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Tom Kite

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Tom Kite
Personal information
Full nameThomas Oliver Kite Jr.
Born (1949-12-09) December 9, 1949 (age 75)
McKinney, Texas, U.S.
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight170 lb (77 kg; 12 st)
Sporting nationality United States
ResidenceAustin, Texas, U.S.
Career
CollegeUniversity of Texas
Turned professional1972
Current tour(s)PGA Tour Champions
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Professional wins37
Highest ranking5 (April 16, 1989)[1]
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour19
European Tour3
PGA Tour of Australasia1
PGA Tour Champions10
Other5
Best results in major championships
(wins: 1)
Masters Tournament2nd/T2: 1983, 1986, 1997
PGA ChampionshipT4: 1981, 1988
U.S. OpenWon: 1992
The Open ChampionshipT2: 1978
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame2004 (member page)
Bob Jones Award1979
PGA Tour
money list winner		1981, 1989
Byron Nelson Award1981, 1982
Vardon Trophy1981, 1982
PGA Player of the Year1989
GWAA Male
Player of the Year		1989

Thomas Oliver Kite Jr. (born December 9, 1949) is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He won the U.S. Open in 1992 and spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking between 1989 and 1994.[2]

Early life and amateur career

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Kite was born in McKinney, Texas. He began playing golf at age six, and won his first tournament at age 11. Kite attended the University of Texas on a golf scholarship and was coached by Harvey Penick.

At Texas, Kite was a first-team All-American in 1972 when he also shared the individual NCAA championship with team mate Ben Crenshaw. He helped the Longhorns win two NCAA Team Championships in 1971 an 1972 and Southwest Conference Championships in 1970 and 1972. He was a second-team All-American in 1970 and 1971 and won nine collegiate tournaments during his four years. In 1984 he was inducted into the Longhorns Hall of Honor.[3]

Professional career

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In 1972, Kite turned professional and was a consistent money winner until his retirement. Known for his innovation, he was the first to add a third wedge to his bag, one of the first players to use a sports psychologist, and one of the first to emphasize physical fitness for game improvement. He also underwent laser eye surgery, due to his partial blindness,[4] in a bid to improve his game late in his career.

He has 19 PGA Tour victories, including the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. He competed on seven Ryder Cup squads (1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1993) and served as the 1997 captain. Kite holds a unique record of making the cut for the first four U.S. Opens held at Pebble Beach: 1972, 1982, 1992, and 2000. Kite also shares the distinction (with Gene Littler) of playing in the most Masters Tournaments without a win.[5]

Kite was the first in Tour history to reach $6 million, $7 million, $8 million, and $9 million in career earnings. He was the Tour's leading money-winner in 1981 and 1989. In his prime, Kite had few peers with the short irons. In 1993, Johnny Miller referred to Kite as "the greatest short-iron player the game has seen."[6]

In 2005 he led the PGA Tour's Booz Allen Classic by one shot going into the final round at the age of 55. If he had been able to stay ahead he would have beaten Sam Snead's record as the oldest winner on the PGA Tour by three years, but he fell away to finish tied 13th, seven shots behind Sergio García.

Kite played the Champions Tour until 2020, claiming ten victories including one senior major, The Countrywide Tradition. At the 2012 U.S. Senior Open, Kite shot a front nine 28 (seven under par) in the first round. This was the lowest nine-hole score ever recorded in any USGA championship.[7][8] He finished the tournament tied for 12th.

On May 18, 1991, Kite was impersonated by Kevin Nealon as part of the "Carsenio" sketch on Saturday Night Live featuring Dana Carvey impersonating Johnny Carson and Phil Hartman impersonating Ed McMahon. [9]

In 1996, Kite had a cameo in The Simpsons episode "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield", in which he gave Homer Simpson golf tips.[10]

Awards and honors

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  • In 1973, Kite was noted as the Golf Digest Rookie of the Year.
  • In 1979, Kite was awarded the Bob Jones Award.
  • in 1981, Kite was awarded the Golf Writers Association Player of the Year.
  • Kite was the Vardon Trophy winner in 1981 and 1982.
  • In 1989, he was named PGA of America Player of the Year.
  • In 2004, Kite was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.[11]

Amateur wins

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Professional wins (37)

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PGA Tour wins (19)

