Kyle Westmoreland's journey to pro golf began at the Air Force Academy. Typically, our Fully Equipped podcast focuses on golf equipment industry news, club reviews and gear education. Kyle Westmoreland, an Air Force Academy graduate who's currently navigating the world of professional golf, has a unique perspective on both golf and life. Kyle Westmoreland PGA TOUR Player Profile, Stats, Bio, Career Westmoreland competed for the United States Air Force Academy where he was named male athlete of the year in 2014 after finishing 4th at the Mountain West Conference championships. Grandfather's struggle provides a master's class in perspective for Despite the trouble guarding so many of the greens at PGA Nationals Champion course, Kirk managed to hit 54 of 72 greens to rank T-7 for the week, while posting a strokes gained/approach mark of 7.643 strokes gained on the field to rank second. "It felt like such a fairy tale story. For Westmorelands buddies in the military they go by Sticks, Thunder and Dog golf is an outlet for enjoyment away from their stressful day jobs. (Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada) With the frame of a linebacker, standing at 6 feet 3 . Just like in the military, you have a goal you want to work towards and you figure out how youre going to do it, how youre going to perfect it and then you go for it, he said. Kyle Westmoreland | Team RSM This is the big highlight," Koury told The Denver Gazette. The guy who misses the best is going to win. Find a fitting location near you at GOLFs affiliate companyTrueSpecGolf. ET Friday to commit to the event. For Westmoreland, that means taking advantage of his prodigious length. Seek assistance from golf instructors, professional equipment fitters and fitness specialists who can help you improve and want to see you succeed. Westmoreland thriving at U.S. Open after Air Force service Kyle Westmoreland was born on September 20, 1991, and hails from Texas. Kyle Westmoreland comes full circle at Cadence Bank Houston Open Terms of Service Since then, Kyle has been working his way through Qualifying School and the Korn Ferry Tour to make his way to the PGA TOUR. They live in a high-stress world and a lot of people say golf can be stressful, but I think they handle it well and use golf as an outlet so golfs not stressful for them.. Likewise, Captain Kyle Westmoreland booked his debut becoming the first Air Force Academy graduate to compete in the U.S. Open and the first to play in one of golfs four major championships. PGA Tour rookie Carson Young, seeking his first win, posted a 5-under 67 on Friday and built a 4-shot lead going into the weekend at the Puerto Rico Open. Kyle Westmoreland, a 2014 USAFA graduate, will compete in the 121 st U.S. Open Championship, June 17-20, at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, Calif. Westmoreland is the first Academy graduate to compete in the U.S. Open and the first to ever play in one of the PGA's four major championships. HyperFlex Carbon The new HyperFlex Carbon offers tour-proven enhancements, delivering unquestioned innovation, comfort, stability and visual design. It can rightfully be call the peoples championship once more. Torrential storms forced the qualifier to extend to Tuesday and during one of the rain delays Westmoreland heard from none other than PGA Tour winner Billy Hurley, a graduate of the Naval Academy. More than a half-dozen years after his death, Arnold Palmers legacy remains ubiquitous at Bay Hill, https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2022/09/05/kyle-westmoreland-first-air-force-academy-graduate-pga-tour-card/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Korn Ferry Tour Championship winner Justin Suh, first Air Force grad to play in a U.S. Open, James Hahn is mad as hell about the changes coming to the PGA Tour and he isn't afraid to tell you why, Best golf balls for 2023 for every budget and playing style, 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational: Three of the world's top 20 among the players to miss the cut, Best irons for 2023 for every handicap and playing style, Friday at Bay Hill: Jordan Spieth's putter wakes up, Jon Rahm takes a step back among notes from Day 2 at Arnold Palmer Invitational, Photos: 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational merchandise tent is fit for a king, Putters used by PGA Tour players ranked in the top 10 in strokes gained putting, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. No wonder hes hit so many on-line putts on Torrey Pines tricky greens this week. For men like Captain Westmoreland who have clawed their way into the field at one of the most prestigious