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Ben Curtis is a professional golfer from Columbus, Ohio, who turned pro in 2000. He is best known for winning the 2003 Open Championship, becoming the first golfer since 1913 to win a major championship on his debut. Curtis has since retired from competitive golf and now teaches the sport to children. He runs the Ben Curtis Golf Academy at the Country Club of Hudson in Hudson, Ohio, and has also established the Ben Curtis Family Foundation, which helps to feed children in Northeast Ohio. Curtis is also the head coach for his son's golf team at Kent Roosevelt High School.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | May 26, 1977 |
| Birthplace | Columbus, Ohio |
| Current residence | Franklin Township, north of Kent, Ohio |
| Family | Wife, Candace, and two children |
| Education | Buckeye Valley High School, Kent State University |
| Career Wins | 4 |
| PGA Tour Wins | 4 |
| Career Earnings | Over $13.8 million |
| Current Occupation | Golf coach, winemaker |
| Golf Academy | Ben Curtis Golf Academy |
| Foundation | Ben Curtis Family Foundation |
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What You'll Learn
Ben Curtis' golfing career
Ben Curtis is an American professional golfer who was born in Columbus, Ohio, on May 26, 1977. He grew up in Ostrander, where his family owns and operates the Mill Creek Golf Club. Curtis first picked up a golf club at the age of three and continued to hone his skills throughout his childhood. He became a two-time Ohio High School State Champion while attending Buckeye Valley High School.
Curtis received a golf scholarship to Kent State University, where he was a three-year team captain and led his team to numerous successes, including four consecutive MAC Championships and two NCAA Championship appearances. He also excelled as an amateur, winning the Ohio Amateur in 1999 and 2000, and the Players Amateur in 2000. Curtis turned professional in 2000 and joined the Hooters Tour, although he did not find much success initially.
Curtis rose to prominence in 2003 when he won the Open Championship, which was his first appearance in a major. This victory propelled him from 396th to 35th in the world rankings, and he was named the 2003 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. Curtis went on to compete in various tournaments, achieving several top-10 finishes. He added a fourth PGA title to his resume at the 2012 Valero Texas Open.
In 2018, Curtis decided to step away from competitive golf, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and a gruelling tour lifestyle. He has accumulated over $13.8 million in official tour earnings. Curtis currently resides in Franklin Township, north of Kent, Ohio, with his wife, Candace, and their two children. He has established the Ben Curtis Golf Academy in Hudson, Ohio, and continues to give back to the game through the Ben Curtis Family Foundation, which he and his wife founded in 2013 to support needy children in the Kent area.
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Why Ben Curtis stopped playing golf competitively
Ben Curtis is a professional golfer from Columbus, Ohio, who rose to fame after winning the 2003 Open Championship. He is a four-time winner on the PGA Tour and was named the 2003 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. However, in January 2018, Curtis announced that he had stopped playing golf competitively and instead opted to pursue a career in teaching.
Curtis's decision to step away from competitive golf was influenced by several factors. Firstly, he had been struggling with the golfing lifestyle, which included extensive travel, living out of hotel rooms, and spending time away from his family. In an interview, Curtis expressed his desire to spend more time with his wife, Candace, and their two children. He also mentioned that golf had become an obstacle to achieving his personal goals and that the constant travelling had lost its meaning.
Additionally, Curtis had accumulated over $13.8 million in official tour earnings, and at 40 years old, he felt content with his accomplishments. He stated that he had made a good living and won several tournaments, but golf no longer held a place in his life. Curtis also expressed his interest in giving back to the game and helping aspiring golfers maximise their potential.
Another factor contributing to Curtis's decision may have been the challenges he faced in maintaining his performance and ranking. After his initial success, Curtis struggled to replicate consistent results, experiencing missed cuts and achieving only a few top-10 finishes in subsequent years. This could have influenced his choice to transition from competitive golf to a coaching and teaching role.
Since retiring from competitive golf, Curtis has established the Ben Curtis Golf Academy at the Country Club of Hudson in Hudson, Ohio. He is also the head coach for his son's golf team at Kent Roosevelt High School and has co-founded the Ben Curtis Family Foundation with his wife, Candace. The foundation focuses on alleviating childhood hunger and providing support to children in need in Northeast Ohio.
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Ben Curtis' golfing accolades
Ben Curtis is a four-time winner on the PGA Tour. He is best known for winning the 2003 Open Championship, which was his first appearance in a major. He became the first golfer since Francis Ouimet in the 1913 U.S. Open to win his major championship debut. After his victory, Curtis jumped from 396th in the world rankings to 35th. This victory and a solid first season on the PGA Tour led to Curtis being named the 2003 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. Curtis was the lowest-ranked player to win a major since official world rankings were first calculated.
