Tom Kite

Lore & Background

Kite was born in McKinney, Texas. He began playing golf at age six, and won his first tournament at age 11. He 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 teammate Ben Crenshaw. He helped the Longhorns win two NCAA Team Championships in 1971 and 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 1972, Kite turned professional. 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. 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. 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 1993, Johnny Miller referred to Kite as 'the greatest short-iron player the game has seen.' On the Champions Tour, he claimed 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, the lowest nine-hole score ever recorded in any USGA championship.

In Their Own Story

The afternoon sun hung low over the 18th green at Pebble Beach, turning the bent grass to hammered gold. Kite stood over a ten-footer, the kind of putt that, on any other day, would be a routine tap. But this was the U.S. Open, and the gallery pressed close enough that he could hear the rustle of a single program page turning. He set his feet wide, rose to that familiar upright height, and let the putter sweep back in a long, lazy arc. The crowd exhaled as one. The ball tracked true, kissed the fringe, and dropped with a soft, final clink. He did not celebrate. He simply nodded, picked up the flagstick, and walked toward the clubhouse where a quiet dinner and a very long week of press conferences were waiting. The green behind him was already being raked for the next man, but for that one ten-foot putt, the whole course had belonged to Tom Kite.

Reader's Guide

Tom Kite is a Hall of Fame golfer known for his precision with short irons, his innovative approach to equipment and fitness, and his consistent success on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. His career highlights include winning the 1992 U.S. Open, earning 19 PGA Tour wins, and being a key member of multiple Ryder Cup teams.

Did You Know?

• Tom Kite was the first player to add a third wedge to his golf bag.
• He shares the record with Gene Littler for playing in the most Masters Tournaments without a win.
• Kite shot a front nine 28 at the 2012 U.S. Senior Open, the lowest nine-hole score in any USGA championship.
• He was impersonated by Kevin Nealon on Saturday Night Live in 1991.
• Kite had a cameo in The Simpsons episode 'Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield' in 1996.