14 Things You Didn’t Know About Stewart Cink

Stewart Cink is one of the longest serving members on the PGA Tour with a professional career spanning over 25 years.

The American’s biggest victory came at a memorable 2009 Open Championship, defeating Tom Watson in a playoff at Turnberry.

With no sign of slowing down in his career, get to know him here.

Cink at the Safeway Open, his first victory in over 10 years. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

14 Things You Didn’t Know About Stewart Cink

1. Stewart Ernest Cink was born 21st May 1973 in Huntsville, Alabama.

2. Cink took up the game when his parents, who were single figure handicappers, left him at a driving range before he was old enough to go on the course.

3. The American attended Bradshaw High School and graduated from Georgia Tech in 1995 with a degree in Management, he turned professional straight after college.

4. Whilst at Georgia Tech, Cink was actually a husband and a father. He is married to his wife Lisa and together they have two sons, Connor and Reagan.

5. In 1995, Cink defeated Tiger Woods in an exhibition match 3&2. The victory came a week before the Masters.

6. The following year, the American became the youngest player to win the Korn Ferry Tour money title (until 2010) gaining a PGA Tour card in the process.

East Lake has been the permanent home of the Tour Championship since 2004. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

7. Cink is a member of East Lake GC, the host venue of the Tour Championship.

8. In his debut season on the PGA Tour, Cink won the Canon Greater Hartford Open and was the only rookie to qualify for the Tour Championship. The American also became the first player to be named Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year and PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in successive seasons.

9. His hobbies include hiking, camping, biking and skiing

10. The American has made five Ryder Cup appearances, with a career record of five wins, seven draws and seven losses.

Related: Multiple Countries Express Interest In Hosting 2031 Ryder Cup

11. In 2009, Cink won his first and only Major title at the 138th Open Championship at Turnberry. The American defeated 59-year-old Tom Watson by six strokes in a four-hole playoff. Cink had birdied the 72nd hole while Watson bogeyed, which forced the playoff.

Cink with his family after winning the 2009 Open Championship. (Alasdair MacLeod/ Getty Images)

12. In 2016, Cink’s wife, Lisa, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Consequently Cink withdrew from the 2016 Wells Fargo Championship and did not compete on Tour for six weeks.

13. In 2020, he won the Safeway Open, his seventh career PGA Tour title and first since winning The Open Championship in 2009, a span of 4,074 days.

14. Cink is sponsored by Ping, TransAmerica, Vensure and Barbour Orthopaedics. The American uses a full Ping bag.