| Jerry Pate | |
|---|---|
 Pate after winning the 1974 U.S. Amateur | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Jerome Kendrick Pate |
| Born | September 16, 1953 Macon, Georgia, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 13 st) |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Residence | Pensacola, Florida, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Soozi Nelson Pate (m. 1975) |
| Children | 3 |
| Career | |
| College | University of Alabama |
| Turned professional | 1975 |
| Current tour | PGA Tour Champions |
| Former tour | PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 15 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 8 |
| Japan Golf Tour | 2 |
| PGA Tour Champions | 2 |
| Other | 3 |
| 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 |
| Signature | |
 | |
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]
Early life
Born in Macon, Georgia,[7] he was one of six children in his family. His father and grandfather got him into golf early and the family spent summers in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, playing golf.
At a young age, his family moved to Alabama, where Pate learned the game at Anniston Country Club. In 1967 his family moved to Florida because of Pate's fathers work.[8] Pate grew up in the panhandle of Florida in Pensacola.[1][9]
Amateur career
Pate attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and played on its Crimson Tide golf team.
Pate had a distinguished amateur career with a win at the U.S. Amateur in 1974,[10][11][12] and was a member of victorious U.S. teams at the Eisenhower Trophy competition, also winning individually, later that year and at the Walker Cup in May 1975 at St Andrews in Scotland.[13] 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.[14][15]
Professional career
In 1975, Pate turned professional.[7] Late in the year he was the medalist at Fall 1975 PGA Tour Qualifying School.[16][17] 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.[18][19]
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.[20] 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.[21][22][23] He had also jumped in the water after a victory the previous June, after going nearly three years without a win.[24][25]
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.[20] He designed the Kiva Dunes in 1995 and the Ol' Colony Golf Complex in 2000,[26] 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.
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.[20]
Awards and honors
- In 1994, Pate was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.[27]
- In 2023, Pate was inducted into the Florida State Golf Association Hall of Fame.[8]
- In 2025, Pate was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.[28]
Amateur wins
- 1974 U.S. Amateur, Florida Amateur[29]
Professional wins (15)
PGA Tour wins (8)
| Legend |
|---|
| Major championships (1) |
| Players Championships (1) |
| Other PGA Tour (6) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 20, 1976 | U.S. Open | 71-69-69-68=277 | −3 | 2 strokes |  Al Geiberger, Tom Weiskopf
|
| 2 | Jul 25, 1976 | Canadian Open | 69-67-68-63=267 | −13 | 4 strokes | Jack Nicklaus
|
| 3 | Jan 9, 1977 | Phoenix Open | 67-67-70-73=277 | −7 | Playoff | Dave Stockton
|
| 4 | Oct 23, 1977 | Southern Open | 64-67-69-66=266 | −14 | 7 strokes | Phil Hancock, Mac McLendon, Johnny Miller, Steve Taylor
|
| 5 | Sep 10, 1978 | Southern Open (2) | 67-67-66-69=269 | −11 | 1 stroke | Phil Hancock
|
| 6 | Jun 28, 1981 | Danny Thomas Memphis Classic | 69-70-66-69=274 | −14 | 2 strokes | Tom Kite, Bruce Lietzke
|
| 7 | Oct 18, 1981 | Pensacola Open | 66-69-65-71=271 | −17 | 3 strokes | Steve Melnyk
|
| 8 | Mar 21, 1982 | Tournament Players Championship | 70-73-70-67=280 | −8 | 2 strokes | Brad Bryant, Scott Simpson
|
PGA Tour playoff record (1–2)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1977 | Phoenix Open | Dave Stockton
|
Won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 2 | 1978 | PGA Championship | John Mahaffey, Tom Watson
|
Mahaffey won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 3 | 1980 | Sea Pines Heritage | Doug Tewell
|
Lost to par on first extra hole |
PGA of Japan Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 10, 1976 | Taiheiyo Club Masters | 70-70-68-71=279 | −5 | 2 strokes |  Isao Aoki
|
| 2 | Nov 9, 1980 | ABC Japan vs USA Golf Matches | 70-69-72-65=276 | −12 | 1 stroke | Tom Purtzer, Norio Suzuki
|
South American Golf Circuit wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 23, 1980 | Brazil Open | 69-70-69-66=274 | −10 | Playoff |  Manuel Piñero
|
| 2 | Dec 13, 1981 | Colombian Open | 64-67-66-65=262 | −26 | 21 strokes |  Luis Arevalo
|
Other wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 4, 1977 | Pepsi-Cola Mixed Team Championship (with Hollis Stacy)
|
61-70-69-70=270 | −18 | 1 stroke | Nancy Lopez and Curtis Strange
|
Champions Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feb 26, 2006 | Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am | 68-68-66=202 | −11 | 1 stroke | Morris Hatalsky, Hale Irwin, Mark James
|
| 2 | Jan 27, 2008 | Turtle Bay Championship | 71-70-70=211 | −5 | 2 strokes |  Fulton Allem, Jim Thorpe
|
Champions Tour playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponents | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005 | Senior PGA Championship | Dana Quigley, Mike Reid
|
Reid won with birdie on first extra hole |
Major championships
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | U.S. Open | 2 shot deficit | −3 (71-69-69-68=277) | 2 strokes | Al Geiberger, Tom Weiskopf
|
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 37 | T14 | T18 | T41 | |
| U.S. Open | T18 LA | 1 | CUT | T16 | T2 |
| The Open Championship | CUT | T15 | WD | T26 | |