Curtis followed up his win at the 2003 Open Championship with three straight top-15 finishes, including a tie for 5th at the Wells Fargo Classic and a tie for 2nd at The Players Championship. This moved him into the top 75 of the Official World Golf Ranking. His career-high ranking is 24th. He also finished tied for 11th in the PGA Championship, his best finish in a major championship in four years.
In 2004, Curtis played events on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour, having received a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour and a 10-year exemption on the European Tour after his 2003 Open Championship victory. However, he did not experience much success in 2004 and 2005, missing many cuts and recording only a few top-10 finishes.
Curtis recorded five top-10 finishes in 2007 and bettered his Open Championship result from the previous year by finishing in a tie for 7th at Royal Birkdale. He followed this up with a second-place finish in the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, which qualified him for the 2008 Ryder Cup. In 2009, Curtis achieved two top-10 finishes on the European Tour but ended the year outside the top 100 in the money list. He achieved only one top-10 finish in 2010 and ended outside the top 100 on the money list for a second consecutive year.
In 2012, Curtis won his fourth PGA title at the Valero Texas Open. He played in 20 PGA Tour events in 2013, making the cut in 10 with three top-25 finishes. His 2014 season was less successful, with one top 10 and ten missed cuts in 24 starts. Curtis played a partial schedule on the PGA Tour in 2015 with little success.
Curtis stepped away from competitive golf in 2018, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and focus on other passions, such as teaching and winemaking. He established the Ben Curtis Golf Academy to share his knowledge of the sport with aspiring young players and their parents. Curtis has also dedicated himself to philanthropy through the Ben Curtis Family Foundation, which he founded with his wife, Candace, to help alleviate childhood hunger and support needy children in the Kent, Ohio, area.
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Ben Curtis' post-golf career
Ben Curtis is no longer playing golf competitively. In January 2018, he told Golf Digest that he had decided to retire from the PGA Tour and focus on teaching instead. Curtis cited the gruelling tour lifestyle as a reason for his decision, as well as a desire to spend more time with his family.
Curtis has certainly had a successful golfing career. He turned professional in 2000 and is best known for winning the 2003 Open Championship, his first appearance in a major. This victory catapulted him from 396th in the world rankings to 35th, earning him the title of PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. He went on to win three more PGA Tour events and represented Team USA at the 2008 Ryder Cup.
Since his retirement from competitive golf, Curtis has established the Ben Curtis Golf Academy at the Country Club of Hudson in Hudson, Ohio. He wants to share his knowledge and love of the sport with aspiring young players and their parents. The academy also raises awareness for the Ben Curtis Family Foundation, which he founded with his wife, Candace, in 2013. The foundation aims to alleviate childhood hunger in the Kent area.
Curtis currently resides in Franklin Township, just north of Kent, Ohio, with his wife and their two children. He is also the Head Golf Coach at Kent Roosevelt High School, where he coaches his son.
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Ben Curtis' personal life
Ben Curtis is an American professional golfer who was born in Columbus, Ohio, on May 26, 1977, and grew up in Ostrander. Curtis' family runs the Mill Creek Golf Club, also in Ostrander, where he was first introduced to the game at the age of three. His mother, Janice, works in the pro shop, and his father, Bob, is the course superintendent. Curtis attended Buckeye Valley High School, where he became a two-time Ohio High School State Champion. He then went on to Kent State University, where he was a star on the golf team and earned a bachelor's degree in recreation management in 2000.
Curtis turned professional in 2000 and achieved early success, winning the Ohio Amateur in 1999 and 2000, and the Players Amateur in 2000. In 2003, he won the Open Championship, becoming the first golfer since Francis Ouimet in the 1913 U.S. Open to win his major championship debut. This victory propelled him into the spotlight and earned him the title of 2003 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.
Curtis is married to Candace, and they have two children together. They reside in Franklin Township, just north of Kent, Ohio, after previously living in neighbouring Stow. In 2013, Curtis and his wife established the Ben Curtis Family Foundation to benefit needy children in the Kent area. Curtis is currently coaching his son as the Head Golf Coach at Kent Roosevelt High School.
In January 2018, Curtis announced that he had stopped playing golf competitively and instead opted for teaching. He has since established the Ben Curtis Golf Academy, located at the Country Club of Hudson in Hudson, Ohio, where he shares his knowledge and experience with aspiring young golfers and their parents.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Ben Curtis retired from competitive golf in 2018.
Curtis stepped away from competitive golf due to the strain of the touring lifestyle, and because he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Ben Curtis was a professional golfer and four-time winner on the PGA Tour. He is best known for winning the 2003 Open Championship, becoming the first golfer since 1913 to win a major championship on his debut.
Curtis has focused on giving back to his community since retiring from competitive golf. He established the Ben Curtis Family Foundation in 2013, which helps to feed children in Northeast Ohio and combat childhood hunger. He also set up the Ben Curtis Golf Academy in Hudson, Ohio, where he teaches aspiring young golfers and shares his knowledge of the sport.
