Scott Hoch

Scott Mabon Hoch (/hoʊk/ HOHK;^[1] born November 24, 1955) is an American professional golfer, who represented his country in the Ryder Cup in 1997 and 2002.

Early life

In 1955, Hoch was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. While attending Needham B. Broughton High School, he won the 1973 North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) men's golf state championship.

Amateur career

Hoch was a member of the golf team at Wake Forest University before graduating in 1978. In 1978, Hoch reached the final of the U.S. Amateur, losing 5 & 4 to John Cook.^[2] His good play earned him membership for top international team competitions like the 1978 Eisenhower Trophy and the 1979 Walker Cup. The Americans won both events. His achievements in 1978 led to an invitation to the 1979 Masters Tournament where he tied for 34th place, the second low amateur only behind Bobby Clampett.

Professional career

In 1979, Hoch turned professional after competing in the U.S. Amateur.

Hoch has won several tournaments, including the Western Open, the Ford Championship at Doral, the Heineken Dutch Open and the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. He also won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average in 1986. He has featured in the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

Hoch is widely known for missing a two-foot-long putt that would have won the 1989 Masters Tournament on the first playoff hole, which he lost to Nick Faldo on the next hole.^[3] At the 1987 PGA Championship, Hoch three-putted the 18th hole on Sunday from inside of ten feet. A two-putt would have secured a playoff spot for him.

Hoch is also well known for his infamous quote regarding playing in The Open Championship at the "home of golf" at St Andrews. Hoch referred to this course, considered hallowed ground by most golfers around the world, as "the worst piece of mess" he had ever seen.^[4] Partly due to his Open Championship criticism Hoch has been characterized as an "ugly American." However he has played extensively abroad and done fairly well, with three victories on the Japan Golf Tour, a victory at European Tour's 1995 Dutch Open, and multiple victories on the Korean Tour.^[5] He also has runner-up finishes at the 1987 Dunlop Phoenix Tournament, 1994 Casio World Open on the Japan Golf Tour,^[6] 1995 New Zealand Open on the Australasian Tour, and the 1996 Dutch Open.

Hoch is the rare American golfer who has criticized the Ryder Cup. Before his participation in the 2002 event he described the Ryder Cup as "overrated" and thought that the competition had gotten too "inflammatory."^[7]

Senior career

In May 2007, Hoch won his first Champions Tour event, the FedEx Kinko's Classic. In February 2008, he won his second and third events in consecutive weeks.

In April 2019, Hoch won at the age of 63 the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf with Tom Pernice Jr. This first win in 11 years made him the oldest winner on the Champions Tour.^[8] Hoch's record held until October 2021, when Bernhard Langer broke it at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic.

Personal life

In 1982, Hoch said that he feared he was going to die after an intruder came into his hotel room in Tucson, Arizona, held him and his wife, Sally, at gunpoint, and tied them up for an hour.^[9]

In 1989, Hoch said that he was "really hurt" after being named "Least Popular Golfer" in a poll of Tour players conducted by the Dallas Times Herald.^[9]

Amateur wins

• 1977 Northeast Amateur

Professional wins (23)

PGA Tour wins (11)

PGA Tour playoff record (2–2)

European Tour wins (1)

PGA of Japan Tour wins (3)

PGA of Japan Tour playoff record (0–1)

Korean Tour wins (2)

• 1990 Korea Open
• 1991 Korea Open

Other wins (2)

Other playoff record (0–2)

PGA Tour Champions wins (4)

PGA Tour Champions playoff record (1–1)

Results in major championships

WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary

• Most consecutive cuts made – 10 (1983 Masters – 1987 PGA)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (4 times)

Results in The Players Championship

CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Results in World Golf Championships

¹Cancelled due to 9/11

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied
NT = No tournament

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

• Eisenhower Trophy: 1978 (winners)
• Walker Cup: 1979 (winners)

Professional

• Presidents Cup: 1994 (winners), 1996 (winners), 1998
• Ryder Cup: 1997, 2002
• UBS Cup: 2001 (winners), 2002 (winners), 2003 (tie), 2004 (winners)

See also

• Fall 1979 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates

Notes

1. ^ Shortened to 54 holes due to weather.

References

1. ^ Yoon, Peter (1998-02-27). "Hoch's Words As Much the Story as His Round". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
2. ^ "Cook wins title over Scott Hoch". Wilmington Morning Star. Associated Press. September 4, 1978. p. 3C.
3. ^ Gregory, Sean (April 9, 2008). "Hoch the Choke, 1989". Time. Archived from the original on April 14, 2008.
4. ^ Morfit, Cameron (January 17, 2007). "Scott Hoch Speaks Candidly About Tiger, CBS and Frank Chirkinian". Golf Magazine. Archived from the original on March 9, 2011.
5. ^ Shipnuck, Alan (July 16, 2001). "He's Got a Shot Scott Hoch, the last man you'd expect to take the British Open, moved into the ranks of the contenders with his Western win". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
6. ^ "Scott Hoch – 1994". Official World Golf Ranking.
7. ^ Ferguson, Doug (2002-09-24). "Scott Hoch Gets Ryder Cup Attention". The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Retrieved 2019-05-11.
8. ^ Strege, John (April 28, 2019). "Scott Hoch, 63, becomes oldest senior tour winner, teams with Tom Pernice to win Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf". Golf Digest. Retrieved 2019-05-11.
9. ^ Reilly, Rick (June 12, 1989). "Hoch As...in Choke". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2012.