photo by Craig Stidham, Bevington Studio

Luke Kane and Jud Hightower

more resources

Related Stories:

Above Par

Gary Molberg

A Day in the Life

Share This:

Luke Kane and Jud Hightower are friends, something that’s quite obvious by their banter, exchanged facial expressions and ongoing laughter. Their families are close, even going on vacations together every once in a while. Even on the golf course, when competition is on and stakes are high, they do well to balance each other, and if there were any hard feelings, an onlooker surely wouldn’t notice.

“We met sometime in 2001 playing all the same tournaments,” says Luke, 33, a registered vascular technologist. “We started golfing together and Jud really coached my swing. Now our families do everything together.”

Born in the small town of Dodson, Texas, where his parents owned a ranch, Luke went to high school in Wellington and then to Amarillo College for an associate’s degree in radiology. After completing the program at Southern Medical School of Ultrasound in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Luke returned to Amarillo in 2000 to begin his career at Northwest Texas Hospital. He recently started his own independent radiology business.

“I played every sport in high school but had to stop after I broke my neck in a car accident. I was terrible at golf but played and practiced as much as I could,” says Luke. “Golf is big here. The talent level is the best in the state. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that.”

Luke went from “terrible” to winning four golf tournaments in 2009 – three individual and one partnership. He credits his friend and golfing buddy to getting him ready.

“He totally changed my swing to get me to where I could compete,” says Luke.

Jud replies, “But he works harder than a lot of other people.”

Jud grew up in Artesia, New Mexico, and after attending New Mexico Junior College for a while, he joined his football buddies at West Texas A&M University. He graduated in 1991 and went on to teach and coach at River Road High School. After a friend asked for sales help for his roofing company, Jud made a big career change in 2001 and now serves as the vice president of Andrus Bros. Roofing.

“I grew up playing golf,” he remarks. “You can pick up other sports easy but then you pick up golf and it’s different. You get addicted to the game and want to play. Once you get the bug, you’re done.”

In the case of Jud and Luke, it’s worth it. Both amateur golfers have won a slew of tournaments over the near-decade they’ve been playing together, gaining hometown notoriety and thousands of dollars worth of awarded merchandise. Winning smaller tournaments also wins the larger prize – a coveted spot in the annual Coors Tournament of Champions held in August.

As for the “Holy Grail of Golf,” or Augusta National Golf Course, home of the Masters, Jud and Luke hope to attend next April as spectators.

“We just wanna see it,” laughs Luke.

Luke and his wife, Amanda, have two children, Patrick Luke, 12, and Carson, 16 months. Jud and wife Dana also have two children, Lexy, 12, and Braxon, 8.

by Jennie Treadway-Miller

Jennie was a columnist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press for eight years prior to moving to Amarillo in 2008. She is an avid reader, runner and writer.