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Legend
Major championships (1)
Players Championships (1)
Tour Championships (1)
Other PGA Tour (16)
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory 		Runner(s)-up
1 Jun 6, 1976 IVB-Bicentennial Golf Classic −7 (71-70-70-66=277) Playoff United States Terry Diehl
2 Sep 4, 1978 B.C. Open −17 (66-65-68-68=267) 5 strokes United States Mark Hayes
3 Mar 8, 1981 American Motors Inverrary Classic −14 (69-68-68-69=274) 1 stroke United States Jack Nicklaus
4 Mar 7, 1982 Bay Hill Classic −6 (69-70-70-69=278) Playoff United States Jack Nicklaus, Zimbabwe Denis Watson
5 Feb 6, 1983 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am −12 (69-72-62-73=276) 2 strokes United States Rex Caldwell, United States Calvin Peete
6 Mar 11, 1984 Doral-Eastern Open −16 (68-69-70-65=272) 2 strokes United States Jack Nicklaus
7 Jun 24, 1984 Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf Classic −19 (69-67-66-67=269) 5 strokes United States Don Pooley
8 May 5, 1985 MONY Tournament of Champions −13 (64-72-70-69=275) 6 strokes United States Mark McCumber
9 Aug 3, 1986 Western Open −2 (70-75-73-68=286) Playoff United States Fred Couples, South Africa David Frost,
Zimbabwe Nick Price
10 Jun 7, 1987 Kemper Open −14 (64-69-68-69=270) 7 strokes United States Chris Perry, United States Howard Twitty
11 Mar 12, 1989 Nestle Invitational (2) −6 (68-72-67-71=278) Playoff United States Davis Love III
12 Mar 19, 1989 The Players Championship −9 (69-70-69-71=279) 1 stroke United States Chip Beck
13 Oct 29, 1989 Nabisco Championship −8 (69-65-74-68=276) Playoff United States Payne Stewart
14 Aug 5, 1990 Federal Express St. Jude Classic −15 (72-68-62-67=269) Playoff United States John Cook
15 Jan 6, 1991 Infiniti Tournament of Champions (2) −16 (68-67-68-69=272) 1 stroke United States Lanny Wadkins
16 May 10, 1992 BellSouth Classic (2) −16 (70-65-72-65=272) 3 strokes United States Jay Don Blake
17 Jun 21, 1992 U.S. Open −3 (71-72-70-72=285) 2 strokes United States Jeff Sluman
18 Feb 14, 1993 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic −35 (67-67-64-65-62=325) 6 strokes United States Rick Fehr
19 Feb 28, 1993 Nissan Los Angeles Open −7 (73-66-67=206)* 3 strokes Canada Dave Barr, United States Fred Couples,
United States Donnie Hammond, United States Payne Stewart

*Note: The 1993 Nissan Los Angeles Open was shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

PGA Tour playoff record (6–4)

No. Year Tournament Opponent(s) Result
1 1976 IVB-Bicentennial Golf Classic United States Terry Diehl Won with par on fifth extra hole
2 1982 Bob Hope Desert Classic United States Ed Fiori Lost to birdie on second extra hole
3 1982 Bay Hill Classic United States Jack Nicklaus, Zimbabwe Denis Watson Won with birdie on first extra hole
4 1986 Western Open United States Fred Couples, South Africa David Frost,
Zimbabwe Nick Price 		Won with birdie on first extra hole
5 1988 Kemper Open United States Morris Hatalsky Lost to par on second extra hole
6 1988 Nabisco Championship United States Curtis Strange Lost to birdie on second extra hole
7 1989 Nestle Invitational United States Davis Love III Won with par on second extra hole
8 1989 Nabisco Championship United States Payne Stewart Won with par on second extra hole
9 1990 Federal Express St. Jude Classic United States John Cook Won with birdie on first extra hole
10 1992 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic United States John Cook, United States Rick Fehr,
United States Mark O'Meara, United States Gene Sauers 		Cook won with eagle on fourth extra hole
Fehr eliminated by birdie on second hole
Kite and O'Meara eliminated by birdie on first hole

European Tour wins (3)

