Tom Kite

Started playing golf at the age of 6. Was a student of legendary PGA Teacher of the Year Harvey Penick. Won his first tournament at age 11. Played on the 1971 U.S. Walker Cup Team.
Won the 1981 and '89 PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Award as leading money winner. Also won the 1981 and '82 Vardon Trophy. Dropped out of the top 40 of the money list in 1995 for the first time after 21 straight years; despite earnings of $178,580, he was 104th on the money list and had just one top-10 finish.
Three of his last four PGA Tour victories came on holidays: 1992 BellSouth was on Mother's Day, 1992 U.S. Open was on Father's Day and his 1993 Bob Hope win came on Valentine's Day. Won the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by two strokes over Jeff Sluman.
Played full-time on the PGA Tour between 1973 and 1999, in 736 events played won 19 times, was runner-up 29 times, 3rd 22 times, and recorded 209 top-10 finishes. In the top-10, 209 times. Had earnings of $11 million. Member of 1979, '81, '83, '85, '87, '89 and '93 Ryder Cup Teams. Captain of the 1997 U.S. Ryder Cup Team.
Underwent surgery on Nov. 4, 2009, to repair a torn bicep tendon in his left shoulder, which troubled him most of the season. Was able to return to action at the ACE Group Classic in February 2010. In first 11 seasons on the PGA Tour Champions never finished lower than 21st on the money list, matched only by Hale Irwin, who finished in the top-21 his first 11 seasons on the Champions Tour.
2011 Notes: His streak of consecutive finishes among the top-30 on the money list came to a halt at 11 years when he was 43rd, with $357,838 in earnings. Posted just one top-10 finish during the year, and that came in his first start when he was 7th at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship.
2012 Notes: Narrowly missed a return to the top-30 and a berth in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, when he finished 31st on the money list, just $3,832 shy of claiming the 30th spot. Turned in his best performance since his T-2nd at the 2009 AT&T Championship when he matched that effort at the Toshiba Classic in March. Was T-12th at the U.S. Senior Open after shooting a 65 to take the first-round lead at Indianwood, his low round of the year and matching his previous low round in a U.S. Senior Open. Started the championship by going out in 7-under 28, setting the record for the lowest nine-hole score in any USGA event.
2013 Notes: Played in 25 events and finished 34th on the money list he played his best golf in the final month of the season, with nine of his final 10 rounds below par. Turned in his best Champions Tour performance since March 2012 when he was T-6th at the Greater Hickory Kia Classic. Continued his solid play the following week when he finish T-9th in San Antonio's AT&T Championship. His other top-10s were a T-8th at the Insperity Championship and a T-9th at the Mitsubishi Electric.
2014 Notes: In his 15th year on the PGA Tour Champions, fell out of the top-30 for only the second time as in 18 starts only had three top-25 finishes. Best was T-12th at the Big Cedar Lodge where he was partnered with Gil Morgan. Won $170,573 which placed him 68th on the money list.
2015 Notes: Made just 15 starts, the fewest in his Champions Tour career. In January his wife Christy, who he had been married to since 1975 passed away after a three-year battle with cancer. Teamed with Gil Morgan finishing T-10th at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf. Underwent right-knee surgery in June to repair a torn meniscus, returning to play in August. Was 89th on the money list and 82nd in the Schwab rankings.
2016 Notes: Played in 15 events, best finish T-12th at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf teamed with Gil Morgan. Was 93rd on the money list and Schwab Rankings.
2017 Notes: Played in 17 events, best finish T-26th at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf teamed with Gil Morgan.
2018 Notes: Played in 14 PGA Tour Champions events, best finish was T-32nd at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf teamed with Gil Morgan. Best individual finish T-34th at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
2019 Notes: Played in 11 PGA Tour Champions events, he was 117th on the Schwab rankings. Was T-36th at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf teamed with Gil Morgan. Best individual results 42nd at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
2020 & 2021 Notes:2020 & 2021 Notes: His best finish, T-41st at the TimberTech Championship.