James ‘Jimmy’ Lutz shoots 45 perfect arrows to upset favourites at the 2024 Archery World Cup Finals

If you were to look up the word “perfection” in a dictionary, you might find a photo of Team USA’s James ‘Jimmy’ Lutz, or at least you should.

The 26-year-old from Oregon, Wisconsin put on a compound archery clinic at the 2024 Archery World Cup Finals, shooting 45 consecutive bullseyes during three matches to claim the title in Tlaxcala, Mexico.

It was a massive triumph for the American archer, who’d reached the World Cup finals on three previous occasions, but failed to advance out of the first round during each of his appearances.

“I don’t even know how I feel now,” Lutz told archery+, after his, quite literally, perfect day. “I really took it one arrow at a time.”

He added, “I got sick the past couple of weeks so I feel weak, but I had to keep 100 per cent focused and I think that’s why the scores were what they were.”

No matter the secret to his success, Lutz had ticked yet another missing title off his to-do list, building on a legacy of surprise victories at major events.

Lutz becomes a “rookie revelation” during the 2019 Archery World Cup

Lutz made his world cup debut in 2019. As an unheralded rookie from a small town in Wisconsin, there was little to suggest he’d immediately vault to the top step of the podium, let alone the forefront of men’s compound archery.

Nevertheless, the archer who honed his craft by watching videos on World Archery’s YouTube channel, among other instructional sources online, advanced all the way to the final in his first-ever world cup appearance.

There, he faced 2018 Archery World Cup champion Kris Schaff of the United States of America.

While many other archers might have lost their nerve against such an established and accomplished opponent, Lutz kept his focus. He hit bullseye, after bullseye, flipping the script on Schaff, and applying pressure to his more seasoned teammate.

Schaff would miss the bullseye once, scoring a 149 to finish the match. Lutz scored a perfect 150 points, winning the match and claiming victory on his world cup debut.

Now, many athletes and fans will have heard the phrase “beginner’s luck” at some point during their career. Lutz’s unexpected success appeared to be a strong candidate for the application of that phrase, but archery’s “rookie revelation” had another surprise up his sleeve. Enter the 2019 World Archery Championships.

From “rookie revelation” to world champion in a matter of weeks

The shock of Lutz’s maiden world cup victory had barely settled amongst the international archery community by the time the 2019 World Archery Championships began in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.

While his world cup victory had raised many eyebrows, Lutz was still a relative newcomer to the sport. The pressure to repeat his surprising feat would be high, and the stage would be daunting. Nevertheless, he embarked on a memorable path towards the world championship title.

Lutz began the competition by shooting a 703 in the ranking round to earn the 23rd seed in the elimination bracket. He breezed past his first two opponents before facing a major challenge in the 1/16 finals.

There, he met El Salvador’s Roberto Hernandez. The pair went arrow-for-arrow over five ends, finishing the match tied at 147 points. Lutz won the shoot-off, however, scoring a bullseye to narrowly avoid elimination.

He continued his march towards the championship title, upsetting the seventh, second and third seeds in consecutive matches to qualify for the gold medal match, where he faced an unlikely opponent in Denmark’s Anders Faugstad.

Lutz shot a 148, missing two bullseyes. Fortunately from the man from the US, he wouldn’t regret those arrows, as Faugstad shot a 144. It was enough to seal the world championship for Lutz, mere weeks after making his debut in the sport.

The "rookie revelation" turned master archer had taken the sport by storm. Anticipation for his second international season was growing, but then the Covid-19 pandemic cancelled all international competitions in 2020.

Lutz’s road to the 2024 Archery World Cup Finals

Lutz returned to international competition in 2021, but his streak of dominance had come to an end. He finished ninth in all three of his world cup appearances that season, and placed 17th in the individual event at the world championships.

He didn’t leave the season empty-handed, however, thanks to an exceptional performance in the men’s team compound at the 2021 World Archery Championships, where he won gold on home soil alongside Braden Gellenthien and Kris Schaff for Team USA.

His form improved during 2022, but the dominance of his 2019 season still eluded him. Lutz finished ninth in the men’s compound event The World Games 2022, but rebounded to win stage four of the 2022 Archery World Cup in Medellin, Colombia.

The following season would again bring mixed results for Lutz, but a return to dominant form was on the horizon.

He began the 2024 season by placing on the podium at three consecutive Indoor World Series competitions. He confirmed his return to dominance at the Indoor World Series Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada, shooting 149 points in four consecutive matches to win the tournament in sensational fashion.

“It’s everything,” Lutz told World Archery. “My dad flew out yesterday, so I was super happy he could see this.”

The American archer was back on top of the podium in men’s compound archery, and ready to claim more titles during the 2024 Archery World Cup.

2024 Archery World Cup Finals: How Lutz won his newest major title

Lutz qualified for the 2024 Archery World Cup Finals by virtue of his world ranking, after placing second and ninth at his two world cup appearances during the 2024 season. He entered the Archery World Cup Finals as an outsider for a medal, but a real threat nonetheless.

His first match was against Austria’s Nico Wiener, who qualified for the competition after winning one of three world cup stages earlier in the year. The American archer began the match with a bullseye, and didn’t waver, defeating Wiener 150-145 to advance to the semi-finals for the first time in his career.

It was a major breakthrough for Lutz at the Archery World Cup Finals, but he’d still need to beat two defending champions to claim the world cup title.

His semi match-up was a mouthwatering affair against the Netherlands’ Mike Schloeser, nicknamed “Mister Perfect” for his historic perfect qualification score in indoor compound archery.

As a four-time winner of the Archery World Cup Finals, Schloeser was the overwhelming favorite heading into the match, but “Mister Perfect” missed the bullseye twice, handing victory to Lutz, who remained "Mr Perfect" on the day.

The American archer entered the final in exceptional form, but he’d need to hold his nerve against the defending Archery World Cup Finals champion, Mathias Fullerton of Denmark.

The pair engaged in a thrilling duel, with neither dropping a single arrow through the first four sets. With the pressure continuing to mount, one of the archers was bound to make a mistake, and then Fullerton did. He shot a nine to open the door for Lutz.

If Lutz had proven one thing throughout his career, it’s that he simply refuses to crumble under the pressure on the sport’s biggest stages. Therefore, it shouldn't be a surprise that he shot a perfect set to claim his first-ever world cup title.

“It’s been crazy, a crazy year,” Lutz told World Archery. “I’m super happy to end it this way.”

The 26-year-old, now a true veteran of compound archery, had returned to the top of the sport five years after becoming world champion during a memorable debut season - a surprise well worth the wait for the archer always ready to shock on the sport’s biggest stages.