Notah Begay III
Encyclopedia
Notah Ryan Begay III is an American
professional golf
er. He is the only full-blooded American Indian
(Navajo
/Pueblo
) golfer on the PGA Tour
. He is currently an analyst with the Golf Channel.
, and graduated from a private high school, the Albuquerque Academy
. He attended Stanford University
where he was a three-time All-American and a teammate of Tiger Woods
. He was a member of Stanford's 1994 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship
team. After graduation, Begay turned professional in 1995.
in the second round of the Nike Tour Dominion Open, to join the handful of golfers to ever shoot a 59 in a professional tournament. He placed tenth on the Nike Tour money list that year, earning a place on the PGA Tour
for 1999.
in doubt. In 2005, he played under a "Major Medical Exemption" with little success. In 2006, he played on the Nationwide Tour
. At the end of 2006, he successfully earned a card for the European Tour from their qualifying school. In December 2008, he regained his playing card for the 2009 PGA Tour season at Q-school.
Begay has been featured in the top 20 of the Official World Golf Rankings
. He successfully utilized a unique putting method. Using a putter with playing faces on both the front and back of the head, he putted right-to-left-breaking putts right-handed, and left-to-right-breaking putts left-handed. Begay is the first top player to use such a technique and putter.
incident. In this second incident, he drove into a parked car while leaving a bar in Albuquerque and was subsequently arrested. Begay was sentenced to 364 days in jail, with all but seven days suspended.
at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino, a skins golf match to raise money for the foundation. The five players for the tournament were Begay, Stewart Cink
, Vijay Singh
, Camilo Villegas
and Mike Weir
. On August 24, 2009 the foundation hosted its second annual Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino.
PGA Tour playoff record (1-0)
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Professional
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er. He is the only full-blooded American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
(Navajo
Navajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
/Pueblo
Pueblo people
The Pueblo people are a Native American people in the Southwestern United States. Their traditional economy is based on agriculture and trade. When first encountered by the Spanish in the 16th century, they were living in villages that the Spanish called pueblos, meaning "towns". Of the 21...
) golfer on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
. He is currently an analyst with the Golf Channel.
Amateur career
Begay was born and raised in Albuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
, and graduated from a private high school, the Albuquerque Academy
Albuquerque Academy
Albuquerque Academy is an independent co-educational day school for grades six through twelve located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. It is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest and the New Mexico State Department of Education. Albuquerque Academy is also a member of...
. He attended Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
where he was a three-time All-American and a teammate of Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
. He was a member of Stanford's 1994 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship
NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships
The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
team. After graduation, Begay turned professional in 1995.
Nike Tour
In 1998, Begay shot a 59Perfect round
Perfect Round is a term used to define a round of eighteen holes of golf where all holes were played at one under par resulting in a score of 54 on a par 72 course, 53 on a par 71 course, 52 on a par 70 course, and 55 on a par 73 course...
in the second round of the Nike Tour Dominion Open, to join the handful of golfers to ever shoot a 59 in a professional tournament. He placed tenth on the Nike Tour money list that year, earning a place on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
for 1999.
PGA Tour
Begay had a pair of wins in each of his first two seasons on the Tour. From late September 1999 to early July 2000, a period of just over nine months, Begay recorded four Tour wins, with the third and fourth wins coming in successive weeks. Since then, he has been plagued by back trouble which has put his future as a professional golferProfessional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
in doubt. In 2005, he played under a "Major Medical Exemption" with little success. In 2006, he played on the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
. At the end of 2006, he successfully earned a card for the European Tour from their qualifying school. In December 2008, he regained his playing card for the 2009 PGA Tour season at Q-school.
Begay has been featured in the top 20 of the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
. He successfully utilized a unique putting method. Using a putter with playing faces on both the front and back of the head, he putted right-to-left-breaking putts right-handed, and left-to-right-breaking putts left-handed. Begay is the first top player to use such a technique and putter.
Impaired driving counts
In January 2000, Begay was arrested for what, he admitted in court, was actually his second DUIDUI
DUI is a three letter acronym that may stand for:* Driving under the influence * Democratic Union for Integration — the largest ethnic Albanian party in the Republic of Macedonia* Data Use Identifier...
incident. In this second incident, he drove into a parked car while leaving a bar in Albuquerque and was subsequently arrested. Begay was sentenced to 364 days in jail, with all but seven days suspended.
Notah Begay III Foundation
In 2005, Notah established the non-profit Notah Begay III Foundation. The immediate goal of the foundation was to provide health and wellness education to Native American youth in the form of soccer and golf programs. The broader purpose of the foundation was to stand as a catalyst for change in the Native American community. On August 26, 2008 the foundation hosted the first Notah Begay III Foundation ChallengeNotah Begay III Foundation Challenge
The Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge, or NB3 Challenge, is a charitable golf event taking place at Atunyote Golf Club at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Oneida, New York on August 26, 2008. This year's tournament featured a skins game format, featuring PGA Tour players Notah Begay III,...
at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino, a skins golf match to raise money for the foundation. The five players for the tournament were Begay, Stewart Cink
Stewart Cink
Stewart Ernest Cink is an American professional golfer who won the 2009 Open Championship. He has spent over 40 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings from 2004 to 2009.-Early years and education:...
, Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
, Camilo Villegas
Camilo Villegas
Camilo Villegas is a Colombian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the European Tour.-Early years:Villegas was born in Medellín, Colombia, and took up golf as a child...
and Mike Weir
Mike Weir
Michael Richard Weir, CM, O.Ont is a Canadian professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 110 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 2001 and 2005. He is best known for winning the Masters in 2003....
. On August 24, 2009 the foundation hosted its second annual Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino.
PGA Tour wins (4)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 29, 1999 1999 PGA Tour The 1999 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to November 7. The season consisted of 47 official money events. Tiger Woods won the most tournaments, eight, and there were nine first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The... |
Reno-Tahoe Open Reno-Tahoe Open The Reno-Tahoe Open is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in northwestern Nevada. Founded in 1999, it is an alternate event played annually in August at the , located midway between Reno and Lake Tahoe. Opened in 1997, the par-72 course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and plays at ; its... |
3 strokes |  Chris PerryChris Perry (golfer) James Christopher Perry is an American professional golfer. He has featured in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings.-Amateur career:... , David TomsDavid Toms David Wayne Toms is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won a total of thirteen events on the PGA Tour including the 2001 PGA Championship... |
|
| 2 | Oct 8, 1999 1999 PGA Tour The 1999 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to November 7. The season consisted of 47 official money events. Tiger Woods won the most tournaments, eight, and there were nine first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The... |
Michelob Championship at Kingsmill Michelob Championship at Kingsmill The Michelob Championship at Kingsmill was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1968 to 2002. It was played at Kingsmill Golf Club outside of Williamsburg, Virginia, from 1981 to 2002... |
Playoff | Tom Byrum Tom Byrum Thomas Elliott Byrum is an American professional golfer.Byrum was born in Onida, South Dakota. He attended the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University before turning professional in 1984. He has played over five hundred events on the PGA Tour, his sole victory coming at the 1989... |
|
| 3 | Jun 25, 2000 2000 PGA Tour The 2000 PGA Tour season was played from January 6 to November 12. The season consisted of 49 official money events. Tiger Woods won the most tournaments, nine, and there were nine first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The... |
FedEx St. Jude Classic FedEx St. Jude Classic The FedEx St. Jude Classic is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It has been played annually in Memphis, Tennessee since 1958. It is currently played at TPC at Southwind.In 2011, the total purse was $5,600,000, with $1,008,000 going to the winner.... |
1 stroke | Chris DiMarco Chris DiMarco Christian Dean DiMarco is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. DiMarco has won seven tournaments as a pro, including three PGA Tour events.-Early years:... , Bob MayBob May (golfer) Robert Anthony May is an American professional golfer.May was born in Lynwood, California. He attended Oklahoma State University and was a member of the 1991 U.S. Walker Cup team before turning professional later that year.... |
|
| 4 | Jul 2, 2000 2000 PGA Tour The 2000 PGA Tour season was played from January 6 to November 12. The season consisted of 49 official money events. Tiger Woods won the most tournaments, nine, and there were nine first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The... |
Canon Greater Hartford Open | 1 stroke | Mark Calcavecchia Mark Calcavecchia Mark John Calcavecchia is an American professional golfer and a former PGA Tour member. During his professional career, he has won thirteen PGA Tour events, including the 1989 Open Championship. Calcavecchia currently plays on the Champions Tour.-Early years:Calcavecchia was born in Laurel,... |
PGA Tour playoff record (1-0)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999 | Michelob Championship at Kingsmill Michelob Championship at Kingsmill The Michelob Championship at Kingsmill was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1968 to 2002. It was played at Kingsmill Golf Club outside of Williamsburg, Virginia, from 1981 to 2002... |
Tom Byrum Tom Byrum Thomas Elliott Byrum is an American professional golfer.Byrum was born in Onida, South Dakota. He attended the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University before turning professional in 1984. He has played over five hundred events on the PGA Tour, his sole victory coming at the 1989... |
Won with par on second extra hole |
Other wins (2)
- 1998 New Mexico OpenNew Mexico OpenThe New Mexico Open is the New Mexico state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Sun Country section of the PGA of America. It has been played annually since 1954 at a variety of courses around the state....
- 2000 Wendy's 3-Tour ChallengeWendy's 3-Tour ChallengeThe Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge is an unofficial golf event held every November at the Lake Las Vegas Resort in Henderson, Nevada. The tournament is a unique stroke play event, and, as the name suggests, pits three-member teams from the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour, and Champions Tour against each other...
(with Rocco MediateRocco MediateRocco Anthony Mediate is an American professional golfer with multiple PGA Tour wins.-Early years:Mediate was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. According to the Golf Channel, he is the son of a barber and has Italian ancestral heritage. Mediate attended Florida Southern...
and Phil MickelsonPhil MickelsonPhilip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed...
)
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | T37 | CUT |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT | 22 | CUT |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | T20 | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | 8 | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Summary
- Tournaments played: 8
- Wins: 0
- Top 10s: 1
- Top 25s: 3
- Missed cuts: 4
- Most consecutive cuts made: 4
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur- Walker CupWalker CupThe Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
: 1995
Professional
- Presidents CupPresidents CupThe Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
: 20002000 Presidents CupUnited States 21½ - International 10½The 4th Presidents Cup Matches were held in 2000 between October 19 and October 22. They were played at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, USA. The United States team won the competition by a margin of 21½–10½...
(winners)