The native Texan posted five victories collegiately at the Air Force Academy, and has made five starts on the Korn Ferry Tour and two on the PGA Tour. He had three top-10s and made 14 cuts in 26 events during the season. At the U.S. Open, Kyle became the first Air Force Academy graduate to not only play in, but also make the cut at one of the sports Major Championships. A top junior player in Katy, Texas, he had numerous offers to play college golf. Discover what makes RSM the first choice advisor to middle market leaders, globally. He and his sister were raised in Katy by their parents, Don and Kim Westmoreland. There's been a batch of unforgettable at Torrey Pines particularly on its par-5 closing hole so let's take a trip down memory lane. [5], In 2022, Westmoreland played on the Korn Ferry Tour with a best finish of T-7th place at AdventHealth Championship.[6]. 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. 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 . He has the pedigree, too: his grandfather Bob was a left tackle and . (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images). The now 27-year-old turned pro after serving five-and-a-half years of active duty for the Air Force. No wonder hes hit so many on-line putts on Torrey Pines tricky greens this week. 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. College career [ edit] 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. Lessons learned in the military have given Westmoreland a blueprint for success that he is attempting to apply to golf. 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. Westmoreland has serious speed off the tee, saying he tops out at 206 mph of ball speed with his driver. Also Read: Are Brian Harman and Butch Harmon Related? There were also three new members elected to the USGA executive committee. "Go Air Force. Latest on Kyle Westmoreland including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN The PGA Tour rookie and former Air Force captain arrived at the 201-yard 16th hole (his seventh of the day) at Torrey Pines South at one over. It's been a long road to the U.S. Open for Kyle Westmoreland. Golf can be confusing and frustrating, but you dont have to go at it alone. Start the Golf Season off right with InsideGOLF ($100 value - just $20). While he did have access to a golf course on the base, other duties always came first (obviously). Everything you need to know for the final round at Bay Hill. Westmoreland received a sponsors invite to play in the Shriners Open, and he also recently made history at the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, becoming the first ever Air Force Academy graduate to qualify for the event. Players had until 5 p.m. Christopher Crawford, who has competed on several professional circuits, including the newly created Forme Tour, did it the hard way for the third time. RELATED: Meet the Air Force captain teeing it up on the PGA Tour. Everyone wants to play in the U.S. Open, its, you know, its arguably the hardest, some say the hardest major to get into, Westmoreland said. "It felt like such a fairy tale story. The wealthy Saudi-backed LIV Golf league embodied its "Golf, but louder" slogan in its first season. Typically, our Fully Equipped podcast focuses on golf equipment industry news, club reviews and gear education. 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. "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. https://www.usopen.com/watch/features/2021/06/15/backstories-with-baileykyle-westmoreland6258979517001.html. They are friends and frequent competitors back home in Charleston at Daniel Island Club despite the inter-service rivalry. 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. Well, its actually the loft of a 2-iron, he says, but the 1 looks cleaner. Admittedly, having a 1-iron in the bag does look pretty cool. Westmoreland, who saw his score inch up in the wrong direction each day this week, posted scores of 69-70-71-72 and finished 6 under, 15 shots back of Korn Ferry Tour Championship winner Justin Suh. Learn from Jon Rahms abbreviated action to maximise your power game. His access to golf. Westmoreland attended Air Force Academy before putting his pro golf dreams on hold for five years to serve his country, earning the rank of captain. The USGA announced on Monday the local and final qualifying sites for the 123rd U.S. Open Championship. Kyle Westmoreland (born September 20, 1991) is an American professional golfer. Even under pressure, I'm performing well. It's also believed to be the first hole-in-one of Westmoreland's life, so nice spot to do it with the cameras rolling. Lee Trevino, a former Marine, won the title in 1968, and the Army veteran nicknamed Sarge, Orville Moody, claimed the title a year later. Go Air Force. But when you see the one Kyle Westmoreland made on Wednesday during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open you'll also agree this was particularly pleasing to the eye. What a better poster guy than Kyle.. 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. 2023 Australian Golf Digest. 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. It makes you feel right at home, he said. He had five years of service to finish first. I've already won it. Its easier to do than you might think. written by Matthew Wilson June 20, 2021 3:29 pm. However, theres no evidence of a familial connection between the late general and Kyle Westmorelands family. "This is a game of misses. "It makes you feel right at home," he said. So Ill play that, and Ill hit that interchangeably with a 2-iron. Terms of Service A top junior player in Katy, Texas, he had numerous offers to play college golf. He knows, however, that hitting fairways can be equally as important to his scores as hitting it deep. Westmoreland qualified after shooting a seven-under-par 135 at the qualifier at the Dallas . The all new HyperFlex Carbon shoe features a moulded carbon fibre power plate that delivers tour-level stability and performance. Kyle Westmoreland recaps his experience at the U.S. Open. Each member firm is responsible only for its own acts and omissions, and not those of any other party. "It makes you feel right at home," he said. The cacophony brings Kyle Westmoreland comfort. In the summer of 2019, he turned to golf full time, and earned the 25th and final PGA Tour card available at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship in September. Weekends allowed time to really grind. And its why the U.S. Open being a true open again is another welcome sign that life is returning to something resembling normal. He