Luis Gagne Bio
Luis Gerardo Gagne is a Costa Rican professional golfer recognized as one of the most accomplished amateur players to emerge from his country. Born on 27 August 1997 in San José, Costa Rica, he moved to Orlando, Florida at the age of three, where he first picked up the game of golf. Gagne played four seasons of collegiate golf at Louisiana State University and earned multiple All-America and All-Southeastern Conference honors before turning professional in June 2019. He is best known for finishing low amateur at the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and has since competed on the PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Latinoamérica, and the Korn Ferry Tour.
Early Life and Background
Luis Gerardo Gagne was born on 27 August 1997 in San José, Costa Rica, the capital city of his home country. When he was three years old, his family relocated to Orlando, Florida, where he has lived for most of his life. His first language was Spanish, and he learned English at the age of five after settling in the United States.
Gagne began playing golf soon after arriving in Orlando and quickly developed a serious interest in the sport. One of his earliest golf memories came at the age of five, when he watched Tiger Woods play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club in Florida. That experience helped shape his enthusiasm for competitive golf and set him on the path toward a career in the game.
Path to Golf
Gagne’s competitive career developed through the junior and amateur ranks in Florida before he earned a place on the Louisiana State University golf team. He played four seasons of collegiate golf for the LSU Tigers from 2015 through 2019, becoming a steady presence in the Tigers lineup. During his sophomore season in 2016–2017, he finished ranked 25th in the United States in the final Golfweek player rankings and 52nd nationally in the final Golfstat player rankings.
His college honors included All-America Honorable Mention selections in 2016 and 2017, an All-Southeastern Conference Second Team selection in 2017, an All-SEC First Team honor in 2018, and an All-America Third Team selection in 2018. He also earned All-SEC Second Team honors in 2019. He holds the second lowest career scoring average in LSU history at 71.54. He finished runner-up at both the 2019 Latin America Amateur Championship and the 2019 Abierto Sudamericano Amateur, and he was ranked 29th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings when he turned professional.
Luis Gagne Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Gagne’s national profile rose in 2018 when he qualified through local qualifying for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in New York. Playing as an amateur, he finished as low amateur and tied for 48th place, 15 strokes behind winner Brooks Koepka. The performance introduced him to a wider golf audience and confirmed his readiness for top-level competition.
The following year, Gagne qualified through sectional qualifying at Bowling Green, Florida, for the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, California, where he missed the cut. The day after helping the international team defeat the United States team at the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup, he turned professional in June 2019 and began his career on the developmental circuits.
Korn Ferry Tour Breakthrough (2021–Present)
Gagne’s first professional victory came in March 2021 at the PGA Tour Canada Qualifying School at Mission Inn Club and Resort in Florida, where he played wire-to-wire and won by three strokes in a 106-man field to secure his tour card for the season. He also qualified for the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, his third start in the championship, where he missed the cut by four strokes.
In November 2021, he earned exempt status on the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour by advancing through final stage qualifying at the Landings Club in Savannah, Georgia. He played 22 tournaments on the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour, making the cut in ten events, posting a best finish of tied 21st, and ending the season ranked 124th. In June 2023, he finished tied for sixth at the Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open on the PGA Tour Canada at Waskesiu Lake, Saskatchewan.
Major Championship Record
Across his major championship appearances, Gagne has played in the U.S. Open three times. His best result came at the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, where he tied for 48th as the low amateur. He has not yet played in the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, or The Open Championship.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gagne has built his game around consistency and a strong college scoring record, holding the second lowest career scoring average in LSU history at 71.54. His background in amateur match play, including the Arnold Palmer Cup, has prepared him for the demands of professional tours, where patience and course management remain central to his approach.
Notable Events and Milestones
His signature result remains his low amateur finish at the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, where he tied for 48th. Other milestones include his wire-to-wire win at the 2021 PGA Tour Canada Qualifying School, his runner-up finish at the 2019 Latin America Amateur Championship, and his 2022 Korn Ferry Tour exempt status.
Luis Gagne Career Wins
Gagne has built a steady professional résumé since turning pro in June 2019, with his most notable victory coming on PGA Tour Canada. He has also recorded strong finishes across PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Latinoamérica, and the Korn Ferry Tour.
PGA Tour Canada Highlights
Gagne won the 2021 PGA Tour Canada Qualifying School wire-to-wire at Mission Inn Club and Resort in Florida, finishing three shots clear of the field in a 106-man event to earn status for the full season. His most recent verified top finish on the circuit came at the 2023 Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open, where he tied for sixth at Waskesiu Lake in Saskatchewan.
Other Wins and Performances
As an amateur, Gagne was a runner-up at both the 2019 Latin America Amateur Championship and the 2019 Abierto Sudamericano Amateur, and he represented the international team at the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup. He has also competed on PGA Tour Latinoamérica as a former tour affiliate.
Luis Gagne Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Gagne was born in Costa Rica and moved with his family to Orlando, Florida, when he was three years old. His parents supported the family’s relocation to the United States, where he grew up and first picked up golf.
Personal Life
Gagne resides in Orlando, Florida, the city where he has lived since early childhood. He stands 5 feet 9 inches tall and plays at a competitive weight of 165 pounds, and he continues to represent Costa Rica on professional tours.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Gagne continues to compete on the Korn Ferry Tour, the official developmental circuit of the PGA Tour. After learning the schedule as a Korn Ferry member in 2022, where he made ten cuts in 22 starts and posted a best finish of tied 21st, he has worked to build on that foundation. His exemption from the 2021 final stage qualifying gives him a platform to plan a full season of events.
Recent form includes his tied sixth finish at the 2023 Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open on PGA Tour Canada, which suggested his game travels well across varying course types. His major championship experience, including three U.S. Open starts, provides additional motivation to return to the game’s biggest stages.
Outlook for 2025 centers on improving his Korn Ferry Tour standing, contending for a PGA Tour card, and earning another invitation to the U.S. Open. With a proven amateur pedigree, a wire-to-wire professional victory, and the second lowest career scoring average in LSU history, Gagne enters the season with a clear path forward.