Trip Kuehne

Background

Kuehne was born in Dallas, Texas.

Education

But following his defeat at the 1994 United States. Amateur, Kuehne found he was unwilling to make the sacrifices demanded in a professional golfer"s life, and concentrated instead on a career in finance after graduating with an Master of Business Administration in 1997.

Career

He is most remembered for his defeat at the hands of Tiger Woods in the 1994 United States. Amateur, and his subsequent refusal to turn professional in favor of a successful amateur career. In 1994, Kuehne reached the final of the United States. Amateur at the TPC at Sawgrass, where his opponent was a heavily hyped eighteen-year-old Tiger Woods. After shooting 66 in the morning round, Kuehne had a six-hole advantage, and was five up with twelve holes remaining.

The defeat caused Kuehne to question his own commitment to the sport and whether he really was good enough to compete.

He has since said that he views the match a "blessing in disguise," although he says that he still will not watch footage of the match. Kuehne played in three Walker Cup teams for the United States, in 1995, 2003, and 2007.

He also played in four United States. Opens, where he was the lowest scoring amateur in 2003 at Olympia Fields Country Club. Thirteen years after his Masters Tournament debut as runner-up to Woods, he returned to the Augusta National Golf Club in 2008, this time by beating Dan Whitaker 9&7 at the 2007 United States. Mid-Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon to qualify.

The fulfillment of his ambition to "take my boy to the Masters", along with his other 2007 successes—he was on the winning Walker Cup team for the first time, and helped Texas retain the United States Golf Association state team title—led him to make Augusta the scene of his final competitive tournament before retirement.

Amateur Walker Cup: 1995, 2003, 2007 (winners) Eisenhower Trophy: 2006.

Achievements

• Kuehne was born in Dallas, Texas. As a pupil at Highland Park High School in Dallas, he was coached by Hank Haney, who later gained renown as Tiger Woods" swing coach after Woods and Butch Harmon split in 2002. Under Haney"s tutelage he won back-to-back Texas high school golf championships, an achievement shared with Justin Leonard, Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite. At college, he enrolled at Arizona State University, where he was the roommate of Philosophy Mickelson. He then transferred to Oklahoma State University, where he was All-American from 1994 to 1996 and won the 1995 Ben Hogan Award. But following his defeat at the 1994 United States. Amateur, Kuehne found he was unwilling to make the sacrifices demanded in a professional golfer"s life, and concentrated instead on a career in finance after graduating with an Master of Business Administration in 1997.