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.
Early life and amateur career 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 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.
Professional career 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, 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.
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."
Senior career 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. He finished the tournament tied for 12th.
In popular culture
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.
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.
Awards and honors
In 1970 and 1971, Kite earned second-team All-American honors. In 1972, Kite was a first-team All-American. In 1973, Kite was noted as the Golf Digest Rookie of the Year. In 1979, he was bestowed the Bob Jones Award. in 1981, he was awarded the Golf Writers Association Player of the Year. In 1981 and 1982, Kite was bestowed the Byron Nelson Award Kite was the Vardon Trophy winner in 1981 and 1982. In 1984, Kite was inducted into the University of Texas at Austin's Longhorns Hall of Honor. In 1989, he was named PGA of America Player of the Year. In 2004, Kite was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Amateur wins 1972 NCAA Championship (individual; tie with Ben Crenshaw)
Professional wins (37) PGA Tour wins (19) Legend Major championships (1) Players Championships (1) Tour Championships (1) Other PGA Tour (16) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Jun 6, 1976IVB-Bicentennial Golf Classic−7 (71-70-70-66=277)Playoff Terry Diehl2Sep 4, 1978B.C. Open−17 (66-65-68-68=267)5 strokes Mark Hayes3Mar 8, 1981American Motors Inverrary Classic−14 (69-68-68-69=274)1 stroke Jack Nicklaus4Mar 7, 1982Bay Hill Classic−6 (69-70-70-69=278)Playoff Jack Nicklaus, Denis Watson5Feb 6, 1983Bing Crosby National Pro-Am −12 (69-72-62-73=276)2 strokes Rex Caldwell, Calvin Peete6Mar 11, 1984Doral-Eastern Open−16 (68-69-70-65=272)2 strokes Jack Nicklaus7Jun 24, 1984Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf Classic−19 (69-67-66-67=269)5 strokes Don Pooley8May 5, 1985MONY Tournament of Champions−13 (64-72-70-69=275)6 strokes Mark McCumber9Aug 3, 1986Western Open−2 (70-75-73-68=286)Playoff Fred Couples, David Frost, Nick Price10Jun 7, 1987Kemper Open−14 (64-69-68-69=270)7 strokes Chris Perry, Howard Twitty 11Mar 12, 1989Nestle Invitational (2)−6 (68-72-67-71=278)Playoff Davis Love III12Mar 19, 1989The Players Championship−9 (69-70-69-71=279)1 stroke Chip Beck13Oct 29, 1989Nabisco Championship−8 (69-65-74-68=276)Playoff Payne Stewart14Aug 5, 1990Federal Express St. Jude Classic−15 (72-68-62-67=269)Playoff John Cook15Jan 6, 1991Infiniti Tournament of Champions (2)−16 (68-67-68-69=272)1 stroke Lanny Wadkins16May 10, 1992BellSouth Classic (2)−16 (70-65-72-65=272)3 strokes Jay Don Blake17Jun 21, 1992U.S. Open−3 (71-72-70-72=285)2 strokes Jeff Sluman 18Feb 14, 1993Bob Hope Chrysler Classic −35 (67-67-64-65-62=325)6 strokes Rick Fehr19Feb 28, 1993Nissan Los Angeles Open−7 (73-66-67=206)3 strokes Dave Barr, Fred Couples, Donnie Hammond, Payne Stewart
PGA Tour playoff record (6–4) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11976IVB-Bicentennial Golf Classic Terry DiehlWon with par on fifth extra hole 21982Bob Hope Desert Classic Ed FioriLost to birdie on second extra hole31982Bay Hill Classic Jack Nicklaus, Denis WatsonWon with birdie on first extra hole41986 Western Open Fred Couples, David Frost, Nick PriceWon with birdie on first extra hole51988 Kemper Open Morris HatalskyLost to par on second extra hole61988Nabisco Championship Curtis StrangeLost to birdie on second extra hole71989Nestle Invitational Davis Love IIIWon with par on second extra hole81989Nabisco Championship Payne StewartWon with par on second extra hole91990Federal Express St. Jude Classic John CookWon with birdie on first extra hole101992Bob Hope Chrysler Classic John Cook, Rick Fehr, Mark O'Meara, Gene SauersCook won with eagle on fourth extra holeFehr eliminated by birdie on second holeKite and O'Meara eliminated by birdie on first hole
European Tour wins (3) Legend Major championships (1) Other European Tour (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Sep 7, 1980European Open Championship−8 (71-67-71-75=284)1 stroke Lon Hinkle, Leonard Thompson2Jun 21, 1992U.S. Open−3 (71-72-70-72=285)2 strokes Jeff Sluman 3Oct 13, 1996Oki Pro-Am−15 (71-68-64-70=273)1 stroke Ángel Cabrera
New Zealand Golf Circuit wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up1Nov 17, 1974City of Auckland Classic−16 (66-67-68-67=268)7 strokes Stewart Ginn
