Notah Begay III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Notah Begay III |
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Begay in 2011
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Notah Ryan Begay III |
| Born | September 14, 1972 Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13.9 st) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Career | |
| College | Stanford University |
| Turned professional | 1995 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Nationwide Tour European Tour |
| Professional wins | 5 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 4 |
| Other | 1 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
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| The Masters Tournament | T37: 2000 |
| U.S. Open | 22nd: 2000 |
| The Open Championship | T20: 2000 |
| PGA Championship | 8th: 2000 |
Notah Ryan Begay III (born September 14, 1972) is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few Native American golfers to have played on the top professional golf tour, the PGA Tour. Since 2013, Begay has also worked as a golf expert for the Golf Channel and NBC Sports.
Contents
Notah Begay III's Journey
Early Life and College Days
Notah Begay III was born and grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He went to Albuquerque Academy for high school. After that, he attended Stanford University. There, he was a very good golfer, earning "All-American" honors three times. He was even teammates with famous golfer Tiger Woods. In 1994, he helped his Stanford team win the national college golf championship. After finishing college in 1995, Begay became a professional golfer.
Notah is a Native American from the Navajo, San Felipe, and Isleta tribes. His first name, Notah, means "almost there" in the Navajo language. His grandfather, also named Notah Begay, was a code talker during World War II.
Professional Golf Career
Notah Begay III started his professional career on the Nike Tour (now called the Korn Ferry Tour). In 1998, he achieved something amazing: he shot a score of 59 in one round of a tournament. This is a very rare and impressive feat in golf! Because of his strong performance that year, he earned a spot on the PGA Tour for 1999.
On the PGA Tour, Begay quickly found success. He won two tournaments in his first year and two more in his second year. This meant he won four PGA Tour events in just over nine months! However, he later faced challenges with back injuries, which made it hard for him to play. He continued to try and regain his form, even playing on the Nationwide Tour and European Tour. In 2008, he successfully earned his PGA Tour card back for the 2009 season.
Begay was known for a special way of putting. He used a putter that had two hitting faces. This allowed him to putt right-handed for some shots and left-handed for others, depending on how the ball needed to curve. He was the first top golfer to use this unique method.
Life Beyond Golf
Notah Begay III has been recognized for his achievements and contributions. In 2009, Golf Magazine named him one of their "Innovators of the Year." The Institute for International Sport also listed him as one of the "Top 100 Sports Educators" in the world.
In 2014, Begay had a health scare while practicing golf. He received quick medical attention and recovered well.
Notah Begay III is also the uncle of Madison Hammond. In 2020, Madison became the first Native American soccer player to play in the National Women's Soccer League. She has said that her uncle Notah was one of her inspirations.
Helping His Community
Notah Begay III is very active in helping Native American communities.
NB3 Consulting
In 2002, Begay started NB3 Consulting. This company helps Native American tribes plan and build golf courses. These courses are designed to help the tribes create jobs and improve their local economies. Some of the courses his company has helped build include Sequoyah National and Firekeeper Golf Course.
Notah Begay III Foundation
In 2005, Begay created the Notah Begay III Foundation. This non-profit organization works to improve the health and well-being of Native American youth. They offer programs that teach kids about health through sports like soccer and golf. The foundation aims to bring positive change to Native American communities. To raise money, the foundation has hosted special golf tournaments called the Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge. Famous golfers like Stewart Cink and Vijay Singh have played in these events.
KivaSun Foods
In 2010, Begay also founded KivaSun Foods. This company sells food products made from bison. In 2015, KivaSun Foods won a big contract to provide bison products to Native American reservations through a special food distribution program.
Golf Achievements
Amateur Wins
- 1995 Northeast Amateur
Professional Wins
Notah Begay III has won 5 professional tournaments, including 4 on the PGA Tour.
- 1998 New Mexico Open
- 1999 Reno–Tahoe Open
- 1999 Michelob Championship at Kingsmill
- 2000 FedEx St. Jude Classic
- 2000 Canon Greater Hartford Open
Team Appearances
Notah Begay III has represented the United States in important team golf events.
- Amateur
- Walker Cup: 1995
- Professional
- Presidents Cup: 2000 (winners)
- Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (representing PGA Tour): 2000 (winners)
