golfer

Ben Curtis (golfer)

Ben Curtis
Personal Information
Birth	Columbus, Ohio
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Nationality
Residence	Stow, Ohio
College	Kent State University
Career
Turned Pro	2000
Tours	PGA Tour (joined 2003)
Professional wins	3 (PGA Tour: 3)
Best Results in Major Championships Wins: 1
Masters	T39: 2006
U.S. Open	30th: 2004
The Open	Won 2003
PGA Championship	T2: 2008
Awards
PGA Tour Rookie of the Year	2003

Ben Clifford Curtis (born May 26, 1977) is an American professional golfer best known for winning the 2003 British Open.

Curtis was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in Ostrander, Ohio. His family runs the Mill Creek Golf Club, also in Ostrander. Curtis is a graduate of Buckeye Valley High School and Kent State University, where he was a star on the golf team.

As an amateur, Curtis found much success, winning the Ohio Amateur in 1999 and 2000 (joining professional golfers John Cook and Arnold Palmer as the only men to win the Ohio Amateur in consecutive years), and also the Players Amateur in 2000.

Curtis is best known for winning the British Open at Royal St George's in 2003. This victory was considered a major upset, as the 26-year old's best finish in a professional tournament prior to his victory had been 13th place at the Western Open only two weeks before; that finish qualified him to play in the British Open.

The 2003 British Open was Curtis' first appearance in a major; he became the first golfer since Francis Ouimet in the 1913 U.S. Open to win his major championship debut. After his victory, Curtis jumped from 396th in the Official World Golf Rankings to 35th, the highest jump for any person. This victory and a solid first season on the PGA Tour led to Curtis' being named the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for 2003.

Curtis's major championship victory did not immediately result in further high finishes. In 2004 he had only one top ten finish on the PGA Tour. In 2005 he had two. In 2006, his results improved, with two wins: the Booz Allen Classic and the 84 Lumber Classic. The following year, he tied for 8th place at the British Open in Carnoustie, his best result in a major since winning the tournament. He then bettered that result by finishing in a tie for 7th at the same tournament at Royal Birkdale in 2008 and a month later bettered that again by finishing tied for 2nd place in the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills. His second place finish qualified him for the 2008 Ryder Cup, his first appearance in the event. Curtis and his wife Candace currently reside in Stow, Ohio.