Ken Tanigawa

Player Notes: He played junior golf in the Southern California area, one of the players he grew up with was Bob May, and he was teammates at UCLA with Brandt Jobe and Scott McCarron.
A 1990 graduate of UCLA, Tanigawa spent 11 years competing as a professional in Australia, Asia, and Japan. Played on the Japan Golf Tour in 1996-97, making the cut in 16 of 33 total starts. His best finish was a T-9 at the 1996 Mitsubishi Gallant. Took two years off from golf in 1998-99 to pursue full-time commercial real estate development. They returned to the game in 2000 and won the Ohio State Open. Has won several mini-tour events. Won once on the 2002 Gateway Tour in Arizona.
Tanigawa had one unsuccessful season (2003) on the Korn Ferry Tour before going into business with his brother. He played 40 events on the Korn Ferry tour, with 22 coming in 2003; his best finish was T-37th at the 2003 Virginia Beach Open. Family and work occupied much of his time until he decided to apply to regain his amateur, which was granted in 2012.
He has enjoyed plenty of success in Arizona, winning two state Mid-Amateur titles and the 2015 & 2017 Arizona Amateur. He was also the 2014 and 2015 Arizona Mid-Am Champion. In 2015, he was the Arizona Golf Association's Player of the Year. In 2016, he was the runner-up in the Arizona Amateur to Cory Bacon. He also competed in the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2013, 2014, and 2017 and represented the state two years ago at the French Lick Resort in Indiana, where the team finished 29th. He was a two-time winner of the Mexican Amateur.
While contemplating turning 50, Tanigawa attended the PGA Tour Champions Qualifying tournament held at TPC Scottsdale. After opening up with a round of 70, he shot 64-63 and finished with a 70 to finish T-4th to earn fully exempt status for the 2018 Champions Tour. Tanigawa's finish was the best by an amateur in the Champions Tour School since Jim Roy (Syracuse, NY) finished T-5th in 2009. After the tournament, Tanigawa then turned professional again.
2018 Notes: Played in 22 PGA Tour Champions events with three top-ten finishes. In his debut, he finished T-10th at the Boca Raton Championship. He was T-3rd at the Boeing Classic. Tanigawa opened with rounds of 66-64, the two lowest of his career, and shared the lead entering the final round of the Boeing Classic. He closed with a 1-over 73 and T-3rd, his best finish at that point on PGA Tour Champions. He eagled the final hole of his Pure Insurance Championship debut to win his first PGA Tour Champions title. Carded rounds of 67-66-72=205 (-10) en route to becoming the first Q-School graduate to win since Jerry Smith at the 2015 Encompass Championship. He was the 5th player on PGA Tour Champions to win his first title in 2018 and one of two rookies that advanced to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. He finished 30th in the standings. He finished the year 39th in the Charles Schwab Cup points list and 25th on the money list.
2019 Notes: He played in 27 PGA Tour Championship Tour events; he had four top-ten finishes. He finished 15th on the Schwab Rankings. In the biggest golfing moment of his life, Tanigawa made a 10-foot par-saving putt on the 72nd hole to win the Senior PGA Championship by a shot over Scott McCarron. He was T-7th at the Insperity Invitational and T-8th at the Oasis Championship. He was T-5th at the Invesco QQQ. He was one of three players to play all 27 events, finished 15th in the Charles Schwab Cup, and was on the money list ($1,208,194).
2020 & 2021 Notes: He played in 38 PGA Tour Championship Tour events; he had two top-ten finishes. He finished 49th on the Schwab Rankings. Their best finish in 2020 was T-18th at the 2020 Hoag Classic. He finished T-7th at the 2021 Boeing Classic and T-9th at the Ascension Charity Classic. He ended the season with a T-11 finish at the TimberTech Championship. Returned to PGA Tour Champions Qualifying Tournament and finished T-10th.
2022 Notes: Played in 26 PGA Tour Champions events with one top-ten finish. It was 50th in the Schwab rankings and 48th on the money, with earnings of $447,797. Shot 69-69-68 at the DICK'S Sporting Goods Open to finish T-6th and his first top 10 finish of the 2022 season. He ended his season with a T-35th finish at the TimberTech Championship.
2023 Notes: Finished T-2nd at the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai after posting 68-65-66, finishing six shots back of winner Steve Stricker. Was T-9th at the Insperity Invitational and the following week 3rd at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, six shots back of winner Stephen Ames.