championships in golf, this week is about dreams coming true, of a lifetime of hard work, of perseverance paying off. The Grant Thornton Invitational, the new mixed event that is replacing the QBE Shootout, will include 16 teams of players from the LPGA Tour and PGA Tour competing in a three-day tournament for a . The cacophony brings Kyle Westmoreland comfort. Place a golf ball on one end, and putt along the ruler so the golf ball stays on the surface without rolling off the side. But it was good enough for Westmoreland, the first Air Force grad to play in a U.S. Open , to earn his place on Tour for the 2022-23 season. William Westmoreland served as the chief of staff of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Kyle Westmoreland, an Air Force Academy graduate whos currently navigating the world of professional golf, has a unique perspective on both golf and life. With a rigorous schedule, Kyle carved time out whenever he could to try and keep his golf skills sharp. Hurleys best advice to Westmoreland on what he needs to do to make the leap to the PGA Tour? Kyle Westmoreland's last start on the PGA TOUR came at the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open. It makes you feel right at home, he said. U.S. Open: Kyle Westmoreland is first Air Force Academy grad to compete The U.S. Open is open again for the likes of Captain Kyle Westmoreland Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports Adam Schupak. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Thats Bryson DeChambeau long-drive type numbers. Im in a better mental headspace, he said. Kyle Westmoreland hits out of a bunker on the 13th hole during a practice round of the U.S. Open Golf Championship, Monday, June 14, 2021, at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego. Westmoreland thriving at U.S. Open after Air Force service - Yahoo! News Check it out: See? U.S. Open: Full-field scores | Full coverage. The wealthy Saudi-backed LIV Golf league embodied its "Golf, but louder" slogan in its first season. Westmorelands journey to Torrey Pines is one of the more unique ones in the 156-player field. Westmoreland worked all day in finance, got in a workout after, then headed to the driving range at Patriots Point Links, where he would hit under the lights until it closed at 10 p.m. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2023 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Watch a former Air Force captain make his first PGA Tour hole-in-one in spectacular fashion. Westmoreland may be one of the longshots at Torrey Pines but military men have made their mark at the U.S. Open before. But it was good enough for Westmoreland, the first Air Force grad to play in a U.S. Open, to earn his place on Tour for the 2022-23 season. Five years of service did nothing to blunt his game. Each member firm is responsible only for its own acts and omissions, and not those of any other party. I know who I am now and what my priorities are. Lessons learned in the military have given Westmoreland a blueprint for success that he is attempting to apply to golf. Even under pressure, I'm performing well. In golf, as in life, perspective can greatly influence your attitude and overall performance. Westmoreland bounced back nicely, though, and was seven shots behind co-leaders Richard Bland and Russell Henley at 2 over in good position to become the first person from the Air Force Academy to make the cut at the U.S. Open. Air Force grad Kyle Westmoreland makes golf history by earning PGA Tour The next PGA Tour season starts in Napa, California, at the Fortinet Championship, Sept. 15-18. "This is a game of misses. Lee Trevino, a former Marine, won the title in 1968, and the Army veteran nicknamed Sarge, Orville Moody, claimed the title a year later. Which ball counts? He lives in Katy, just a 25-minute drive from the Houston . A top junior player in Katy, Texas, he had numerous offers to play college golf. Our results with players at this years Hot List testing show that some players cant carry a 5-iron farther than they fly a 7-iron. Tardy was one of 46 players to get LPGA Tour cards for the 2023 season on Sunday after the conclusion of the eight-round marathon that is LPGA Q Series. Didnt quite work outIf youve got the ability, if youve got the game, the U.S. Open empowers you to pursue your dream., Kyle Westmoreland plays a shot from a bunker on the 13th hole during a practice round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines. Air Force Captain Kyle Westmoreland looking to take flight at 2020 written by Matthew Wilson June 20, 2021 3:29 pm. Even when you cant get to a golf course, you can still work on your putting nearly