History of Matt Kuchar in Timeline
Matt Kuchar is a professional golfer from the United States who has won nine PGA Tour events. After a strong start to his career in the early 2000s, he went through a period of decline before reinventing his swing in 2008 and regaining his PGA Tour card. In 2010, Kuchar had his best season on the PGA Tour, winning the money title.
1904: Last Olympic Golf Medal
Prior to Kuchar's win, the last time an Olympic medal was awarded in golf was in 1904.
June 21, 1978: Birth of Matt Kuchar
On June 21, 1978, Matt Kuchar was born in Winter Park, Florida to Peter and Meg Kuchar.
1997: Kuchar Wins U.S. Amateur Championship
Matt Kuchar won the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1997, showcasing his exceptional golfing skills.
1998: Kuchar Receives Haskins Award
Matt Kuchar received the prestigious Haskins Award in 1998, recognizing him as the nation's top collegiate golfer.
November 2000: Kuchar Turns Pro
Matt Kuchar officially turned professional in November 2000, beginning his journey in professional golf after a short stint at a financial services company.
2000: Kuchar Turns Professional
After graduating with a degree in management, Matt Kuchar decided to turn professional in 2000.
2001: Kuchar Earns PGA Tour Exemptions
Kuchar received sponsor exemptions to participate in PGA Tour tournaments in 2001, where he performed well enough to secure full exemption for the following season.
2002: Kuchar Earns Full PGA Tour Exemption
Kuchar's performance in 2001 earned him full exemption on the PGA Tour for the 2002 season.
2002: Kuchar's First PGA Tour Win
Matt Kuchar celebrated his first victory on the PGA Tour at the Honda Classic in 2002.
2005: Kuchar Struggles, Loses Tour Card
In 2005, Matt Kuchar faced challenges on the PGA Tour, finishing 159th on the money list and consequently losing his tour card.
2006: Kuchar Wins on Nationwide Tour
Competing on the Nationwide Tour in 2006, Matt Kuchar emerged victorious at the Henrico County Open.
2007: Kuchar Regains PGA Tour Card
Matt Kuchar successfully earned back his PGA Tour card for the 2007 season by finishing tenth on the Nationwide Tour money list.
2008: Kuchar Revamps Swing
In 2008, Kuchar rebuilt his swing, transitioning to a one-plane swing that improved his game.
2008: Kuchar Retains PGA Tour Card
Kuchar maintained his position on the PGA Tour in 2008 by finishing 70th on the money list.
2009: Kuchar Wins Turning Stone Resort Championship
Matt Kuchar secured his second PGA Tour victory at the Turning Stone Resort Championship in 2009, defeating Vaughn Taylor in a playoff.
2010: Kuchar Makes Ryder Cup Team, Wins The Barclays, and Earns Multiple Awards
In 2010, Kuchar secured a spot on the Ryder Cup team, clinched victory at The Barclays, and received prestigious accolades like the Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award.
2010: Kuchar Leads PGA Tour in Earnings
Matt Kuchar emerged as the leading money winner on the PGA Tour in 2010.
June 2011: Kuchar Achieves High Ranking
Kuchar's strong performance at the Memorial Tournament, where he finished tied for second, propelled him to his highest ranking to date, reaching number six in the world.
2011: Kuchar Starts Strong
Matt Kuchar began the 2011 season with a series of impressive top-10 finishes in the first three weeks.
2012: Kuchar Wins The Players Championship
Matt Kuchar achieved a significant milestone in 2012 by winning The Players Championship, a prestigious event on the PGA Tour.
February 2013: Kuchar Wins WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship
In February 2013, Matt Kuchar secured his first World Golf Championship victory by defeating Hunter Mahan in the final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
2013: 2013 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play
In 2013, Kuchar achieved victory at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
2013: Kuchar Wins WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and Memorial Tournament
Matt Kuchar had a successful 2013, securing victories at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and the Memorial Tournament.
2015: Kuchar's Top Performances
In 2015, Kuchar's best performances included a fifth-place finish at the RBC Heritage and a tie for seventh at the PGA Championship.
2016: Kuchar Wins Olympic Bronze
Continuing his strong form, Kuchar earned a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
2017: 2017 PGA Tour Season
During the 2017 PGA Tour season, Kuchar participated in 26 events, making the cut in 22. He achieved nine top-10 finishes, including a tie for fourth at the Masters, marking his fourth top-10 finish in the prestigious tournament. Notably, he shared the first-round lead with Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth at the Open Championship, maintaining solo second place behind Spieth in the subsequent rounds. Although he held a one-stroke lead with five holes remaining after Spieth's performance on the 13th hole, Spieth's remarkable five-under-par finish in the last five holes secured his victory by three strokes over Kuchar. Kuchar finished three strokes ahead of third-place finisher Li Haotong. He concluded the year in 14th place in the FedEx Cup standings and represented the United States in the President's Cup, contributing to the team's win with a 2–1 record.
2017: Kuchar Places Second at The Open Championship
In 2017, Matt Kuchar came close to winning a major championship, finishing second at The Open Championship held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.
November 11, 2018: 2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic
On November 11, 2018, Kuchar emerged victorious at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Cancun, Mexico, which was part of the 2018–19 PGA Tour season. He secured a winner's prize of $1.296 million but sparked controversy for paying his caddie, David Giral Ortiz, a total of $5,000, significantly lower than the customary 10% of the winnings. Ortiz was a last-minute replacement and had agreed to a flat fee for a top-10 finish. Kuchar's actions drew criticism, leading him to offer an additional $15,000 to Ortiz, which he declined.
2018: Wyndham Rewards Top 10 Award Ceremony
At the 2018 Wyndham Rewards Top 10 award ceremony, which celebrated the top 10 players in the FedEx Cup standings, Rory McIlroy humorously referenced the caddie payment controversy involving Kuchar. After Kuchar lightheartedly commented on McIlroy's narrow 2-point margin for an additional $300,000, McIlroy retorted, "And we all know what money means to him," alluding to the earlier controversy.
2018: 2018 Ryder Cup
U.S. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk appointed Matt Kuchar as a non-playing vice-captain for the U.S. team in the 2018 Ryder Cup, hosted at Le Golf National near Paris, France. Despite Kuchar's contributions in a leadership role, the U.S. team faced defeat against the European team with a final score of 17 1/2 to 10 1/2.
February 15, 2019: Caddie Payment Controversy Resolution
On February 15, 2019, following significant public scrutiny regarding his caddie payment at the Mayakoba Golf Classic, Kuchar issued an apology and agreed to pay Ortiz the requested $50,000. He also pledged an unspecified donation to charities in Cancun, Mexico.
March 31, 2019: 2019 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play
On March 31, 2019, Kuchar advanced to the championship round of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, marking his second appearance in the final since his 2013 title win. He finished as runner-up, losing to Kevin Kisner with a score of 3 & 2.
December 2019: 2019 Presidents Cup
Kuchar represented the U.S. team at the 2019 Presidents Cup held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia in December 2019. The U.S. team secured victory with a score of 16–14. Despite going 0–1–3 in the tournament, Kuchar showcased his resilience by rallying from a 3-down deficit against Louis Oosthuizen, ultimately halving the match in Sunday singles and sinking the winning putt on the 17th hole.