| PGA Championship | T4 | 5 | T2 | T5 |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T6 | T5 | T3 | |||||||
| U.S. Open | CUT | T26 | CUT | CUT | CUT | WD | CUT | |||
| The Open Championship | T16 | T19 | WD | |||||||
| PGA Championship | T10 | T11 | T9 | T23 | CUT |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | ||||||||||
| U.S. Open | CUT | |||||||||
| The Open Championship | ||||||||||
| PGA Championship | CUT |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | ||||||||||
| U.S. Open | ||||||||||
| The Open Championship | ||||||||||
| PGA Championship | CUT |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | ||
| U.S. Open | ||
| The Open Championship | ||
| PGA Championship | CUT |
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
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 |
| U.S. Open | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 5 |
| The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 8 |
| Totals | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 20 | 39 | 24 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 7 (1980 Open Championship – 1982 Masters)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (twice)
The Players Championship
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Tournament Players Championship | 3 shot deficit | −8 (70-73-70-67=280) | 2 strokes | Brad Bryant, Scott Simpson
|
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Players Championship | T17 | T20 | CUT | T45 | 1 | CUT | T64 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT |
CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur
- Eisenhower Trophy: 1974 (team winners and joint individual leader)
- Walker Cup: 1975 (winners)
Professional
See also
References
- ^ a b McKenzie, Mike (June 21, 1976). "Soozi sunshine". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. p. 11.
- ^ Deason, Lauren (February 13, 2008). "Love stories from the Tour". PGA Tour. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ a b Jenkins, Dan (June 28, 1976). "You were great, Jerry Pate". Sports Illustrated. p. 18.
- ^ a b Husar, John (June 21, 1976). "Rookie Pate beats odds, wins Open". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 6.
- ^ a b Mizell, Hubert (June 21, 1976). "Pate clinches Open on perfect shot". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. p. 1C.
- ^ McKenzie, Mike (June 21, 1976). "Drama got it!". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. p. 1.
- ^ a b c "Jerry Pate". PGA Tour. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
- ^ a b "Jerry Pate". Florida State Golf Association. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- ^ "Pate: something extra in Pensacola". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Florida. Associated Press. October 27, 1977. p. 3C.
- ^ Tomashek, Tom (September 1, 1974). "Pate defeats Grace in U.S. Amateur". Chicago Tribune. p. 4, sec.3.
- ^ "Pate rallies by Grace". Sunday Star-News. Wilmington, North Carolina. UPI. September 1, 1974. p. 1C.
- ^ "Collegian Jerry Pate wins amateur crown". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. September 1, 1974. p. 3, sports.
- ^ "U.S. retains Walker Cup". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. May 30, 1975. p. 4, sec. 4.
- ^ Tomashek, Tom (June 23, 1975). "Graham, Mahaffey in Open playoff". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 4.
- ^ "Medinah showdown". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. Associated Press. June 23, 1975. p. 9.
- ^ "Golf: PGA Fall Qualifying at Orlando, Fla". Chicago Tribune. November 9, 1975. p. 10, sec. 3.
- ^ "PGA Tour career". Jerry Pate's official site. Archived from the original on April 30, 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
- ^ "Pate shoots 63 to beat Nicklaus". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. July 26, 1976. p. 6, sec. 6.
- ^ "Jerry Pate adds another national title". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. Associated Press. July 26, 1976. p. 7.
- ^ a b c "Jerry Pate". PGA Tour. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
- ^ "Pate charges at end, then takes cool dip". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. Associated Press. March 22, 1982. p. 9.
- ^ Jenkins, Dan (March 29, 1982). "Last one in is a winner". Sports Illustrated. p. 24.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "In the swim of things". Chicago Tribune. March 22, 1982. p. 4, sec. 4.
- ^ "Pate ends drought with Memphis swim". Chicago Tribune. June 29, 1981. p. 2, sec. 4.
- ^ "The dry spell ends with a splash for Jerry Pate". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. June 29, 1981. p. 5C.
- ^ "Jerry Pate Golf Course Design". Archived from the original on September 17, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
- ^ "Former Alabama Golfer Jerry Pate Named to Georgia State Golf Association Hall of Fame". Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- ^ "Former Alabama Golfer Jerry Pate Named to Georgia State Golf Association Hall of Fame". University of Alabama. March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- ^ "Jerry Pate". Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
External links
- Official website
- Jerry Pate at the PGA Tour official site
 | ||
Won: 18.5 – 9.5 | ||
- American male golfers
- Alabama Crimson Tide men's golfers
- PGA Tour golfers
- PGA Tour Champions golfers
- Ryder Cup competitors for the United States
- Winners of men's major golf championships
- American golf commentators
- American golf course architects
- Golfers from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Golfers from Florida
- Sportspeople from Macon, Georgia
- Sportspeople from Pensacola, Florida
- 1953 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American sportsmen
