Derek Ernst

Last updated

Derek Ernst
Personal information
Born (1990-05-16) May 16, 1990 (age 34)
Woodland, California
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st)
Sporting nationalityFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Residence Dallas, Texas
SpouseLaney Ernst
Children2
Career
College UNLV
Turned professional2012
Current tour(s) PGA Tour
(past champion status)
Korn Ferry Tour
Professional wins1
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour1
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament CUT: 2014
PGA Championship CUT: 2013
U.S. Open DNP
The Open Championship DNP

Derek Ernst (born May 16, 1990) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He earned his first PGA Tour victory at the 2013 Wells Fargo Championship.

Contents

Early life and amateur career

Ernst was born in Woodland, California to Mark and Dawn Ernst. He attended Clovis East High School in Clovis, California and played college golf at UNLV, where he was a four-time All-American and was twice named Mountain West Conference player of the year. [1] [2] [3] He was runner-up at the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links championship, losing the final on the 37th hole to Clemson's Corbin Mills. [4] Ernst represented the United States at the 2012 Palmer Cup, and he turned pro following the 2012 U.S. Amateur. [5] [6]

Professional career

Ernst made his professional debut at the 2012 Frys.com Open, where he finished T-41. [2] [7] He earned a 2013 PGA Tour card through qualifying school, surviving all four stages. He finished T-59 in his season debut at the Sony Open in Hawaii. After missing the cut in each of his next five starts, he rehired Aaron Terry, his first golf instructor, as his caddy. Ernst finished T-47 in his next event, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. [8] In May, he notched his first PGA Tour victory at the Wells Fargo Championship, defeating David Lynn in a playoff.

Ernst was the fourth alternate and 1,207th in the world rankings at the start of the week. He was scheduled to play on the Web.com Tour's Stadion Classic at UGA when he received a last-minute call that tee times were available; a number of golfers withdrew due to weather and unfavorable course conditions. The win also moved Ernst from 196th to 32nd in the FedEx Cup standings, and earned him entry into The Players Championship as the final guaranteed entrant, the 2013 PGA Championship, and the 2014 Masters Tournament, plus a PGA Tour exemption through 2015. Ernst was the second consecutive Q school graduate to win, following Billy Horschel's win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He also skyrocketed to 123rd in the Official World Golf Ranking and was the first alternate to win a PGA Tour event since Wes Short Jr.'s victory at the 2005 Michelin Championship at Las Vegas.

Personal life

Ernst has two sisters, Brianna and Shawna. He has blurry vision in his right eye as the result of an injury he sustained in the second grade. Using a children's tool set at home while making a Valentine's Day present for his mother, a shard of PVC bounced up and cut his eye, requiring 10 stitches. Scar tissue remains in the eye and his depth perception is poor. [9]

Professional wins (1)

PGA Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1May 5, 2013 Wells Fargo Championship 67-71-72-70=280−8Playoff Flag of England.svg David Lynn

PGA Tour playoff record (1–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
1 2013 Wells Fargo Championship Flag of England.svg David Lynn Won with par on first extra hole

Results in major championships

Tournament20132014
Masters Tournament CUT
U.S. Open
The Open Championship
PGA Championship CUT
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament20132014
The Players Championship CUTCUT

CUT = missed the halfway cut

Results in World Golf Championships

Tournament2013
Match Play
Championship
Invitational T57
Champions T61
  Did not play

"T" = Tied

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Moore (golfer)</span> American professional golfer

Ryan David Moore is an American professional golfer, currently playing on the PGA Tour. He had a highly successful amateur career, winning the NCAA Individual Championship, the U.S. Amateur Public Links, and the U.S. Amateur in 2004. Since turning professional in 2005 he has won five titles on the PGA Tour as of the 2016 season and earned rankings inside the top thirty in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Lynn (golfer)</span> English professional golfer

David Anthony Lynn is an English professional golfer who played mainly on the European Tour, but took up full-time membership on the PGA Tour for the 2013 season.

Jonathan Currie Byrd is an American professional golfer. He was the 2002 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, and has won five times on the PGA Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucas Glover</span> American professional golfer

Lucas Hendley Glover is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. He is best known for winning the 2009 U.S. Open.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rickie Fowler</span> American professional golfer (born 1988)

Rick Yutaka Fowler is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He was the number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008. On January 24, 2016, he reached a career high fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking following his victory in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. He is one of only 4 golfers to shoot 62 in a major championship, achieving the feat at the 2023 U.S. Open, played at the Los Angeles Country Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Webb Simpson</span> American professional golfer

James Frederick Webb Simpson is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour who won the 2012 U.S. Open and the 2018 Players Championship.

