Jerry Pate

Last updated
Jerry Pate
Jerry Pate 1974.jpg
Pate after winning the 1974 U.S. Amateur Championship
Personal information
Full nameJerome Kendrick Pate
Born (1953-09-16) September 16, 1953 (age 70)
Macon, Georgia
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight180 lb (82 kg; 13 st)
Sporting nationalityFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Residence Pensacola, Florida
Spouse
Soozi Nelson Pate
(m. 1975)
[1] [2]
Children3
Career
College University of Alabama
Turned professional1975
Current tour(s) PGA Tour Champions
Former tour(s) PGA Tour
Professional wins15
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour8
Japan Golf Tour2
PGA Tour Champions2
Other3
Best results in major championships
(wins: 1)
Masters Tournament T3: 1982
PGA Championship 2nd: 1978
U.S. Open Won: 1976
The Open Championship T15: 1977

Jerome Kendrick Pate (born September 16, 1953) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour Champions, formerly on the PGA Tour. As a 22-year-old rookie, he won the U.S. Open in 1976. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Early life

Born in Macon, Georgia, [7] Pate grew up in the panhandle of Florida at Pensacola. [1] [8]

Amateur career

He attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and played on its Crimson Tide golf team. He had a distinguished amateur career with a win at the U.S. Amateur in 1974, [9] [10] [11] and was a member of victorious U.S. teams at the Eisenhower Trophy competition later that year and for the Walker Cup in May 1975 at St Andrews in Scotland. [12] A few weeks later, he tied Walker Cup teammate Jay Haas of Wake Forest for low amateur at the U.S. Open, finishing in a six-way tie for eighteenth place at Medinah, outside Chicago. [13] [14]

Professional career

Pate turned professional in 1975. [7] Late in the year he was the medalist at Fall 1975 PGA Tour Qualifying School. [15] [16] During his rookie season he won the 1976 U.S. Open. [3] [4] [5] He also won the Canadian Open that year. Pate closed with a 63 (-7) to defeat runner-up Jack Nicklaus by four strokes. [17] [18] Pate was selected as the Rookie of the Year and Co-Player of the Year.

Six more tour victories followed in ensuing years as well as several other titles around the world. He was a member of the victorious Ryder Cup team in 1981 but shoulder injuries curtailed his career. His final win on the PGA Tour came at age 28. [19] That final victory was at the 1982 Tournament Players Championship, the first held at TPC at Sawgrass. Pate celebrated by throwing course designer Pete Dye and PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman into the lake adjacent to the 18th green, then jumped in himself. [20] [21] [22] He had also jumped in the water after a victory the previous June, after going nearly three years without a win. [23] [24]

Later career

Pate later served as a golf broadcaster for ABC, CBS, and BBC. He also set up a golf course design practice and a turf and irrigation company. [19] He designed the Kiva Dunes in 1995 and the Ol' Colony Golf Complex in 2000, [25] which is the home course for the Alabama Crimson Tide golf team. In 2006, he earned his first Champions Tour win at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. Pate has been forced by health problems, including arthroscopic left-knee surgery in 2010, to begin limiting his Champions Tour appearances. [19]

Personal life

In the late 1990s, Pate returned to the University of Alabama to complete his bachelor's degree in administrative science. [7] His daughter, Jenni, received her degree at the same graduation ceremony in 2001. [19]

Amateur wins

Professional wins (15)

PGA Tour wins (8)

Legend
Major championships (1)
Players Championships (1)
Other PGA Tour (6)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1Jun 20, 1976 U.S. Open 71-69-69-68=277−32 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Al Geiberger, Flag of the United States.svg Tom Weiskopf
2Jul 25, 1976 Canadian Open 69-67-68-63=267−134 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus
3Jan 9, 1977 Phoenix Open 67-67-70-73=277−7Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Dave Stockton
4Oct 23, 1977 Southern Open 64-67-69-66=266−147 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Phil Hancock, Flag of the United States.svg Mac McLendon,
Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Miller, Flag of the United States.svg Steve Taylor
5Sep 10, 1978 Southern Open (2)67-67-66-69=269−111 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Phil Hancock
6Jun 28, 1981 Danny Thomas Memphis Classic 69-70-66-69=274−142 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tom Kite, Flag of the United States.svg Bruce Lietzke
7Oct 18, 1981 Pensacola Open 66-69-65-71=271−173 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Steve Melnyk
8Mar 21, 1982 Tournament Players Championship 70-73-70-67=280−82 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Brad Bryant, Flag of the United States.svg Scott Simpson

PGA Tour playoff record (1–2)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
1 1977 Phoenix Open Flag of the United States.svg Dave Stockton Won with birdie on first extra hole
2 1978 PGA Championship Flag of the United States.svg John Mahaffey, Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson Mahaffey won with birdie on second extra hole
3 1980 Sea Pines Heritage Flag of the United States.svg Doug Tewell Lost to par on first extra hole

PGA of Japan Tour wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1Oct 10, 1976 Taiheiyo Club Masters 70-70-68-71=279−52 strokes Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg Isao Aoki
2Nov 9, 1980 ABC Japan vs USA Golf Matches 70-69-72-65=276−121 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Tom Purtzer, Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg Norio Suzuki

