Aaron Watkins

JOINED TOUR

• Korn Ferry Tour: 2006
• PGA TOUR: 2009

PLAYOFF RECORD

KORN FERRY TOUR (0-1)

• 2010 Lost to Steve Pate, Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open Presented by Samsung

Personal

• Has regularly played with his father in his Saturday group at Alta Mesa CC in Mesa, Ariz., and with his grandfather in his Thursday group. Five members of his Mesa, Ariz., high school golf team played professionally at some level.
• Started playing golf at age 14 but began going to the golf course at 11 when he accompanied his dad during his rounds and drove the cart.
• The birth of his daughter is his biggest thrill outside golf.
• Uses a ball marker with a photo of his daughter.
• Never travels without his iPad.
• Favorite teams include Kansas State and all Arizona professional teams.
• Favorite websites are facebook.com and espn.com.com.
• Enjoys country music and Mexican food.
• Favorite book is I Hope They Sell Beer in Hell.
• Uses a Kansas State headcover.
• Played one year of high school golf with current PGA TOUR member Charlie Beljan at Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Ariz., a friend since childhood.
• Not many people know he is an organization freak.

Special Interests

Career Highlights

2015 Season

Finished the Korn Ferry Tour season with 22 starts, two top-10s, seven top-25s and 10 cuts made. Was 63rd on the combined final money list. After making six cuts in his first eight starts to get to 19th on the money list, proceeded to miss seven cuts in a row. Finished T28, MC and T19 in August to conclude the Regular Season 56th on the money list. In the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, missed the first two cuts, then posted T35, T43 to conclude the season.

• BMW Charity Pro-Am Presented by SYNNEX Corporation: Opened the BMW Charity Pro-Am in May with rounds of 71-68. A third-round 66 and a final-round 64 that was aided by birdies on four of his last five holes resulted in another T10.
• Colombia Championship Presented by Claro: Recorded his fourth Tour hole-in-one the following week when he made an ace on No. 12 in the second round of the Colombia Championship at Bogota CC en route to a T12.
• Panama Claro Championship: Opened the season with a T6 at the Panama Claro Championship. Was T17 after 54 holes (68-68-73). Earned first top 10 on the strength of a closing-round 67.

2014 Season

Played in 18 Korn Ferry Tour events, making 11 cuts. Had three top-10s and six top-25s. Finished the Regular Season 28th on the money list. Was No. 1 on Tour in Putting Average (1.697) and seventh in Scoring Average (69.15). Made six cuts in a row from March through June, yielding best finishes of T14 at both the Cleveland Open and the Air Capital Classic. At the latter event, opened with 11 birdies and just one bogey (63-66, 11-under) to grab the halfway lead in the state where he went to college (Kansas State). Rounds of 71-70 on the weekend slipped him to T14.

• Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship: Top finish in the four Korn Ferry Tour Finals was a T27 at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship, ending his chances of returning to the PGA TOUR.
• WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft: Posted a T9 at WinCo Foods Portland Open.
• News Sentinel Open Presented by Pilot: Was within two shots of the lead after 54 holes of the News Sentinel Open at Fox Den CC. Carded a 68 in the final round for a T6.
• Stonebrae Classic: Recorded a T14 at Stonebrae Classic.
• Midwest Classic: In late-August, he was in second place, three shots off the lead, after the third round of the Midwest Classic. A 72 Sunday resulted in a runner-up finish, equaling his previous Tour best, a playoff runner-up outing at the 2010 Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open. He improved 75 spots to No. 31 on the money list.

2013 Season

Made the cut in three of 19 PGA TOUR starts and wound up No. 187 on the FedExCup standings. Made two of four cuts in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals but did not have a top-25 finish in either.

• Zurich Classic of New Orleans: Had a T8 finish at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans where his final-round, 7-under 65 matched his career-low round on TOUR.

2012 Season

Earned a return trip to the TOUR after finishing T17 at the 2012 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. Finished T18 at Q School in 2008. Made the cut in 13 of 24 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour and had four top-10 and seven top-25 finishes.

• Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open Presented by Planters: A final-round 67 at the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open put him in fourth, giving him his fourth top-10 of the campaign.
• United Leasing Championship at Victoria National Golf Club: Followed that with a T4 effort at the United Leasing Championship, where he led the field in Putts Per Round.
• U.S. Open: Qualified in June for the U.S. Open in San Francisco, where he finished T15 in his first major championship start. Shot scores of 72-71-72-71 and finished five shots back of winner Webb Simpson.
• BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation: Earned his first top-10 finish of the year, with a T5 at the BMW Charity Pro-Am.

2011 Season

Made the cut in 20 of 23 starts but had only two top-10 finishes. Enjoyed solid season that included a stretch of 13 consecutive cuts made.

• Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational: Added a T9 at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational.
• Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open: First top-10 of the year was a solo sixth-place effort at the Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open. Third-round 65 moved him into contention at Crestview CC. Wound up five shots back of winner Mathew Goggin.

2010 Season

Played in 25 Korn Ferry Tour events and made 10 cuts to finish No. 64 on the money list.

• Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open Presented by Samsung: Playoff runner-up at the Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open, the best finish of his career on the Korn Ferry Tour. After opening with a first-round, even-par 71, he rallied with three rounds in the 60s to jump 38 spots and finished regulation tied with Steve Pate. On the second extra hole, he left himself 99 feet away for birdie. After lagging his putt to 3 feet, he missed the short putt that gave Pate the victory. Also had four other top-25 finishes during the year.

2009 Season

Member of the PGA TOUR, made the cut in six of 18 starts on TOUR. Made the cut in three of five starts on the Korn Ferry Tour.

• Utah Championship Presented by Utah Sports Commission: Season-best finish was a T42 at the Utah Championship.
• Zurich Classic of New Orleans: Earned his career-best result with a T7 at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in just his sixth TOUR start. En route to the top-10 finish, equaled his career-low round (68 in the second round) and earned a career-best check of $203,175. With the finish, earned a spot into the field at the following week's Quail Hollow Championship.

2008 Season

• PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament: Successfully advanced through all three stages of the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament to earn his rookie 2009 PGA TOUR card. Made the cut on the number. At PGA West in La Quinta, Calif., posted four of six rounds in the 60s to finish T18.
• Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open: Of the three Korn Ferry Tour events in which he started, his best finish was 11th at the Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open.

2007 Season

Member of the Korn Ferry Tour, played in 36 career Korn Ferry Tour events.

• Chitimacha Louisiana Open Pres'd by Dynamic Industries: Had a best finish of T8 at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open.

2006 Season

Made the final stage of the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament, where he missed his PGA TOUR card by one stroke but received his Korn Ferry Tour card. Member of the Gateway Tour. Posted his first victory on that Tour in June in the Desert Summer Series, based in Scottsdale. Went on to lead the money list, with $94,817, including 18 top-10 finishes.

2005 Season

Member of the Gateway Tour. In his rookie season ended the year No. 15 on the money list.

2004 Season

• Southern Arizona Open: Winner of the Southern Arizona Open by one stroke over Rich Barcelo.

Amateur Highlights

• Earned All-Big 12 honors in 2003 and 2004. Posted two collegiate victories during his junior season. Holds the Kansas State records for career rounds played (136) and career tournaments played (49) and is fourth in career stroke average, at 74.30. Had the
• His Red Mountain High School team in Mesa, Ariz., won the state championship three times and the regional championship four times. He was named to the all-state team twice.

Q SCHOOL GRADUATE

• PGA TOUR: 2008
• Korn Ferry Tour: 2012