makes that decision based on which of the clubs hes likely to use most often at different courses and in different conditions. The golf community on social media cant help but wonder if he is related to General William Westmoreland, the late commander of the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. For regular citizen golfers, theres an important lesson that can be learned here. 7 interesting gear finds inside Tommy Fleetwood's golf bag | Bag Spy, Upgrade your bag with these Arnold Palmer head covers, How to prevent golf-club damage | Fully Equipped Mailbag, Don't risk buying counterfeit golf clubs | Fully Equipped podcast, FIRST LOOK: PXG launches its first golf ball the PXG Xtreme, New PXG golf clubs for 2023 (drivers, irons, fairway woods, hybrids) | ClubTest 2023, How a PXG fitting helped this 12-handicap pick up nearly 20 yards | 2023 ClubTest, FIRST LOOK: PXG's new 0211 drivers, fairway woods and hybrids, FIRST LOOK: PXG's 0317 ST Blade irons are geared for the elite ball-striker, How this golf-equipment company is helping to make the game more diverse and inclusive, PXG enters uncharted territory with latest equipment release. Westmoreland qualified after shooting a seven-under-par 135, tying him for fourth overall at the Dallas qualifier. Now four months later, it looks like he'll be buying a few tonight at Torrey Pines. He chose to attend Air Force, not exactly known as a golf powerhouse, but a place where he would be pushed and get good coaching. With a rigorous schedule, Kyle carved time out whenever he could to try and keep his golf skills sharp. ClubTest Proving Ground: Do PXG's 0211 XCOR2 irons live up to the hype? Want to overhaul your bag for 2021? If he had it his way, actually, Westmoreland says he wouldnt even have his name stitched onto his PXG staff bag. 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. 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational: How to watch, TV schedule, streaming, tee times, Meet the new GOLF Top 100 Teachers of America, 7 interesting gear finds inside Tommy Fleetwoods golf bag | Bag Spy, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, Westmoreland with his some friends from the Air Force. Since then, Kyle has been working his way through Qualifying School and the Korn Ferry Tour to make his way to the PGA TOUR. Photo by Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports. 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. Nico Echavarria has made only two cuts in 10 starts heading into the Puerto Rico Open. HyperFlex Carbon offers additional underfoot cushioning with an OrthoLite Impressions FitBed. Kyle Westmoreland is on Facebook. Since he began advancing in the golf scene with his intriguing military background, social media users are questioning a possible connection between him and General William Westmoreland. 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. PGA Tour rookie Nico Echavarria shot a 7-under 65 and holds a two-shot lead entering the final round of the Puerto Rico Open. These are dollar and a dream stories, and this year 19 U.S. Open qualifiers advanced through both local and final qualifying. [4], He has also had status on PGA Tour Canada.[5]. But as a Captain, Kyle had his priorities in place, which meant serving his country for the next five years. He is now the first and only Air Force Academy graduate to earn a PGA TOUR card. Others in the field include Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, Brandt Snedeker and past winner Cameron Champ. Im in a better mental headspace, he said. Ahead of the 2021 Shriners Childrens Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, Westmorelands team invited me to join him for a Volition America x Puma photo shoot on the nearby Nellis Air Force Base. Old rivalries die hard. As his service commitment drew to a close, Kyle set his sights on professional golf again and even shot a 7-under to qualify for the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. After narrowly earning his tour card in September, Westmoreland said, "I don't drink, but I need a beer." So we have a full swing that goes to about 195. William Westmoreland served as the chief of staff of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Its a very controlled cut and I play that about 185 to 188 mph. Kyle Westmoreland, an Air Force Academy graduate whos currently navigating the world of professional golf, has a unique perspective on both golf and life. In golf, as in life, perspective can greatly influence your attitude and overall performance. Then if were trying to long drive it for whatever reason, we can get it up to about 206.. Beat Army, Sink Navy. Qualifying is a cherished part of what makes the Open the Open. Many of the greens where he served were bumpy, so he would practice on a ruler instead. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. I knew I wouldnt being to play right away, but I hoped it would work out.. They dont play very oftenbut when they get out there they still hit it good somehow, Westmoreland said on Fully Equipped. He was blessed with speed, and hes worked with Alan Terrell, who coached Dustin Johnson at Coastal Carolina, and Jeff Smith, who has a large stable of Tour pros, on reigning in his swing just a bit. Especially in desert golf, its playing firm, you hit that out there itll go forever. GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine are published by EB GOLF MEDIA LLC, a division of 8AM GOLF, 5 interesting things I learned from Air Force Academy grad (and pro golfer) Kyle Westmoreland, What is Jim Nantzs career lowlight? Let him tell you about adult film, Its f hard: Jon Rahm comes back to Earth at brutal Bay Hill. The guy who misses the best is going to win. Which ball counts? The cacophony brings Kyle Westmoreland comfort. The time in the Air Force served him well. 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. The broad-shouldered big hitter has shown he has the game to play with the worlds best players, climbing the leaderboard before a triple bogey on the par-4 14th hole knocked him down a few notches. Find a fitting location near you at GOLFs affiliate companyTrueSpecGolf. PGA TOUR Stats, bio, video, photos, results, and career highlights It's been a rough rookie campaign so far for the 31-year-old with six missed cuts in eight starts. These are just a few examples, but experiment with a number of options at the top end of your set so youre ready for ever-changing golf course conditions. Westmoreland has made history this week, becoming the first player from the Air Force Academy to qualify for the U.S. Open.