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Legend
Major championships (1)
Other European Tour (2)
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up
1 Sep 7, 1980 European Open Championship −8 (71-67-71-75=284) 1 stroke United States Lon Hinkle, United States Leonard Thompson
2 Jun 21, 1992 U.S. Open −3 (71-72-70-72=285) 2 strokes United States Jeff Sluman
3 Oct 13, 1996 Oki Pro-Am −15 (71-68-64-70=273) 1 stroke Argentina Ángel Cabrera

New Zealand Golf Circuit wins (1)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 Nov 17, 1974 City of Auckland Classic −16 (66-67-68-67=268) 7 strokes Australia Stewart Ginn

Other wins (5)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up
1 Dec 6, 1981 JCPenney Mixed Team Classic
(with United States Beth Daniel) 		−18 (69-67-64-70=270) 2 strokes United States Vance Heafner and United States Cathy Morse
2 Nov 8, 1987 Kirin Cup Individual Trophy −16 (68-69-66-69=272) 1 stroke United States Payne Stewart
3 Aug 25, 1992 Fred Meyer Challenge
(with United States Billy Andrade) 		−16 (64-64=128) 2 strokes United States Steve Pate and United States Corey Pavin
4 Nov 22, 1992 Franklin Funds Shark Shootout
(with United States Davis Love III) 		−25 (65-69-59=191) 1 stroke United States Billy Ray Brown and Zimbabwe Nick Price,
United States Fred Couples and United States Raymond Floyd,
United States Hale Irwin and United States Bruce Lietzke
5 Nov 17, 1996 Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout (2)
(with United States Jay Haas) 		−29 (67-60-60=187) 2 strokes United States Hale Irwin and United States Lee Janzen,
United States Craig Stadler and United States Lanny Wadkins

Other playoff record (0–1)

No. Year Tournament Opponent Result
1 1992 PGA Grand Slam of Golf Zimbabwe Nick Price Lost to par on first extra hole

Champions Tour wins (10)

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Legend
Champions Tour major championships (1)
Other Champions Tour (9)
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory 		Runner(s)-up
1 Apr 2, 2000 The Countrywide Tradition −8 (68-70-71-71=280) Playoff United States Larry Nelson, United States Tom Watson
2 Jun 11, 2000 SBC Senior Open −9 (71-68-68=207) 2 strokes United States Bruce Fleisher
3 Sep 30, 2001 Gold Rush Classic −22 (65-62-67=194) 1 stroke United States Allen Doyle
4 Jan 20, 2002 MasterCard Championship −17 (63-69-67=199) 6 strokes United States John Jacobs
5 Mar 3, 2002 SBC Senior Classic −4 (74-69-69=212) Playoff United States Tom Watson
6 Oct 13, 2002 Napa Valley Championship −12 (66-66-72=204) 1 stroke United States Bruce Fleisher, United States Fred Gibson
7 Aug 8, 2004 3M Championship −13 (65-69-69=203) 1 stroke United States Craig Stadler
8 Mar 12, 2006 AT&T Classic −12 (70-64-70=204) 5 strokes United States Gil Morgan
9 Aug 20, 2006 Boeing Greater Seattle Classic −15 (71-64-66=201) Playoff United States Keith Fergus
10 Aug 24, 2008 Boeing Classic (2) −14 (69-67-66=202) 2 strokes United States Scott Simpson

Champions Tour playoff record (3–2)

No. Year Tournament Opponent(s) Result
1 2000 The Countrywide Tradition United States Larry Nelson, United States Tom Watson Won with birdie on sixth extra hole
Nelson eliminated by par on second hole
2 2002 SBC Senior Classic United States Tom Watson Won with par on second extra hole
3 2006 Boeing Greater Seattle Classic United States Keith Fergus Won with birdie on first extra hole
4 2007 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf United States Jay Haas Lost to par on first extra hole
5 2008 ACE Group Classic United States Brad Bryant, United States Scott Hoch,
United States Tom Jenkins 		Hoch won with birdie on first extra hole

Major championships

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Wins (1)

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Year Championship 54 holes Winning score Margin Runner-up
1992 U.S. Open 1 shot deficit −3 (71-72-70-72=285) 2 strokes United States Jeff Sluman

