Todd Hamilton Facts: 15 Things You Didn’t Know About 2004 Troon Open Champion

Todd Hamilton is an American golfer best known for winning the 2004 Open Championship at Royal Troon.

Hamilton, a golfing journeyman who played 12 years on the Japan Tour before earning his PGA Tour card at the age of 38, shocked the world after beating Ernie Els in a playoff to claim the Claret Jug in 2004. 

He has 17 professional victories, including two on the PGA Tour, and now plays on the Champions Tour. 

Get to know Hamilton a little bit better with these 15 facts…

Todd Hamilton Facts:

1. Hamilton was born on 18 October 1965 at Galesburg, Illinois.

2. He grew up in a small village called Oquawka in Henderson County, Illinois, where his parents owned a small grocery store called ‘Hamilton’s’. He credits his father for getting him into golf and grew up playing on a nine-hole course in Biggsville, Illinois.

3. He attended Union High School (now West Central High School) and later studied at the University of Oklahoma, where he played collegiate golf and was a three-time All-American.

4. Hamilton turned professional in 1987, but struggled to establish himself at a major tour and played internationally. He almost quit the sport before winning the 1992 Asian Tour order of merit, which earned him his Japan Tour card.

5. He found success on the Japan Tour, winning 11 times in 12 seasons. When he left the tour in 2003, he was the second all-time leading non-Japanese money winner, with earnings of over 630 million yen (about $4m now).

6. He made his first Major appearance at the 1988 US Open at The Country Club, missing the cut after rounds of 78 and 75.

7. After eight tries, Hamilton went back to PGA Tour qualifying school at the age of 38, where he finally gained his first PGA Tour card for the 2004 season.

8. He won his first title on the PGA Tour at the 2004 Honda Classic, beating Davis Love III by one stroke.

9. At the 2004 Open Championship at Royal Troon, Hamilton pulled off one of golf’s great upsets when he defeated Ernie Els in a four-hole playoff to win his first and only Major. After carding rounds of 71, 67, 667 and 69, Hamilton shot four pars to win the title, with Els scoring three pars and one bogey.

10. His two victories in 2004 led to him being named the 2004 PGA Tour rookie of the year. During that year, he also reached 16th in the world rankings, the highest of his career.

11. After the 2004 season, he struggled on the PGA Tour, missing 111 cuts in 187 starts. He failed to win again after his triumph at Royal Troon.

12. He eventually lost his status on the tour in 2010 and would go on to play on the Web.com Tour (now called the Korn Ferry Tour). He started playing on the Champions Tour after turning 50 in October 2015.

13. He has made over $5 million in his career. He won 17 times as a professional, including two wins and six top 10s on the PGA Tour.

14. He is married to his high-school sweetheart Jacque Hamilton, with the couple first meeting in sixth grade. They live in Westlake, Texas and have three adult children named Tyler, Kaylee and Drake.

15. His dream foursome would include Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan and Kathy Ireland. He lists Nicklaus as his hero.