Keith Fergus
FullnameKeith Carlton Fergus
Birth dateMarch 3, 1954 (age 72)
Birth placeTemple, Texas, U.S.
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight200 lb (91 kg; 14 st)
ResidenceSugar Land, Texas, U.S.
CollegeUniversity of Houston
Yearpro1976
ExtourPGA Tour
Champions Tour
Prowins9
Pgawins3
Nwidewins2
Champwins3
Otherwins1
MastersT16: 1983
UsopenT3: 1980
OpenDNP
PgaT4: 1981

Keith Carlton Fergus (born March 3, 1954) is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, the Nationwide Tour and the Champions Tour.

Early life and amateur career

Fergus was born in Temple, Texas. He started playing golf at age 8. In high school, he played football and basketball but enjoyed practicing golf more than the other sports. He attended and was a member of the golf team at the University of Houston, where he was a 3-time All American and runner-up to Jay Haas at the 1975 NCAA Championship.

Professional career

Fergus turned pro in 1976. He had his best years on the PGA Tour in the early 1980s. During his PGA career, he had over 40 top-10 finishes and won three events. His best finish in a major was a T-3 at the 1980 U.S. Open; he also had a T-4 at the 1981 PGA Championship. He began using the long putter in 1988. Fergus took a break from the tour in 1988 when he accepted the head golf coaches job at his alma mater, the University of Houston, a position he held until 1994.

Fergus resumed tour play in the mid-1990s on both the Nationwide Tour and, on a limited basis, in PGA Tour events. In 1996, at the Nortel Open, he was attacked by a swarm of killer bees and was stung 10 to 15 times; his caddie was stung more than 50 times.

After turning 50 in March 2004, he began play on the Champions Tour. His first win was the 2007 Ginn Championship Hammock Beach Resort, where he became the second player to win on all the PGA Tour sponsored tours (PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, and Champions Tour), the first being Ron Streck in 2005.[1]

Fergus won the Cap Cana Championship in March 2009 where on Sunday, he shot a five-under-par 67 which included a dramatic holed out eagle 2 on the par 4 17th hole to give him the one stroke victory over Mark O'Meara and Andy Bean.[2] It was his second Champions Tour win.

Fergus has done some course design work and starred in some television commercials. He lives in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing.

Amateur wins

  • 1971 Texas State Junior

Professional wins (10)

PGA Tour wins (3)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1May 24, 1981Memorial Tournament−4 (71-68-74-71=284)1 strokeJack Renner
2May 23, 1982Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf Classic−15 (66-72-66-69=273)PlayoffRaymond Floyd
3Jan 23, 1983Bob Hope Desert Classic−25 (71-69-65-65-65=335)PlayoffRex Caldwell

PGA Tour playoff record (2–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11982Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf ClassicRaymond FloydWon with birdie on first extra hole
21983Bob Hope Desert ClassicRex CaldwellWon with par on first extra hole

Nike Tour wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1Apr 17, 1994Nike Panama City Beach Classic−14 (66-64-72=202)2 strokesTommy Armour III
2Sep 18, 1994Nike Boise Open−15 (65-69-64=198)PlayoffBill Murchison

Nike Tour playoff record (1–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11994Nike Boise OpenBill MurchisonWon with birdie on second extra hole

Other wins (1)

Champions Tour wins (3)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1Apr 1, 2007Ginn Championship Hammock Beach Resort−12 (67-67-70=204)1 strokeHale Irwin, Mark O'Meara
2Mar 29, 2009Cap Cana Championship−13 (68-68-67=203)1 strokeAndy Bean, Mark O'Meara
3May 17, 2009Regions Charity Classic−12 (66-66=132)[a]3 strokesGene Jones

Champions Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
12006Boeing Greater Seattle ClassicTom KiteLost to birdie on first extra hole

Results in major championships

Tournament1976197719781979198019811982198319841985
Masters TournamentCUTT26T37T33T16CUT
U.S. OpenT9T3T43CUTT39
PGA ChampionshipT38T60T50T4CUTT14T20CUT

Note: Fergus never played in The Open Championship.

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament00000164
U.S. Open00112254
The Open Championship00000000
PGA Championship00011386
Totals0012361914
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 10 (1978 PGA – 1982 Masters)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (three times)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Shortened to 36 holes due to weather.

References

  1. ^ Deason, Lauren (April 1, 2007). "Finally, Fergus knew, it was his time to win again in the pros". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  2. ^ Senko, Dave (March 29, 2009). "Fergus' late heroics lead to one-shot win at Cap Cana". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2012.