Steve Elkington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Steve Elkington |
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Elkington in 2023
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Stephen John Elkington |
| Born | 8 December 1962 Inverell, New South Wales, Australia |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 14 st) |
| Nationality |  Australia |
| Residence | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Spouse | Lisa Elkington |
| Children | 2 |
| Career | |
| College | University of Houston |
| Turned professional | 1985 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour PGA Tour Champions |
| Professional wins | 17 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 10 |
| Asian Tour | 1 |
| PGA Tour of Australasia | 1 |
| Other | 5 |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 1) |
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| The Masters Tournament | T3: 1993 |
| U.S. Open | T21: 1989, 1990 |
| The Open Championship | T2: 2002 |
| PGA Championship | Won: 1995 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Vardon Trophy | 1995 |
Stephen John Elkington (born 8 December 1962) is a professional golfer from Australia. He played on the PGA Tour for many years. He also spent a lot of time in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking. This was from 1995 to 1998.
Elkington won a big golf tournament called the PGA Championship in 1995. He also won The Players Championship two times.
Early Life and College Golf
Steve Elkington was born in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia, in 1962. He grew up in a town called Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.
Later, he moved to the United States for college. He went to the University of Houston in Texas. There, he played on the Cougar golf team. His team won national championships in 1982, 1984, and 1985. Steve was one of the first famous Australian golfers to play college golf in the U.S.
Becoming a Professional Golfer
Steve Elkington became a professional golfer in 1985. He did very well at the 1986 PGA Tour Qualifying School. This helped him earn his spot on the PGA Tour.
He won ten tournaments on the PGA Tour. All of these wins happened in the 1990s. He even won four events twice! Steve also had ten top-10 finishes in major championships.
Winning the PGA Championship
His best result in a major was at the PGA Championship. He won this big tournament in 1995 at Riviera Country Club. He also tied for second place in the 2005 PGA Championship. This great finish helped him get back into the top 50 golfers in the world.
Success at The Players Championship
Steve Elkington won The Players Championship twice. This is a very important event on the PGA Tour. He won it in 1991 and again in 1997. Only a few golfers have won this tournament more than once. Steve's two wins were only six years apart, which is a short time between victories.
Other Important Wins
Besides his PGA Tour success, Steve also won the Australian Open in 1992. He also won the 1996 Honda Invitational on the Asian Tour.
In 1995, Steve received the Vardon Trophy. This award goes to the PGA Tour player with the lowest average score each year.
Playing for His Country
Steve Elkington was part of the International Team for the first four Presidents Cup tournaments. He played in 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000. In 1998, his team won the Presidents Cup! He also represented Australia in the World Cup and the Alfred Dunhill Cup.
Health Challenges
Steve's golf career was sometimes difficult because of his health. He had many problems with allergies, especially to grass. This caused him to miss some tournaments. He also had sinus surgeries, infections, and bad headaches. He even had viral meningitis at times.
Later Career and TV Shows
Steve turned 50 years old in late 2012. He then started playing on the PGA Tour Champions in June 2013. This tour is for older professional golfers.
In 2014, a TV show called The Rural Golfer started airing. It starred Steve Elkington. The show followed him as he traveled around the United States, finding interesting golf stories. In 2015, the show was renamed Secret Golf with Steve Elkington.
Steve Elkington's Family Life
Steve Elkington met his wife, Lisa, when they were both at the University of Houston. They have two children together. Their family lives in both Australia and the U.S. They have homes in Sydney and Houston.
His son, Sam, played golf for his high school team in Houston. He also played on the golf team at the University of Houston from 2015 to 2020. Steve's daughter works as a ceramics teacher.
Major Championship Results
Steve Elkington won one major championship:
- 1995 PGA Championship
He also had other strong finishes in majors:
- Masters Tournament: Tied for 3rd in 1993, Tied for 5th in 1995.
- The Open Championship: Tied for 2nd in 2002.
- PGA Championship: Tied for 2nd in 2005, 3rd in 1998, Tied for 3rd in 1996.
The Players Championship Results
Steve Elkington won The Players Championship twice:
- 1991
- 1997
He also tied for 6th place in 2005.
Images for kids
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Elkington in 2023
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Elkington in 2008
See also
- List of men's major championships winning golfers