South American Golf Circuit wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1Nov 23, 1980 Brazil Open 69-70-69-66=274−10Playoff Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg Manuel Piñero
2Dec 13, 1981 Colombian Open 64-67-66-65=262−2621 strokes Flag of Colombia.svg Luis Arevalo

Other wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runners-up
1Dec 4, 1977 Pepsi-Cola Mixed Team Championship
(with Flag of the United States.svg Hollis Stacy)
61-70-69-70=270−181 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Lopez and Flag of the United States.svg Curtis Strange

Champions Tour wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runners-up
1Feb 26, 2006 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am 68-68-66=202−111 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Morris Hatalsky, Flag of the United States.svg Hale Irwin,
Flag of England.svg Mark James
2Jan 27, 2008 Turtle Bay Championship 71-70-70=211−52 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Fulton Allem, Flag of the United States.svg Jim Thorpe

Champions Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
1 2005 Senior PGA Championship Flag of the United States.svg Dana Quigley, Flag of the United States.svg Mike Reid Reid won with birdie on first extra hole

Major championships

Wins (1)

YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunners-up
1976 U.S. Open 2 shot deficit−3 (71-69-69-68=277)2 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Al Geiberger, Flag of the United States.svg Tom Weiskopf

Results timeline

Tournament19751976197719781979
Masters Tournament 37T14T18T41
U.S. Open T18 LA1CUTT16T2
The Open Championship CUTT15WDT26
PGA Championship T45T2T5
Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
Masters Tournament T6T5T3
U.S. Open CUTT26CUTCUTCUTWDCUT
The Open Championship T16T19WD
PGA Championship T10T11T9T23CUT
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open CUT
The Open Championship
PGA Championship CUT
Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open Championship
PGA Championship CUT
Tournament20102011
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open Championship
PGA Championship CUT
  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1976 Open Championship)
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament 00123577
U.S. Open 110224135
The Open Championship 00000374
PGA Championship 010468128
Totals121411203924

The Players Championship

Wins (1)

YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunners-up
1982 Tournament Players Championship 3 shot deficit−8 (70-73-70-67=280)2 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Brad Bryant, Flag of the United States.svg Scott Simpson

Results timeline

Tournament197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992
The Players Championship T17T20CUTT451CUTT64CUTCUTCUTCUT
  Win
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

Professional

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 McKenzie, Mike (June 21, 1976). "Soozi sunshine". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 11.
  2. Deason, Lauren (February 13, 2008). "Love stories from the Tour". PGA Tour. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Jenkins, Dan (June 28, 1976). "You were great, Jerry Pate". Sports Illustrated. p. 18.
  4. 1 2 Husar, John (June 21, 1976). "Rookie Pate beats odds, wins Open". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 6.
  5. 1 2 Mizell, Hubert (June 21, 1976). "Pate clinches Open on perfect shot". St. Petersburg Times. (Florida). p. 1C.
  6. McKenzie, Mike (June 21, 1976). "Drama got it!". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). p. 1.
  7. 1 2 3 "PGA Tour Profile – Jerry Pate". PGA Tour. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  8. "Pate: something extra in Pensacola". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. (Florida). Associated Press. October 27, 1977. p. 3C.
  9. Tomashek, Tom (September 1, 1974). "Pate defeats Grace in U.S. Amateur". Chicago Tribune. p. 4, sec.3.
  10. "Pate rallies by Grace". Sunday Star-News. (Wilmington, North Carolina). UPI. September 1, 1974. p. 1C.
  11. "Collegian Jerry Pate wins amateur crown". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. September 1, 1974. p. 3, sports.
  12. "U.S. retains Walker Cup". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. May 30, 1975. p. 4, sec. 4.
  13. Tomashek, Tom (June 23, 1975). "Graham, Mahaffey in Open playoff". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 4.
  14. "Medinah showdown". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). Associated Press. June 23, 1975. p. 9.
  15. "Golf: PGA Fall Qualifying at Orlando, Fla". Chicago Tribune. November 9, 1975. p. 10, sec. 3.
  16. "PGA Tour career". Jerry Pate's official site. Archived from the original on April 30, 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  17. "Pate shoots 63 to beat Nicklaus". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. July 26, 1976. p. 6, sec. 6.
  18. "Jerry Pate adds another national title". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). Associated Press. July 26, 1976. p. 7.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "PGA Tour Media Guide – Jerry Pate" . Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  20. "Pate charges at end, then takes cool dip". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). Associated Press. March 22, 1982. p. 9.
  21. Jenkins, Dan (March 29, 1982). "Last one in is a winner". Sports Illustrated. p. 24.
  22. "In the swim of things". Chicago Tribune. March 22, 1982. p. 4, sec. 4.
  23. "Pate ends drought with Memphis swim". Chicago Tribune. June 29, 1981. p. 2, sec. 4.
  24. "The dry spell ends with a splash for Jerry Pate". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 29, 1981. p. 5C.
  25. "Jerry Pate Golf Course Design" . Retrieved April 29, 2011.