Education
Not only is Nyhus an accomplished golfer, but she has also excelled academically. After completing her bachelors and masters in education at BYU, she went on to earn a doctorate in sports psychology and performance enhancement from the University of Utah in 1992. She is also a 2007 graduate of the prestigious NCAA Womens Coaches Academy. Prior to accepting her position at BYU, Nyhus spent six years at Hunter High school coaching golf and softball and teaching driver education.
In 2019 Nyhus became the first golfer to play in every championship offered by the United States Golf Association (U.S. Girls' Junior, U.S. Women's Amateur, U.S. Women's Mid-Am, U.S. Women's Open, U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, U.S. Senior Women's Amateur, U.S. Women's State Team, U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball and the U.S. Senior Women's Open).
Years at BYU
1999-2009
Career Highlights
- Coached her teams to the NCAA Championship berths in two out of the last four years
- Her teams have finished the season ranked in the top 25 in two out of the last four years
- Coached BYU to appearances in the NCAA Regionals in six out of her seven years at BYU.
- Earned Ph.D. in Performance Psychology in 1992
- Played in the Women's Professional Golf European Tour
- Placed third in the French Open
- 1996 and 1998 winner of the Utah Women's Golf Association Golfer of the Year
- Competed in every USGA national championship as an amateur including the 1983 US Open
- 1985 and 1999 Utah State Amateur Champion
- 1999 UGA Player of the Year (first female to win the award)
- Finished runner-up at the USGA Public Links in 1999
- 2007 Graduate of the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy
Personal/Family
She is married to Steven Nyhus who directs the Technology Lab at Riverton High School. They have three daughters, Stina, Kimberly, Katie.
Coaching Statistics
-Coached six Academic All-Scholars
-Coached two All-Americans
-Coached one LPGA Tour player (Carrie Summerhays Roberts)
-Coached BYU to appearances in the NCAA Regionals in six out of her seven years at BYU, including
two NCAA Championship appearances (2005 & 2007).
Head Coach Sue Nyhus returns for her eighth season at the helm of the BYU women's golf team. Over the past seven years, she has guided the Cougars from a No. 64 national ranking to a No. 13 ranking to finish the 2007 season.
Nyhus helped lead BYU to one of its most successful seasons in Cougar golf history in 2006-2007. She helped the Cougars finish 17th at the NCAA Championships, the second-best finish in school history, while guiding All-American Rachel Newren to an 11th-place finish. That season, BYU had the 9th-best team rating in the nation and finished in the top five in 9 of 12 events on the season. The Cougars have also erased the BYU record book under Nyhus' watch, including team records for 18-, 36-, 54- and 72-hole totals.
"Sue is an exceptional teacher of the game and is very highly respected by her golf coaching peers," former BYU women's athletic director Elaine Michaelis said. "We know our student athletes will have a wonderful experience at BYU under her leadership."
Nyhus has a long history with BYU golf. She competed for the Cougars in the 1980's when the team had its best national finish at No. 14. Over the years, Nyhus has become one of BYU golf's most accomplished female athletes both on and off the course.
In 1985, she was named to the first-ever Academic All-American Team for women's golf and helped lead the Cougars to the 14th-place NCAA finish. BYU awarded Nyhus with the Leona Holbrook Spirit of Sport award that year. Nyhus graduated with a BS and MS from BYU in education.
She enjoyed a successful five-year career (1987-1991) on the Women's Professional Golf European Tour upon graduation from BYU.
After regaining amateur status, Nyhus represented Utah in five USGA Women's Team Championships and eight Utah-Arizona matches. In 1997, Nyhus placed sixth individually in the USGA Womens Team Championship.
In 1996 and 1998, she was recognized as the Utah Women's Golf Association Golfer of the Year. Nyhus won the 1999 Utah State Women's Amateur for the second time, the first being in 1985. In addition, she finished as a runner-up at the USGA Public Links, one of the best national finishes any female from Utah has ever achieved.
The 1999 season culminated in Nyhus being named as Player of the Year by the Utah Golf Association. This was the first time a female was ever considered for the prestigious award. Nyhus was also named Female Golfer of the Decade by the Utah Golf Association.