Dudley Hart

Howard Dudley Hart (born August 4, 1968) is an American professional golfer with two PGA Tour wins in an injury-riddled career.

Dudley Hart
Personal information
Full nameHoward Dudley Hart
Born (1968-08-04) August 4, 1968 (age 55)
Rochester, New York
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight190 lb (86 kg; 14 st)
Sporting nationality United States
ResidenceBuffalo, New York
Career
CollegeUniversity of Florida
Turned professional1990
Current tour(s)PGA Tour Champions
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Professional wins6
Highest ranking21 (April 23, 2000)[1]
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour2
Other4
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentT28: 2000
PGA ChampionshipT6: 1993
U.S. OpenT12: 2002
The Open ChampionshipT37: 1999, 2001
Achievements and awards
PGA Tour
Comeback Player of the Year
2008

Early life

Hart was born in Rochester, New York.[2] He attended Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School in Miami, Florida.

Amateur career

He accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he was a member of coach Lynn Blevin and coach Buddy Alexander's Florida Gators men's golf teams from 1987 to 1990.[3] He earned honors as the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Year (1987), a three-time first-team All-SEC selection, and a four-time All-American.[3][4] Hart was also a member of the Gators' 1989 SEC championship team.[3] He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2003.[5][6]

Professional career

Hart turned pro in 1990 and joined the PGA Tour in 1991.[2] His first win came in 1996 at the rain-shortened Bell Canadian Open, his 160th PGA Tour start. His second win was at the 2000 Honda Classic. Hart also finished in a three-way tie for first in the 2004 EDS Byron Nelson Championship, which he and Robert Damron lost in a playoff to Sergio García.

Although Hart has only won two PGA tournaments, he was one of the most consistent players on the Tour. From 1991 to 2009, Hart had 55 top-10 finishes, including four runner-up finishes. His best finish in a major was sixth place tie at the 1993 PGA Championship.[7] He was injured in 2003 and had to limit his play to twenty-two starts due to a herniated disc in his back. In 2007, Hart had to take six months off from the Tour in order to care for his wife and children while his wife, Suzanne, had a softball-sized tumor removed from her lungs. He played on the Tour in 2008 using a major medical exemption. In what turned out to be his best year ever, Hart earned more than $2 million and was awarded the Tour's Comeback of the Year award.[8][9] His career high Official World Golf Ranking is 21st, achieved in April 2000.[10]

In 2009, Hart had spinal fusion surgery, which prevented him from playing on the PGA Tour in 2010 and 2011. He attempted a comeback at the 2011 Australian Open, but was forced to withdraw after three rounds. He attempted one event in 2012, the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, but missed the cut and made no PGA Tour starts in 2013 after additional back surgery. He was granted 12 more starts to earn $504,824 and satisfy a Major Medical Exemption in order to regain his Tour card.

In 2013, Hart played in Canada (missed cut at Wildfire Invitational) and Argentina (T13 at Personal Classic, his first professional cut since May 2009). In 2014, Hart made his first PGA Tour cut in almost five years, at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am with a T35 finish. Overall, Hart made four PGA Tour starts (made two cuts) and tried to use his medical extension to play on the Web.com Tour Finals, but did not make a cut. He entered the 2014–15 season with eight starts and $464,067 to retain his PGA Tour card. He was unable to satisfy his medical exemption and demoted to the Past Champions category.

Hart became eligible for PGA Tour Champions in August 2018.

Personal life

Hart is married to Suzanne. They have four children. A set of triplets: Ryan, Rachel and Abigail who were born on 2001 and Avery, a daughter born 2010. He enjoys fishing and reading, and is a fan of professional hockey.[11] He currently lives in Buffalo, New York.

Professional wins (6)

PGA Tour wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1Sep 7, 1996Bell Canadian Open−14 (68-64-70=202)*1 stroke David Duval
2Mar 11, 2000Honda Classic−19 (65-69-70-65=269)1 stroke J. P. Hayes, Kevin Wentworth

*Note: The 1996 Bell Canadian Open was shortened to 54 holes due to weather.

PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
12004EDS Byron Nelson Championship Robert Damron, Sergio GarcíaGarcía won with par on first extra hole

Other wins (4)

Results in major championships

Tournament19921993199419951996199719981999
Masters TournamentCUTCUT
U.S. OpenT23WDT17
The Open ChampionshipCUT81T37
PGA ChampionshipCUTT6T55CUTT44CUT
Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
Masters TournamentT28T43T44
U.S. OpenCUTT62T12CUTT53
The Open ChampionshipWDT37CUTCUT
PGA ChampionshipWDT16CUTWDT10WD
  Top 10
  Did not play

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

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament00000053
U.S. Open00000385
The Open Championship00000073
PGA Championship000023125
Totals0000263216
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 5 (2001 Masters – 2002 U.S. Open)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (twice)

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009
The Players ChampionshipCUTWDCUTCUTT25T38WDCUTT49T62T63T45CUTWD
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Results in World Golf Championships

Tournament19992000200120022003200420052006200720082009
Match PlayR64R64R16
Championship3T48NT1T61
Invitational
Champions

1Cancelled due to 9/11

  Top 10
  Did not play

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied
NT = No tournament
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

Results in senior major championships

Tournament201920202021
The TraditionWDNT
Senior PGA ChampionshipCUTNTT40
Senior Players ChampionshipT10WD
U.S. Senior OpenNT
Senior British Open ChampionshipT36NT
  Top 10
  Did not play

"T" indicates a tie for a place
WD = withdrew
NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

See also

References

External links