David A. Perkins Bio
David A. Perkins is an American professional golfer from Illinois who competes on the PGA Tour Americas, the third-tier professional circuit under the PGA Tour. Born on June 15, 1998, in Peoria, Illinois, Perkins turned professional in 2021 after a standout collegiate career at Illinois State University. He has since posted steady results on PGA Tour Americas and earned his first PGA Tour-sanctioned victory in 2025 at the Explore NB Open in Canada.
Standing 173 centimeters tall and weighing 77 kilograms, Perkins resides in Morton, Illinois, and represents the United States in international competition. Known for a calm, steady playing style, he has built a reputation for clutch finishes, including a playoff victory decided by an eagle earlier in his career on the Minor League Golf Tour.
Early Life and Background
David A. Perkins was born on June 15, 1998, in Peoria, Illinois, to parents Tony and Laureen. He grew up in the Peoria area and attended East Peoria Community High School, where he was a three-sport athlete competing in golf, basketball, and baseball.
During his freshman year of high school, Perkins averaged a score of 76 over 18 holes. He improved to a 74 average as a sophomore, then posted a 73.5 average as a junior, a performance that earned him first-team all-conference honors. That year he placed 28th at the state championship and set multiple school records. In his senior year, he averaged 72.5 over 18 holes, was named first-team Mid-Illini and all-conference, and finished 12th at the state championship.
His strong senior campaign led to an athletic scholarship to play men’s golf for the Illinois State University Redbirds, the program where he would spend the next five seasons refining his game.
Path to Professional Golf
Perkins made his college debut for the Redbirds at the 2016 Badger Invitational, finishing at 5-under par to claim fifth place and earning MVC Tri-Men’s Golfer of the Week honors. He continued to progress through the lineup, posting a 3-under par result at the Firestone Invitational and finishing 20th at the Bob Sitton Invitational before tying for 16th at his first MVC Championship. He closed his freshman year with a 73.2 scoring average.
As a sophomore, he tied for 25th at the Ram Masters Invitational and gained experience across the schedule. His junior year in 2018–19 was a breakout: he shot an 8-under par total at the Badger Invitational, the ninth-best in event history, and collected three MVC Golfer of the Week Awards during the season. He maintained a spot in Illinois State’s top five scorers and averaged 72 strokes per round.
Perkins played an extra year due to closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2020 season became his signature collegiate campaign. He posted a 69.39 scoring average, the lowest MVC single-season average since 2003, won the Golfweek Conference Challenge at 10-under par, and was named 2020 MVC Golfer of the Year and MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He was also named PING Third Team All-American and placed on the Ben Hogan Award Watch List. He left Illinois State in May 2021 with a 72.3 career average and several school records.
David A. Perkins Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
Perkins turned professional in 2021 shortly after completing his collegiate career. He made the cut in both of his appearances on the Forme Tour and earned a sponsor exemption into the John Deere Classic, where he missed the cut after rounds of 72 and 70. He later gained conditional status on PGA Tour Canada through qualifying school.
Across PGA Tour Americas, the Forme Tour, and PGA Tour Canada, he picked up minor wins on the Minor League Golf Tour, including a playoff victory decided by an eagle. His first major professional title came on August 3, 2022, when he won the 73rd Illinois Open Championship with a 6-under par total, earning $23,168 for the win.
PGA Tour Americas Breakthrough (2024–2025)
Perkins finished second at the mid-season PGA Tour Americas qualifying school, earning exemption for the remainder of the 2024 season. He ended 2024 ranked 28th on the points list, a result that secured his membership for the 2025 Latin America Swing of PGA Tour Americas.
He opened the 2025 PGA Tour Americas season with several top-10 finishes, including a third-place result at the Diners Club Peru Open. In July 2025, he captured his first PGA Tour-sanctioned title at the Explore NB Open in Fredericton, Canada, closing at 19-under par 265. The victory earned him $40,500 and 500 Fortinet Cup points, pushing him to the top of the season standings at the time.
Morton, Illinois Era (2022–Present)
Based in Morton, Illinois, Perkins has continued to develop as a consistent presence on PGA Tour Americas. His 2024 campaign reflected steady progression, and his 2025 results, including the Peru Open top-three and the Explore NB Open victory, have marked the strongest stretch of his professional career to date.
Driving Style and Strengths
Perkins is known for a measured, ball-striking-driven style, with a scoring average built on steady iron play and a reliable short game. His comfort in match-style pressure was evident at the Minor League Golf Tour playoff, which he won with an eagle, and again at the 2025 Explore NB Open, where he reached 19-under par across four rounds.
Notable Events and Milestones
His career milestones include his first professional victory at the 2022 Illinois Open, a 2020 MVC Golfer of the Year award at Illinois State, and a first PGA Tour-sanctioned win at the 2025 Explore NB Open, where he reached the top of the Fortinet Cup standings at the time of the victory.
David A. Perkins Career Wins
David A. Perkins has recorded two documented professional wins. His first major title came at the 2022 Illinois Open Championship, and his second came at the 2025 Explore NB Open on PGA Tour Americas. He has also posted a victory on the Minor League Golf Tour, decided by an eagle in a playoff.
PGA Tour Americas Highlights
Perkins’ lone PGA Tour Americas win came at the 2025 Explore NB Open in Fredericton, Canada, where he shot 19-under par 265 to win by a comfortable margin. The result earned him 500 Fortinet Cup points and briefly placed him atop the circuit’s standings.
Other Wins & Performances
Outside PGA Tour Americas, Perkins won the 2022 Illinois Open Championship and recorded a Minor League Golf Tour victory decided by an eagle in a playoff. He has also made starts on the Forme Tour and PGA Tour Canada, including conditional status earned through qualifying school.
David A. Perkins Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Perkins was raised by his parents, Tony and Laureen, in the Peoria area of Illinois. His three-sport background in golf, basketball, and baseball at East Peoria Community High School helped shape the athletic foundation that supported his transition to collegiate golf.
Personal Life
Perkins resides in Morton, Illinois. He is married to his wife, Kayla. He is active on social media, where he is known on X as @daviddperkinss and on Instagram as @davidaperkins_.
2025 Season Performance
Perkins began the 2025 PGA Tour Americas season with a run of top-10 finishes, including a third-place result at the Diners Club Peru Open. His form in the early portion of the year established him as a contender across multiple swings of the schedule.
In July 2025, he won the Explore NB Open in Fredericton, Canada, closing at 19-under par 265 for his first PGA Tour-sanctioned title. The win earned him $40,500 and 500 Fortinet Cup points and pushed him to first place in the season standings at that point in the year.
With his tour card secured through the 2025 Latin America Swing and momentum from his breakthrough victory, Perkins entered the remainder of the 2025 PGA Tour Americas calendar as one of the leading point-earners and a contender for the season-long Fortinet Cup.