Tee-K Kelly

Exempt status

• Korn Ferry Tour: Finishers 4-5 on 2021 Forme Tour Order of Merit or 2020-21 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Order of Merit / Finishers 76-100 in 2020-21 Regular Season Standings / Additional Qualifying Tournament Finishers (thru 2022)

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR Latinoamérica: 2017
• Korn Ferry Tour: 2018
• Forme Tour: 2021

PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Victories (1)

• 2017 Puerto Plata DR Open

Additional Victories (1)

• 2021 Illinois Open

Personal

• First name is Timothy but he goes by Tee-K.
• Has a younger brother, Will, who also plays golf.
• His mother, Blue, was a member of a University of Tulsa golf squad (1986-1990) that captured a NCAA championship in 1988.
• Earned a varsity letter in tennis in High School.
• If not a golfer says he would be a mathematician.
• John Prine's "Lake Marie" would be his first tee entrance song.
• Says that winning the 2013 Illinois State Amateur with his father caddying has been his biggest thrill in golf.
• Biggest thrill outside of golf is going snowboarding in the Rocky Mountains.
• A diehard Chicago sports fan.
• Michael Jordan and Zlatan Ibrahimović are his favorite athletes.

Special Interests

• Snowboarding, tennis, photography, cards

Career Highlights

2021 Season

Played in eight Forme Tour tournaments, making four cuts and securing one top-10. Closed the season 38th on the Points List.

• Illinois Open: At the 72nd edition of Illinois’ state open, went wire to wire in the 54-hole tournament at Stonebridge CC in early August to claim the title by three shots over Luke Gannon. Secured the $25,000 first prize by posting rounds of 66-65-68. Looked like he was going to come back to the field when he made a double bogey-7 at the par-5 14th in the final round but followed those with a pair of birdies to coast home.
• Birck Boilermaker Classic: Moved up 22 spots on the leaderboard on the final day at the Birck Boilermaker Complex into a T3, thanks to a closing, 7-under 65. Made nine birdies—including four in a row, starting at No. 5—and two bogeys to tie with Brian Carlson, Charles Huntzinger and Zach Cabra, three shots behind winner Turk Pettit.
• Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada Q-School-USA West 2: Held the outright 36-hole lead after his 69-65 start at The Wigwam’s Gold Course in Arizona in early April. Entered the final round a shot out of the lead following a 2-under 70 then birdied his final hole to T3 with Samuel Saunders and earning Forme Tour status for the first half of the season.

2019 Season

Had a disappointing year, making three cuts in nine PGA TOUR Latinoamerica appearances. Ended the season 135th on the Order of Merit.

• PTLA Qualifying Tournament-Brazil: Made a valiant run at victory at the Olympic GC in Rio de Janeiro. Finished a stroke short of winner Patrick Flavin but still earned fully-exempt status for the first half of the season.

2018 Season

Played in five PGA TOUR Latinoamerica tournaments, making four cuts and finishing 111th on the Order of Merit. Saw action in five Mackenzie Tour tournaments, with two weekend appearances. Closed the year 137th on that Tour’s Order of Merit. Played in his inaugural Korn Ferry Tour event, missing the cut.

2017 Season

Played in 14 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica tournaments, making nine cuts and garnering his first victory. Besides his win, posted four additional top-10s to place seventh on the Order of Merit.

• Shell Championship: At the season-end event at Melreese CC in Miami, entered the final round a stroke behind leader Brady Schnell following a third-round 65. Could only muster a Sunday, even-par 72 to tall into a T4 with three others, three shots behind Schnell’s winning score.
• Roberto De Vicenzo Punta del Este Open Copa NEC: Opened and closed with a pair of 69s and added two additional sub-70 scores—68-66—to T7 with Augusto Nunez and Marcelo Rozo at Del Lago GC in Uruguay.
• 64 Aberto do Brasil: In October, was under-par in all four rounds, including a weekend showing of 7-under at the Olympic GC in Rio de Janeiro to T5 with three others.
• BMW Jamaica Classic: A week after his first victory, was again in the hunt all week. Again recorded four consecutive rounds in the 60s, finishing at 19-under overall and alone in fourth, two shots behind winner Jared Wolfe’s pace at Cinnamon Hill GC.
• Puerto Plata DR Open: Opened with a 10-under 61 and never looked back, posting ensuing scores of 67-66-69 to coast to a seven-shot triumph over Ryan Ruffels. Made 23 birdies and two eagles and played the opening hole at Playa Dorada GC in 6-under, making both of his eagles at the par-5.
• PTLA Qualifying Tournament-Colombia: After finishing T9, he survived a four-way playoff for three spots inside the top-11 who earned exempt status for the first half of the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica season in January.

2016 Season

Turned professional in November.

Amateur Highlights

• Named All-America Honorable Mention and All-Midwest Region in senior year (2015-16).
• Claimed medalist honors at the 2016 NCAA Kohler Regional to advance to the NCAA Championships, where he finished 30th as an individual. Also won the Lone Star Invitational as a senior.
• Had another win as a senior at the Lone Star Invitational.
• Won consecutive Illinois State Amateur Championship, in 2015 and 2016.
• At Wheaton Warrenville South High, he was a four-time letterwinner in golf.

Q SCHOOL GRADUATE

• PGA TOUR Latinoamérica: 2017
• Korn Ferry Tour: 2017
• Forme Tour: 2021