ali, and their daughters Payton, and Avery to join the Ram Family," said Cilek. "Zack is going to be a great asset for our student-athletes. He possesses a wealth of golf knowledge having played at the highest levels, and he is excited to help our players develop on and off the golf course."
"Firstly, I want to thank Joe Parker, Steve Cottingham, and coach Cilek for seeing potential in me and adding me to a wonderful athletic family at Colorado State," said Byrd. "I've spent the last 10 years playing professional golf all around the world and it has prepared me for my next step in my golf career. I am excited for the opportunity to use what I have learned in my professional career to help the young women at Colorado State achieve their goals. I am eager to get to work with Laura and I know we will both work tirelessly to provide our student-athletes with the best possible experience on and off the golf course."
Byrd is a 2009 graduate of Coastal Carolina University where he was a five-year member of the men's golf team. As a freshman, he won the Big South Conference individual championship and was named Big South Freshman of the Year. During his time at Coastal, he helped the Chanticleers to three NCAA Championship berths alongside PGA Tour member and 2016 U.S. Open Champion Dustin Johnson. Following an injury, Byrd posted his best season of collegiate golf as a senior, breaking the school record with a nine-under 63 in a round. That same year, he was the Big South Player of the Year and Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year and named third-team All-American by PING and Golfweek. He was also a two-time GCAA All-America Scholar in his junior and senior seasons. In 2012, he was inducted in the Coastal Carolina Hall of Fame.
Following his collegiate career, he declared as a professional and began his pro career with numerous wins and top-ten finishes on mini tour circuits in Southeast U.S. and nationwide in PGA sectional events. In 2011, he qualified and competed in the U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club, while also making the final stage of the PGA Tour's Q School. Byrd held conditional status with the Nationwide and Web.com Tours in 2012 after again making the final stage of Q School. He went on to hold conditional status with the Web.com Tour in 2014, before qualifying for the Canadian PGA Tour in 2015, and later competing on the PGA's China and Latin America tours.
On the Sunshine Tour in 2017, he posted a 70.98 stroke average with seven top-20 finishes and three top-10s, including a second-place finish at Investec Royal Swazi Open carding a 63 in the final round to break into the Top-700 World Ranking. Following his finish and runner-up for the tour's Rookie of the Year honor, he gained full status for the 2018 season, finishing 44th on the money list while making the cut at the 2018 BMW SA Open.
"The knowledge I have gained over my career will help us grow as a team," added Byrd. "I'm confident Laura and I will build a program that the community will rally behind and be proud of. I am extremely excited to move my family to Fort Collins and become a part of the Ram Family. Go Rams!"
"Zack is known within the golf community for his hard work, love of the game, and loyalty to his students and colleagues," added Cilek. "These are traits that will make Zack a very successful college golf coach, and we feel fortunate that he choose Colorado State!"
Byrd comes to Fort Collins with his wife Ali and daughters Payton and Avery.
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