Tom Kite

Tom Kite's career is defined by remarkable consistency. Whether week-to-week or year-to-year, his performance rarely faltered, earning him over $9 million in PGA Tour winnings.

Hailing from Austin, Texas, Kite graduated a year before Ben Crenshaw. Both were mentored by Harvey Penick and jointly claimed the 1972 NCAA Championship.

After joining the PGA Tour in 1973, Kite quickly demonstrated his reliability by making the cut in 31 out of 34 tournaments. Though a consistent earner, he only secured two wins before 1980.

1981 marked a turning point for Kite, despite securing just one tournament victory. He achieved an impressive 21 top-10 finishes in 26 events, topped the earnings list, and clinched the first of back-to-back Vardon Trophies.

From 1981 to 1993, Kite consistently won at least one tournament each year, except for 1988. Highlights included three wins in 1989, earning him his second money title, and multiple victories in 1984, 1992, and 1993, bringing his career total to 19 wins. He remained a top 10 earner in all but three of those 14 years.

For much of his career, Kite's only major setback was his inability to win a major championship. This changed in 1992 when he triumphed at the U.S. Open, shooting a steady even-par 72 on the final day at Pebble Beach despite harsh winds that challenged other competitors.

Before his 1992 victory, Kite's closest major opportunity came at the 1989 U.S. Open at Oak Hill, where he led after three rounds but faltered with a 78 on the final day. He was a consistent contender at the Masters, securing 10 top-10 finishes between 1975 and 1986, including second-place finishes in 1983 and 1986.

Standing at 5'8'', Kite doesn't rely on power to dominate courses, though his driving distance exceeds expectations for his size. Renowned for his exceptional short game and putting skills, he has faced challenges on the greens in recent years.

Despite earning close to $10 million over 25 years on the Tour, Kite sees golf more as a pastime than a job. "Golf has never felt like work to me," he remarked. "You don't work at golf; you play it."

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