Results timeline

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Tournament 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
Masters Tournament T42 T27 T10 T5 T3 T18 5
U.S. Open CUT T19 T8 CUT CUT T27 T20 CUT
The Open Championship T5 T2 T30
PGA Championship T39 T33 T13 T13 CUT T35
Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
Masters Tournament T6 T5 T5 T2 T6 CUT T2 T24 44 T18
U.S. Open CUT T20 29 T20 CUT 13 T35 T46 T36 T9
The Open Championship T27 CUT T29 T22 T8 CUT T72 T20 T19
PGA Championship T20 T4 T9 T67 T34 T12 T26 T10 T4 T34
Tournament 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Masters Tournament T14 56 CUT 4 CUT CUT 2 38
U.S. Open T56 T37 1 CUT T33 T67 T82 T68 T43 T60
The Open Championship CUT T44 T19 T14 T8 T58 T27 T10 T38
PGA Championship T40 T52 T21 T56 T9 T54 CUT 5 CUT CUT
Tournament 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Masters Tournament CUT
U.S. Open T32 T5 CUT CUT T57
The Open Championship T70
PGA Championship T19 CUT
  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1982 Open Championship)
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Summary

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Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts made
Masters Tournament 0 3 1 9 12 16 26 21
U.S. Open 1 0 0 2 4 9 33 24
The Open Championship 0 1 0 2 5 10 22 19
PGA Championship 0 0 0 3 6 12 28 23
Totals 1 4 1 16 27 47 109 87
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 15 (1986 PGA – 1990 U.S. Open)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (four times)

The Players Championship

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Wins (1)

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Year Championship 54 holes Winning score Margin Runner-up
1989 The Players Championship 1 shot deficit −9 (69-70-69-71=279) 1 stroke United States Chip Beck

Results timeline

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Tournament 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
The Players Championship T19 T40 T17 CUT T28 T9
Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
The Players Championship T31 T27 T27 T51 T64 T4 T9 T11 1
Tournament 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
The Players Championship T5 CUT T35 CUT T9 T43 CUT CUT T25 T77
Tournament 2000 2001 2002
The Players Championship T66 T44 T36
  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Senior major championships

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Wins (1)

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Year Championship Winning score Margin Runners-up
2000 The Countrywide Tradition −8 (66-71-71-72=280) Playoff United States Larry Nelson, United States Tom Watson

Results timeline

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Results not in chronological order before 2021.

Tournament 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
The Tradition 1 T24 T7 T2 T4 T36 T4 T4 T18 T11
Senior PGA Championship T2 T23 T15 T10 T121 T10 T40 T7 T13 T14
U.S. Senior Open 3 15 3 T12 T3 T37 T55 T22 T12 CUT
Senior Players Championship 6 T10 T10 T2 T7 T39 T9 T25 T21 T47
Senior British Open Championship – – – 4 T2 CUT T10 T10 T16 T8
Tournament 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
The Tradition T54 15 T47 T60 T59 72 T69 T68 72 WD
Senior PGA Championship T29 CUT CUT T28 CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT
U.S. Senior Open T8 T29 T12 T44 T14 CUT CUT WD
Senior Players Championship T16 T17 52 T27 79 WD 74 76
Senior British Open Championship T49 T24 T14
Tournament 2020 2021
The Tradition NT 78
Senior PGA Championship NT CUT
Senior Players Championship
U.S. Senior Open NT
Senior British Open Championship NT
  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic
Note: The Senior British Open was not a Champions Tour major until 2003.

U.S. national team appearances

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Amateur

Professional

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Week 15 1989 Ending 16 Apr 1989" (pdf). OWGR. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  2. ^ "69 Players Who Have Reached The Top-10 In World Ranking". Official World Golf Ranking. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  3. ^ "Tom Kite". Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  4. ^ "Surgery has opened up a whole new world to Kite". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on October 10, 2011.
  5. ^ "Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of the Master's". MSNBC. Associated Press. April 3, 2009. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012.
  6. ^ "Short-iron specialist Kite surges past the $8m mark". The Herald. March 1, 1993. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  7. ^ Kupelian, Vartan (July 12, 2012). "Kite rewrites USGA record books with front-nine 28". PGA Tour. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  8. ^ "2012 USGA Media Guide: USGA Superlatives" (PDF). USGA. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2012.
  9. ^ https://snltranscripts.jt.org/90/90tcarsenio.phtml
  10. ^ Sens, Josh (May 1, 2018). "Get in the … D'oh! The 7 best golf scenes from The Simpsons". Golf.com. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  11. ^ "Which players will reach the HOF?". ESPN. April 18, 2007.
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