October 13, 2007
Adminstaff Small Business Classic
October 12, 2007
Adminstaff Small Business Classic
Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. (born December 9, 1949) is
an American professional golfer. He spent 175 weeks
in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings
between 1989 and 1994.
Kite was born in McKinney, Texas. He began playing
golf at age 6 and won his first tournament at age
11. Kite attended the University of Texas on a golf
scholarship and was coached by Harvey Penick. He
turned professional in 1972 and has been a
consistent money winner ever since. 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 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 at every
U.S. Open held at Pebble Beach, 1972, 1982, 1992,
and 2000.
In 1989 he was named PGA of America Player of the
Year; in 1981 the Golf Writers Association Player of
the Year, the Vardon Trophy winner in 1980 & 1981,
Bob Jones Award recipient in 1979 and Golf Digest
Rookie of the Year in 1973.
Tom 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. On earnings in the
PGA tour, Kite said, "On tour we get paid for
performance. If we don't play well, our income falls
dramatically. If we get hurt and have to sit out a
season, there's no income at all."
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 thirteenth, seven shots behind Sergio
García.
Kite currently plays the over 50s Champions Tour,
where he has nine victories including one senior
major, The Countrywide Tradition.
Kite has added golf course designer to his resume
and has successfully completed several golf courses
in collaboration with Bob Cupp, Randy Russell and
Roy Bechtol. Completed golf courses include Liberty
National in Jersey City, New Jersey; Comanche Trace
in Kerrville, Texas; Somersett Country Club in Reno,
Nevada; Gaillardia Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma; and the Legends on LBJ in Kingsland,
Texas. Visit Tom Kite Design link below.
In 1973 Kite was the Rookie of the Year, In 1979,
Tom Kite was voted the Bob Jones Award, the highest
honor given by the United States Golf Association in
recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.
He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in
2004.
