Ben Kohles

Exempt status

• PGA TOUR: Top 50 from 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour (thru 2021-22)

JOINED TOUR

• Korn Ferry Tour: 2012
• PGA TOUR: 2013
• PGA TOUR Latinoamérica: 2016

Korn Ferry Tour Victories (2)

2012 Season

• Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational
• Cox Classic Presented by Lexus of Omaha

PLAYOFF RECORD

KORN FERRY TOUR (1-0)

• 2012 Defeated Luke Guthrie, Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational

Personal

• Born in Dallas and moved to Cary, N.C., with his family when he was 10. Has one younger sister.
• Did not take up golf until he was 15 and did not try out for his high school golf team as a freshman.
• Favorite courses he's played are Pine Valley GC and Oakmont CC and would like to play Pebble Beach GL.
• Likes to watch "SportsCenter." Favorite teams include University of Virginia teams, Kentucky basketball, Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers and Dallas Mavericks and favorite athletes are Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Josh Hamilton. Likes to visit Maui, New York and Los Angeles, and his favorite place for a vacation is Hawaii. Favorite foods are chipotle and brownies. Favorite movies are the "Batman" trilogy, "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Remember the Titans." Favorite gadget is his iPad.
• Carries granola bars, trail mix and bananas in his golf bag for snacks. Would round out his dream foursome with his father, Jack Nicklaus and Woods.
• Says not many people know that he occasionally bowls over 200.
• His bucket list includes skydiving and driving a race car.
• Favorite motto is "Never give up, never ever give up" from former North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano.
• Snapchat username is @kohles.

Special Interests

• Basketball, bowling, ping-pong

Career Highlights

2021 Season

Earned PGA TOUR membership via the Korn Ferry Tour for a second time (last time was following 2012 season), finishing the 2020-21 combined season No. 19 on the Korn Ferry Tour List (after he ended the regular season at No. 23) with two runner-up finishes, seven top-10s and 17 top-25s across 41 starts. One of three players to earn a TOUR card despite going without a victory in the 2020-21 combined season.

• Emerald Coast Classic at Sandestin: Shot a final-round 5-under 65 and finished T8 at 10-under 270 at the Emerald Coast Classic at Sandestin.

2020 Season

• Wichita Open Supporting Wichita's Youth: Carded weekend rounds of 65-69 to finish T8 at 12-under 268 at the Wichita Open Supporting Wichita's Youth.
• Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS: Used weekend rounds of 66-67 to finish T2 at 18-under 266 at the Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS.
• TPC San Antonio Championship at the Oaks: After an opening 71, carded three consecutive 69s to rise to a T9 finish at 10-under 278 at the TPC San Antonio Championship at the Oaks.
• TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes: Held a share of the 18-hole lead at the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes after an opening-round 5-under 67. Finished the week T15 at 9-under 279.
• Korn Ferry Challenge at TPC Sawgrass: Co-led after 36 holes before settling for a T14 finish at 5-under 275 at the Korn Ferry Challenge at TPC Sawgrass.
• Country Club de Bogota Championship: Fired four rounds in the 60s to earn a solo-second finish at the Country Club de Bogota Championship. Carded four birdies and an eagle en route to a final-round 6-under 65.
• Panama Championship: Fired four rounds in the 60s at the Club de Golf de Panama to finish T3 at the Panama Championship.

2019 Season

Finished the season at No. 51 on the Regular Season points list. Recorded five top-25 finishes in 23 starts, including a season-best runner-up finish at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay. Finished T86 in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

• The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay: Carded a final-round 8-under 64 to finish T2 at 16-under 272 in the first event of the 2019 season.

2018 Season

Made 25 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2018, picking up four top-10 finishes in 18 made cuts, highlighted by a T5 at the Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS. Finished the Regular Season at No. 45 on the money list to advance to the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Ended the Finals at No. 49 on the Finals money list.

• Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS: Posted four consecutive sub-70 rounds at the Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS to finish T5, his sixth-straight top-25 finish.
• Wichita Open Supporting Wichita's Youth: Carded a 66 in the final round of the Wichita Open for a T8. Birdied the final two holes to move inside the top 10.
• Rex Hospital Open: Posted a T10 finish at the Rex Hospital Open in his home state of North Carolina.
• BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation: First top-10 of the season came at the BMW Charity Pro-Am. Posted a 5-under 67 on Sunday for a T9.

2017 Season

Finished the season at No. 68 on the Regular Season money list. Recorded two top-10 finishes in 24 starts. Finished at No. 63 in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

• WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft-Heinz: T8 at the WinCo Foods Portland Open.