William John Horschel is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.

Russell Chapin Henley is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">An Byeong-hun</span> South Korean professional golfer

An Byeong-hun, also known as Byeong-Hun An or Ben An, is a South Korean professional golfer. In August 2009, he became the youngest-ever winner of the U.S. Amateur.

Peter Uihlein is an American professional golfer who formerly played on the PGA Tour and the European Tour and now plays in the LIV Golf League. He was a member of the victorious U.S. team at the 2009 Walker Cup, where he compiled a 4–0 match record. Uihlein won the 2010 U.S. Amateur and is a former number one ranked amateur golfer in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Homa</span> American professional golfer (born 1990)

John Maxwell Homa is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. In college, he won the individual 2013 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship. As a professional, he has won six times on the PGA Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrrell Hatton</span> English professional golfer

Tyrrell Glen Hatton is an English professional golfer. He has played on the European Tour and the PGA Tour, winning six times on the former, including four Rolex Series events. He also has one win on the PGA Tour at the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational, and has played on three Ryder Cup teams, winning twice. In 2024, he joined LIV Golf and plays on the Legion XIII team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Berger (golfer)</span> American professional golfer (born 1993)

Daniel F. Berger is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. After turning pro at age 20 in 2013, he won the FedEx St. Jude Classic in both 2016 and 2017 and the Charles Schwab Challenge in 2020, the first PGA Tour tournament played after a three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2021, he won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am; clinching victory with an eagle on the 18th hole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryson DeChambeau</span> American professional golfer (born 1993)

Bryson James Aldrich DeChambeau is an American professional golfer who plays on the LIV Golf League. He formerly played on the PGA Tour, and has won two major championships, the 2020 and 2024 U.S. Open.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collin Morikawa</span> American professional golfer (born 1997)

Collin Morikawa is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He began his PGA Tour career with 22 consecutive made cuts, second only to Tiger Woods' 25-cut streak. Morikawa has six PGA Tour wins – including two major championships, the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship, winning both in his debut. In May 2018, Morikawa spent three weeks as the top-ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He also became the first American to win the Race to Dubai on the European Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xander Schauffele</span> American professional golfer (born 1993)

Alexander Victor Schauffele is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He won the Tour Championship in 2017 and the gold medal at the men's individual golf event of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He has won two major championships, both in the same year, the 2024 PGA Championship and the 2024 Open Championship.

Robert Shelton IV is an American professional golfer from Mobile, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottie Scheffler</span> American professional golfer (born 1996)

Scott Alexander Scheffler is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He is currently ranked world number one, first reaching the position in the Official World Golf Ranking in March 2022, and has held that ranking for over 90 weeks. He has won two major championships, both the 2022 and 2024 Masters Tournament. He became the first player to win The Players Championship in back-to-back years in 2023 and 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Zalatoris</span> American professional golfer (born 1996)

William Patrick Zalatoris is an American professional golfer. He has competed primarily on the PGA Tour, where he has won once, at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship. He also has three runner-up finishes in major championships.

Davis Riley is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.

References

  1. "Player Profile". Golfweek . Archived from the original on September 25, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Ex-Clovis East star Derek Ernst shoots 65 in PGA Tour debut". Fresno Bee . October 12, 2012. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  3. Wollard, Jeff (September 29, 2011). "UNLV men's golf opens year with flair". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  4. "Medalist Mills of Clemson tops Ernst of UNLV to win U.S. Public Links". PGA of America. Associated Press . Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  5. "Barber, Williams, Yun back on US Palmer Cup squad". Golf Digest . April 25, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  6. Martin, Sean (December 3, 2012). "Q-School: Player-by-player look at 26 graduates". Golfweek . Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  7. Fine, Larry (May 5, 2013). "Rookie Ernst beats Lynn in playoff at Quail Hollow". Chicago Tribune . Reuters . Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  8. Crouse, Karen (May 2, 2013). "A Tour Rookie Reaches Into His Past". The New York Times . Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  9. Scott, David (May 2, 2013). "PGA Tour rookie Derek Ernst has 'sweet' day at Quail Hollow". The Charlotte Observer . Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.