Other wins (5) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Dec 6, 1981JCPenney Mixed Team Classic(with Beth Daniel)−18 (69-67-64-70=270)2 strokes Vance Heafner and Cathy Morse2Nov 8, 1987Kirin Cup Individual Trophy−16 (68-69-66-69=272)1 stroke Payne Stewart3Aug 25, 1992Fred Meyer Challenge(with Billy Andrade)−16 (64-64=128)2 strokes Steve Pate and Corey Pavin4Nov 22, 1992Franklin Funds Shark Shootout(with Davis Love III)−25 (65-69-59=191)1 stroke Billy Ray Brown and Nick Price, Fred Couples and Raymond Floyd, Hale Irwin and Bruce Lietzke5Nov 17, 1996Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout (2)(with Jay Haas)−29 (67-60-60=187)2 strokes Hale Irwin and Lee Janzen, Craig Stadler and Lanny Wadkins
Other playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11992PGA Grand Slam of Golf Nick PriceLost to par on first extra hole
Champions Tour wins (10) LegendChampions Tour major championships (1)Other Champions Tour (9) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Apr 2, 2000 The Countrywide Tradition−8 (68-70-71-71=280)Playoff Larry Nelson, Tom Watson2Jun 11, 2000SBC Senior Open−9 (71-68-68=207)2 strokes Bruce Fleisher3Sep 30, 2001 Gold Rush Classic−22 (65-62-67=194)1 stroke Allen Doyle4Jan 20, 2002 MasterCard Championship −17 (63-69-67=199)6 strokes John Jacobs5Mar 3, 2002SBC Senior Classic−4 (74-69-69=212)Playoff Tom Watson6Oct 13, 2002Napa Valley Championship−12 (66-66-72=204)1 stroke Bruce Fleisher, Fred Gibson7Aug 8, 2004 3M Championship−13 (65-69-69=203)1 stroke Craig Stadler8Mar 12, 2006AT&T Classic−12 (70-64-70=204)5 strokes Gil Morgan9Aug 20, 2006Boeing Greater Seattle Classic−15 (71-64-66=201)Playoff Keith Fergus10Aug 24, 2008Boeing Classic (2)−14 (69-67-66=202)2 strokes Scott Simpson
Champions Tour playoff record (3–2) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result12000The Countrywide Tradition Larry Nelson, Tom WatsonWon with birdie on sixth extra holeNelson eliminated by par on second hole22002SBC Senior Classic Tom WatsonWon with par on second extra hole32006Boeing Greater Seattle Classic Keith FergusWon with birdie on first extra hole42007Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf Jay HaasLost to par on first extra hole52008ACE Group Classic Brad Bryant, Scott Hoch, Tom JenkinsHoch won with birdie on first extra hole
Major championships Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 1992 U.S. Open 1 shot deficit −3 (71-72-70-72=285) 2 strokes Jeff Sluman
Results timeline Tournament1970197119721973197419751976197719781979Masters TournamentT42T27T10T5T3T185U.S. OpenCUTT19T8CUTCUTT27T20CUTThe Open ChampionshipT5T2T30PGA ChampionshipT39T33T13T13CUTT35
Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989Masters TournamentT6T5T5T2T6CUTT2T2444T18U.S. OpenCUTT2029T20CUT13T35T46T36T9The Open ChampionshipT27CUTT29T22T8CUTT72T20T19PGA ChampionshipT20T4T9T67T34T12T26T10T4T34
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999Masters TournamentT1456CUT4CUTCUT238U.S. OpenT56T371CUTT33T67T82T68T43T60The Open ChampionshipCUTT44T19T14T8T58T27T10T38PGA ChampionshipT40T52T21T56T9T54CUT5CUTCUT
Tournament20002001200220032004Masters TournamentCUTU.S. OpenT32T5CUTCUTT57The Open ChampionshipT70PGA ChampionshipT19CUT
CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1982 Open Championship) "T" indicates a tie for a place.
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 3 1 9 12 16 26 21U.S. Open 1 0 0 2 4 9 33 24The Open Championship 0 1 0 2 5 10 22 19PGA Championship 0 0 0 3 6 12 28 23Totals 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 Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 1989 The Players Championship 1 shot deficit −9 (69-70-69-71=279) 1 stroke Chip Beck
Results timeline Tournament197419751976197719781979The Players ChampionshipT19T40T17CUTT28T9 Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989The Players ChampionshipT31T27T27T51T64T4T9T111 Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999The Players ChampionshipT5CUTT35CUTT9T43CUTCUTT25T77 Tournament200020012002The Players ChampionshipT66T44T36
CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place.
Senior major championships Wins (1) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunners-up 2000 The Countrywide Tradition −8 (66-71-71-72=280) Playoff Larry Nelson, Tom Watson
Results timeline Results not in chronological order before 2021. Tournament 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009The Tradition1T24T7T2T4T36T4T4T18T11Senior PGA ChampionshipT2T23T15T10T121T10T40T7T13T14U.S. Senior Open3153T12T3T37T55T22T12CUTSenior Players Championship6T10T10T2T7T39T9T25T21T47Senior British Open Championship–––4T2CUTT10T10T16T8