2016 Season

Made 14 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour with one top-10 and four made cuts. Was 133rd on the Regular Season money list.

• United Leasing & Finance Championship: Recorded a T10 at the United Leasing & Finance Championship at Victoria National Golf Club, posting his first top-10 on the Korn Ferry Tour since 2012. Monday qualified in for his first start of the season and posted rounds of 71-69-69-73 to secure a spot in the field at the Rex Hospital Open.

2015 Season

Played 17 Korn Ferry Tour events, making seven cuts. Had one top 10 at the Stonebrae Classic in July and two top 25s. Finished the Regular Season 107th on the money list and 127th on the final year-long money list.

• Aberto do Brasil presented by Credit Suisse Hedging Griffo: Made the cut in one of two starts on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, a T46 finish at the Aberto do Brasil in Rio in September.
• Stonebrae Classic: Recorded his lone top-10 of the season at the Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae with a T10 finish.

2014 Season

Made one cut in three starts on the PGA TOUR, a T56 at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Added five cuts made in 19 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour. Best finishes were a T45 at the Cleveland Open in June and a T47 at the Utah Championship in July. Finished 176th on the Regular Season money list and did not qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

2013 Season

Made 12 of 25 PGA TOUR cuts, with one top-10. Finished No. 148 in the FedExCup. Played in all four Korn Ferry Tour Finals events but was unable to improve his status for 2013-14.

• Tampa Bay Championship presented by EverBank: First top-10 finish of the season came at the Tampa Bay Championship. Made seven birdies in the second round en route to a 4-under 67 at the Copperhead Course to claim the top-10 finish.

2012 Season

Ended the year No. 8 on the Korn Ferry Tour money list and earned his PGA TOUR card for 2013 despite playing in only 10 events. Was one of five two-time winners during the season. Ended the year No. 4 in both Putts Per Round and Putting Average.

• Mylan Classic: Added a solo fifth at the Mylan Classic, finishing a distant five shots back of winner Robert Streb.
• Cox Classic Presented by Lexus of Omaha: Followed his victory in Columbus with his second win in as many weeks, at the Cox Classic. Was 15-under par and two strokes off the lead after 54 holes at Champions Run. Closed his front nine Sunday with three straight birdies to challenge for the lead and then moved into first place with back-to-back birdies at Nos. 14 and 15. Held a two-stroke lead over South Africa's Dawie van der Walt, who was at 21-under par after a closing 60, when he stepped to the 18th tee. Punctuated his day with an 18-foot birdie putt for a 9-under 62 to get to 24-under and make his winning margin three strokes. His only two bogeys of the week came on back-to-back holes midway through the second round. Pocketed a check for $117,000, which moved him to No. 2 on the money list and locked up a berth on the PGA TOUR in 2013 after only two starts. Became the 12th player in Tour history to register consecutive wins but only the seventh to do it in consecutive weeks. Joined Daniel Chopra (2004) as the only players in Tour history to win their first two starts in any season. Also reached the $200,000 mark in season earnings faster than any player in history.
• Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational: Became the first player in Tour history to win his professional debut when he captured the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational in a playoff over Luke Guthrie. Was a second-team All-American and earned a berth in the tournament when first-team All-American Peter Uihlein withdrew. Was T18 in the prestigious Porter Cup the previous week and was going to turn pro later in the summer but decided to forego any other amateur events when he got into the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational in Columbus, Ohio. Posted rounds of 66-69 at the OSU Scarlet Course and hovered near lead the first two days. Shot a 4-under 67 in the third round to take a two-stroke lead after 54 holes. Stumbled with three bogeys in his first 10 holes on the final day before recovering to play the final seven holes in 3-under par. Was one back of Guthrie when he stepped to tee at No. 18. Stuffed his approach shot to 15 inches and rolled in a short birdie putt to force a playoff. Rolled in a 22-foot birdie putt on the same hole in the playoff to beat Guthrie, who missed his birdie try from 25 feet. Collected a first-place check for $144,000 and became the 13th player in Tour history to win in his first Tour start. Joined Daniel Summerhays (2007) and Harris English (2011) as college All-Americans to win the tournament.

Amateur Highlights

• Three-time All-American at Virginia, including a second-team selection in 2012. Two-time Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year (2011, 2012). Was Co-Player of the Year as a sophomore, the first Virginia golfer to win the award since 1996. Named to t
• Member of Green Hope High School 2006 and 2007 4A state championship teams in North Carolinna. Tri-8 Conference Player of the Year his senior year.

Q SCHOOL GRADUATE

• PGA TOUR Latinoamérica: 2016
• Korn Ferry Tour: 2016