Hunter Mahan
Residence: Plano, Texas
DOB: 17/05/1982
Hunter had a successful amateur career, winning the 1999 U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship and the 1999 5A Texas State High School Golf Championship while at McKinney High School. After graduating high school, Mahan went on to enrol at the University of Southern California, where he was named Pacific-10 Conference Freshman of the Year. He however only played one year here before transferring to Oklahoma State University. During his at Oklahoma State here he was a 2-time Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and a 2-time 1st team All-American. Mahan was the runner-up at the US Amateur Championship in 2002 and in 2003 he concluded his amateur career with the Haskins Award for being the top collegiate golfer of the year.
Mahan turned professional in 2003 and made it through the PGA Tour Q-School to earn a PGA Tour card for the 2004 season. At age 21 when the season began, he was second-youngest player on the PGA Tour. His rookie year pasted without any major, headline making performances however in 2005 he didn’t do enough on tour to stop falling out of the top-125 and consequently lose his playing privileges. He went back to Q-School and upped his ranking to earn partial status for the 2006 season.
His first PGA Tour victory, which came at the 2007 Travellers Championship where a 62 in the opening round saw him secure a wire-to-wire victory. He followed this up with top-10 finishes in the follow 3 tournaments that he played in. As a result of his performances in 2007 U.S. Presidents Cup Captain Jack Nicklaus chose Mahan as one of 2 captain's picks for the U.S. team.
Mahan is part of a wave of young, rich and fashionable Tour pros whose time is upon us. This is confirmed by Mahan’s Plano, Texas, bachelor pad. A $200,000 Bentley sits in the 3-car garage next to a Dodge pick-up truck flanked in flames. A golf glove autographed by Jack Nicklaus competes with a framed jersey autographed by NBA star Jerry Stackhouse.
His best result in 2008 came at the Travellers Championship. Hunter, as defending champion, only missed out on retaining his crown by a single stroke (despite shooting scores of 63, 65, 67 and 68 over the course of the championship). Hunter was a captain’s pick for the 2008 Ryder Cup and repaid this trust by securing 2½ points as the US team recaptured the Ryder Cup.
Hunter Mahan Club History
Below is a selection of clubs used by Hunter Mahan throughout his career
Hunter Mahan Tournament History
2008 Buick Invitational |
24-27 January - Buick Invitational - Torrey Pines. Tiger Woods joined elite company on the final day of the Buick Invitational, even though he might as well have been playing alone. He thrilled the 4-deep gallery with an improbable flop shot from the trampled grass behind the 9th green to save par. He sent Torrey Pines into delirium with a 60-foot birdie putt that started in one direction and slid into the cup from the other. He made 3 straight bogeys on the back 9, a rarity for him when he's in the lead. And none of it mattered. The outcome was never in doubt at the Buick Invitational, only the final score. A 10-foot birdie on the 18th gave Woods a 1-under 71 and an 8-shot victory, the ninth time in his career that he has won by at least that many. |
In Hunter Mahan's bag...Hunter managed to make it to the semi-finals of the HSBC World Match Play this week. He lost in the semis against Angel Cabrera who went on to lose to Els in the final. On his way to the semi’s he beat England’s Justin Rose 5&4 in the opening round then Denmark’s Soren Hansen 6&4 in the second round.
(CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE FULL SIZE VERSION). |
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2007 HSBC World Matchplay Championship |
11-14 October - HSBC World Matchplay - The Wentworth Club - West Course. Won by Ernie Els who beat Angel Cabrera of Argentina 6 and 4, capturing the title for a record seventh time. |
In Hunter Mahan's bag...A disappointing 75 in the final round from Mahan left him in the middle of the field after not building on a good start to the tournament. Hunter Mahan has quickly established himself as one of the up and coming names on the PGA Tour. He used a Ping Rapture driver and hybrid. Like fellow Ping player Angel Cabrera, Hunter used the Ping G10 fairway wood (#4). Hunter was using the Ping S58 irons (3-P). Hunter only carried 2 specialist wedges; a Titleist 200 Series 54˚ and a Ping Tour-W 60˚. Hunter was also using the new Ping iWi D66 putter.
(CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE FULL SIZE VERSION). |
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