anywhere. [1] Professional career [ edit] The 29-year-old touring pro put his professional aspirations on hold for five years while serving his country and advanced through local qualifying at Columbia Country Club in Blythewood, South Carolinawhere he was medalist by two strokes (69)and final qualifying at Dallas Athletic Club to earn his first U.S. Open start. Nine months later, the world is in a very different place and so the USGA accepted 9,069 entries to this years national championship, the eighth-highest total in U.S. Open history. He and his wife, Katherine Stevens Van Deusen, are parents to three childrenKatherine Stevens, James Ripley II, and Margaret Childs. Kyle Westmoreland - Wikipedia Kyle Westmoreland is a 30-year-old Houston native who spent five-and-a-half years on active duty in the Air Force following graduation from the Air Force Academy. RSM US LLP is a limited liability partnership and the U.S. member firm of RSM International, a global network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images). This year there were 108 local qualifying sites between April 26-May 17 that led to 11 final qualifiers, including an international site in Japan. Latest on Kyle Westmoreland including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN Rules Review: I thought my ball was lost and put another in play, then found my first in the hole(!) But as a Captain, Kyle had his priorities in place, which meant serving his country for the next five years. But he walked off the green in red figures after acing the par 3 with a one-hopper. Weekends allowed time to really grind. Especially in desert golf, its playing firm, you hit that out there itll go forever. While stationed in Charleston, South Carolina, he had to juggle his duties as a captain with finding time to practice and play. After graduating in 2014 Westmoreland completed his five years of service time while mostly stationed in Charleston, S.C., where he practiced on a night driving range. He made the cut in the 2021 U.S. Open, becoming the first Air Force Academy graduate to do so. The USGA announced on Thursday four additional exemption categories to the U.S. Open. The Official PGA TOUR Profile of Kyle Westmoreland. Weekdays were a little tougher. I wanted to learn more about his backstory and outlook, and also understand how a military man could possibly have enough time to ready his golf game to compete professionally. After an opening round 72 (+2) on the Blue Course, Westmoreland rallied to shoot 9-under 63 on the par 72 Gold Course, including a front-nine six-under 29. Air Force Academy Athletics All rights reserved. List of battleships of the United States Navy, Pages containing cite templates with deprecated parameters, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, "Meet the Air Force captain playing on the PGA Tour this week", https://www.golfdigest.com/story/meet-air-force-captain-kyle-westmoreland-who-has-the-pga-tour-in-his-sights, "Kyle Westmoreland becomes first Air Force player to make cut at U.S. Open", https://www.golfchannel.com/news/kyle-westmoreland-becomes-first-air-force-player-make-cut-us-open, "2021 U.S. Open prize money, purse: Payouts, winnings for each golfer from huge $12.5 million pool", https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/2021-u-s-open-prize-money-purse-payouts-winnings-for-each-golfer-from-huge-12-5-million-pool/, "The U.S. Open is open again for the likes of Captain Kyle Westmoreland", https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/06/15/u-s-open-captain-kyle-westmoreland/, "U.S. Open 2021: This Air Force veteran won't win this week, but he embodies what the National Open is all about", https://www.golfdigest.com/story/us-open-2021-kyle-westmoreland, https://www.wagr.com/playerprofile/kyle-westmoreland-6912, 2013 Jackrabbit Invitational, Gene Miranda Falcon Invite, Patriot All-America. Kyle Westmoreland is on Facebook. I wanted to challenge myself. "Meet the Air Force captain playing on the PGA Tour this week", "Kyle Westmoreland becomes first Air Force player to make cut at U.S. Open", "2021 U.S. Open prize money, purse: Payouts, winnings for each golfer from huge $12.5 million pool", "The U.S. Open is open again for the likes of Captain Kyle Westmoreland", "U.S. Open 2021: This Air Force veteran won't win this week, but he embodies what the National Open is all about", "Kyle Westmoreland set for Korn Ferry Tour season with overhauled swing", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kyle_Westmoreland&oldid=1135445292, 2013 Jackrabbit Invitational, Gene Miranda Falcon Invite, Patriot All-America, This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 18:36.