Brian Gay

Early life

A military brat, Gay was born in Fort Worth, Texas, but was raised primarily at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where his father was a U.S. Army non-commissioned officer involved in flight operations. His father was also a member of the All-Army golf team in his spare time.

As an only child, Gay spent much of his youth at the Fort Rucker golf course, first at the practice area, then on the course. Encouraged by a group of military retirees he often played with, he dominated the local tournament scene as a tween.

Amateur career

Gay's success as a teenager led to his receiving an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida, where he played for coach Buddy Alexander's Florida Gators men's golf team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 1991 to 1994. During his time as a Gator golfer, the team won four consecutive Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships (1991–1994), and the 1993 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships.

As a collegian, he was the SEC Freshman of the Year (1991), a five-time individual medalist, two-time SEC individual champion (1992, 1994), three-time first-team All-SEC selection (1992–1994), and two-time All-American (1992, 1993). Gay was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2010.

Professional career

In 1994, Gay turned professional. He mostly competed on mini-tours in the United States, winning several tournaments, before qualifying for the PGA Tour in 1999. Gay picked up his first win on the tour at the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun in 2008 after 293 starts, with his second win coming at the Verizon Heritage in 2009. He won the event by ten strokes, finishing at 20-under par. The ten-stroke victory is one of the biggest wins in the PGA Tour's history. His best position on the year-end money list was 13th in 2009. He has featured in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking, ranking as high as 35th in 2009.

Gay was not exempt to play in the 2009 U.S. Open heading into the St. Jude Classic. He was one of seven golfers who could earn the last spot in the U.S. Open by winning the St. Jude Classic, using the "Winners of multiple PGA Tour events since the last Open" exemption. Gay went on to win by five strokes over David Toms and Bryce Molder for his second wire-to-wire win of the season.

In 2013, Gay won for the first time in four years at the Humana Challenge, the fourth victory of his PGA Tour career. He defeated Charles Howell III on the second hole of a three-man sudden-death playoff when he made birdie. Earlier, David Lingmerth had been eliminated on the first extra hole. This performance helped Gay earn the PGA Tour Player of the Month award for January.

Gay did not play during the 2014–15 season after back surgery and played the next two seasons on a Major Medical Extension. A T6 at the 2017 Valero Texas Open secured his return to the PGA Tour.

In November 2020, Gay won his fifth PGA Tour event (and first in seven years) at the Bermuda Championship when he defeated Wyndham Clark in a playoff. Gay was two strokes behind the 54-hole leader Doc Redman at the start of the final round but shot a 7-under 64 on Sunday en route to the win.

Gay has always been a very short hitter of the ball, but has been hailed as one of golf's greatest putters in the game's modern era. He was ranked inside the top 25 in strokes gained putting on the PGA Tour for ten seasons in a row from 2004 to 2013, achieving the top ten in five of those seasons and achieving his career high of 4th in the 2012 season. All of his five PGA Tour victories have taken place on venues with Bermuda grass greens in the southern portion of the United States or in other countries with warm climates year-round. During the final round broadcast in the 2020 Bermuda Championship, golf channel commentator and 12-time PGA Tour winner Justin Leonard gave Brian Gay the nickname "King of Bermuda Grass" paying homage to these distinctions.

Personal life

Gay was mentioned frequently in Bud, Sweat and Tees: A Walk on the Wild Side of the PGA Tour by Alan Shipnuck, which profiled Rich Beem's rookie year on the PGA Tour. Steve Duplantis, who became Gay's caddy following a split with Beem, was chronicled as well in Shipnuck's book.

Awards and honors

• In 1991, Gay earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors.
• From 1992 through 1994, Gay earned first-team All-SEC honors.
• In 1992 and 1993, Gay earned All-American honors.
• In 2010, Gay was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame.

Professional wins (15)

PGA Tour wins (5)

PGA Tour playoff record (2–1)

Hooters Tour wins (1)

Golden Bear Tour wins (3)

Other mini-tour wins (5)

• 1995 Timbercreek Classic (Gulf Coast Tour), Killearn tournament (Emerald Coast Tour), St. Lucie West tournament (Gold Coast Tour), Emerald Dunes tournament (Gold Coast Tour), PGA Estates tournament (South Florida Tour)

Other wins (1)

• 1996 Key Biscayne Open

Results in major championships

Results not in chronological order in 2020.

CUT = missed the half-way cut

WD = withdrew

"T" = tied

NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

Summary

• Most consecutive cuts made – 2 (twice)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 0

Results in The Players Championship

CUT = missed the halfway cut

WD = withdrew

"T" indicates a tie for a place

C = Canceled after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Results in World Golf Championships

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play

"T" indicates a tie for a place

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

• Walker Cup: 1993 (winners)

References

References

1. (2010). "Florida Men's Golf 2011 Media Supplement". University Athletic Association.
2. Shipnuck, Alan. (May 4, 2009). "Family Guy".
3. (2008). "2008–09 Florida Gators Men's Golf Media Guide". University Athletic Association.
4. "Gator Greats". F Club, Hall of Fame.
5. (October 15, 2009). "Eight Former Letterwinners Announced to be Hall of Fame Inductees". GatorZone.com.
6. (April 19, 2009). "Gay triumphs in Heritage Classic". [[BBC Sport]].
7. "Brian Gay". Official World Golf Ranking.
8. (June 11, 2009). "Round 1: St. Jude Classic presented by FedEx – What's at Stake". PGA Tour.
9. (June 15, 2009). "Gay strolls to victory in St Jude". BBC Sport.
10. (January 20, 2013). "Brian Gay wins 4th tour title". ESPN.
11. (November 1, 2020). "Brian Gay rallies to win Bermuda Championship in playoff".
12. "Brian Gay – Stats". PGA Tour.