Scott Hoch


Scott Mabon Hoch is an American professional golfer, who represented his country in the Ryder Cup in 1997 and 2002.

Early life and amateur career

Hoch was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. While attending Needham B. Broughton High School, he won the 1973 NCHSAA Men's Golf State Championship. He was a member of the golf team at Wake Forest University before graduating in 1978. In 1978 Hoch reached the final of the U.S. Amateur, losing 5 & 4 to John Cook. He played on the winning U.S. team in the 1978 Eisenhower Trophy and the 1979 Walker Cup. His achievements in 1978 led to an invitation to the 1979 Masters Tournament where he tied for 34th place, the second amateur behind Bobby Clampett. He turned professional in 1979 after competing in the U.S. Amateur.

Professional career

Hoch has won several tournaments, including the Western Open, the Ford Championship at Doral, the Heineken Dutch Open and the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. He also won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average in 1986. He has featured in the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking.
Hoch is widely known for missing a two-foot-long putt that would have won the 1989 Masters Tournament on the first playoff hole, which he lost to Nick Faldo on the next hole. At the 1987 PGA Championship, Hoch three-putted the 18th hole on Sunday from inside of ten feet. A two-putt would have secured a playoff spot for him.
Hoch is also well known for his infamous quote regarding playing in The Open Championship at the "home of golf" at St Andrews. Hoch referred to this course, considered hallowed ground by most golfers around the world, as "the worst piece of mess" he had ever seen. Partly due to his Open Championship criticism Hoch has been characterized as an "ugly American." However he has played extensively abroad and done fairly well, with three victories on the Japan Golf Tour, a victory at European Tour's 1995 Dutch Open, and multiple victories on the Korean Tour. He also has runner-up finishes at the 1987 Dunlop Phoenix Tournament, 1994 Casio World Open on the Japan Golf Tour, 1995 New Zealand Open on the Australasian Tour, and the 1996 Dutch Open.
Hoch is the rare American golfer who has criticized the Ryder Cup. Before his participation in the 2002 event he described the Ryder Cup as "overrated" and thought that the competition had gotten too "inflammatory."
In 1982, Hoch said that he feared he was going to die after an intruder came into his hotel room in Tucson, Arizona, held him and his wife, Sally, at gunpoint, and tied them up for an hour.
In 1989, Hoch said that he was "really hurt" after being named "Least Popular Golfer" in a poll of Tour players conducted by the Dallas Times Herald.
In May 2007, Hoch won his first Champions Tour event, the FedEx Kinko's Classic. In February 2008, he won his second and third events in consecutive weeks. At the age of 63 became the oldest winner on the Champions Tour. It was his first win on tour in 11 years.

Amateur wins

PGA Tour wins (11)

PGA Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11989Masters Tournament Nick FaldoLost to birdie on second extra hole
21989Las Vegas Invitational Robert WrennWon with birdie on fifth extra hole
31995Shell Houston Open Payne StewartLost to par on first extra hole
42003Ford Championship at Doral Jim FurykWon with birdie on third extra hole

European Tour wins (1)

European Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11989Masters Tournament Nick FaldoLost to birdie on second extra hole

Japan Golf Tour wins (3)

Japan Golf Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
11985Casio World Open Wayne Grady, Hubert Green,
Nobumitsu Yuhara		Green won with par on second extra hole
Grady and Yuhara eliminated by par on first hole

Other wins (4)

PGA Tour Champions playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
12008The ACE Group Classic Brad Bryant, Tom Jenkins,
Tom Kite		Won with birdie on first extra hole
22011Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf
 David Eger and Mark McNultyLost to par on second extra hole

Results in major championships

WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary

CUT = missed the halfway cut

WD = withdrew

"T" indicates a tie for a place

Results in World Golf Championships

1Cancelled due to 9/11
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied
NT = No tournament

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur
Professional