Dudley Hart Bio
Howard Dudley Hart, known professionally as Dudley Hart, is an American professional golfer born on August 4, 1968, in Rochester, New York. He played on the PGA Tour and is best known for winning two PGA Tour events during a career repeatedly interrupted by serious back injuries. Over nearly two decades at the game’s highest level, Hart built a reputation as one of the most consistent players on tour, even as chronic physical problems limited his playing time and forced long stretches away from competition.
Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing roughly 190 pounds, Hart was a steady, ball-striking player who relied on accuracy and course management. His career is a study in perseverance, highlighted by a remarkable 2008 comeback season that earned him the PGA Tour Comeback Player of the Year Award. He later became eligible for PGA Tour Champions in August 2018.
Early Life and Background
Howard Dudley Hart was born in Rochester, New York, and spent part of his youth in the Miami, Florida area, where he attended Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School. Growing up, he developed an early love for golf and also cultivated interests in fishing, reading, and professional hockey that he has carried through his adult life. The move to Florida exposed him to year-round golf and helped shape the foundation for his future competitive career.
Hart’s family provided a supportive environment that allowed him to pursue athletics seriously. His passion for the game, combined with the favorable Florida climate, set the stage for his recruitment to a major college golf program. By the time he finished high school, he had earned a reputation as one of the top young amateur players in the Southeast.
Path to Professional Golf
Hart accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he joined the Florida Gators men’s golf team from 1987 to 1990. Playing under head coaches Lynn Blevins and Buddy Alexander, he developed the technical skills and mental toughness that would later define his professional career. In 1987, he was honored as the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year, a remarkable achievement for any first-year collegiate golfer.
During his time at Florida, Hart was a three-time first-team All-SEC selection and a four-time All-American. He was also a member of the Gators’ 1989 SEC championship team, one of the highlights of his amateur career. These accomplishments cemented his status as a top prospect, and in 1990, he made the decision to turn professional.
Dudley Hart Career
Early Career (1990–1995)
Hart turned pro in 1990 and joined the PGA Tour the following year in 1991. The transition from amateur standout to professional competitor required patience, and Hart spent his early seasons learning the demands of week-to-week tour golf. Despite the challenges, he began posting steady results and proved that his amateur pedigree could translate to the highest level of the sport.
Throughout the mid-1990s, Hart quietly built a reputation as a reliable, if not flashy, competitor. He learned the courses, the travel, and the pressure of full-field events. By the middle of the decade, he was on the cusp of his first PGA Tour victory.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (1996–2002)
Hart’s first PGA Tour win came in 1996 at the rain-shortened Bell Canadian Open, which arrived at his 160th PGA Tour start. The breakthrough was a long time coming and validated years of grinding work. From 1991 to 2009, Hart recorded 55 top-10 finishes, including four runner-up finishes, demonstrating remarkable consistency even in seasons without a victory.
His second PGA Tour win came at the 2000 Honda Classic, which pushed his career earnings and Official World Golf Ranking to new heights. In April 2000, he reached a career-best ranking of 21st in the world. Hart also tied for third in the 2004 EDS Byron Nelson Championship, a tournament he and Robert Damron lost in a playoff to Sergio García. His best major finish was a tie for sixth at the 1993 PGA Championship.
Injury Era and Comeback (2003–2008)
Hart’s career was significantly altered in 2003, when a herniated disc in his back limited him to just 22 starts. The injury marked the beginning of a long, painful battle with back problems that would persist for years. In 2007, he took six months away from the Tour to care for his wife, Suzanne, who had a softball-sized tumor removed from her lungs, further interrupting his competitive schedule.
Hart returned in 2008 using a major medical exemption and produced what became his best year on Tour. He earned more than $2 million and was awarded the PGA Tour Comeback Player of the Year Award, capping one of the most inspiring stories of perseverance in recent PGA Tour history.
Later Years and Tour Champions (2009–Present)
In 2009, Hart underwent spinal fusion surgery, which kept him off the PGA Tour in 2010 and 2011. He attempted a comeback at the 2011 Australian Open but withdrew after three rounds, and a 2012 start at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am ended with a missed cut. He underwent additional back surgery in 2013, making no PGA Tour starts that year.
Hart made his first PGA Tour cut in nearly five years at the 2014 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, finishing tied for 35th. He later played limited Web.com Tour Finals events without making a cut and eventually moved to the Past Champions category. In August 2018, Hart became eligible for PGA Tour Champions, opening a new chapter in his professional career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hart’s most memorable career moments include his 1996 Bell Canadian Open victory in his 160th start and his 2000 Honda Classic win, which propelled him to a career-best 21st in the world. His 2008 Comeback Player of the Year Award, earned after earning more than $2 million on a major medical exemption, stands as the defining milestone of a career defined by resilience.
Dudley Hart Career Wins
Howard Dudley Hart accumulated two PGA Tour victories during his career, along with additional wins at smaller professional events. Despite the limited victory total, he was widely respected for his consistency, posting 55 top-10 finishes between 1991 and 2009. His wins came in marquee events and reflected the steady, durable nature of his ball-striking game.
PGA Tour Highlights
Hart’s PGA Tour wins came at the 1996 Bell Canadian Open, which was shortened by rain, and the 2000 Honda Classic. His 1996 victory came in his 160th career start, a long road that finally produced a trophy. He also finished tied for third at the 2004 EDS Byron Nelson Championship, a playoff loss to Sergio García that remains one of the closest calls of his career.
Dudley Hart Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Dudley Hart was raised in a supportive family in Rochester, New York, before relocating to Florida during his youth. His family encouraged his early sporting interests, and his time at Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School helped shape his competitive foundation. While Hart did not come from a multi-generational golf lineage, his family provided the stability needed to pursue the sport at its highest levels.
Personal Life
Hart is married to Suzanne Hart, and the couple has four children. They are the parents of triplets Ryan, Rachel, and Abigail, born in 2001, and a daughter named Avery, born in 2010. The family lives in Buffalo, New York, where Hart enjoys fishing, reading, and following professional hockey. His decision to take six months off in 2007 to support Suzanne through her lung surgery underscored the central role family has played throughout his career.
2025 Season Performance
As Dudley Hart became eligible for PGA Tour Champions in August 2018, his 2025 season centers on the senior circuit, where he can compete in events designed for players 50 and older. The Tour Champions schedule offers him a chance to compete regularly without the physical demands of the full PGA Tour schedule, an important consideration given his long history of back injuries.
Hart’s 2025 outlook is shaped by his continued recovery and his focus on longevity rather than chasing a return to the regular PGA Tour. His past experience, including his career-best 21st world ranking in 2000 and his 2008 Comeback Player of the Year Award, suggests he remains capable of producing competitive rounds when healthy. Fans and analysts will watch to see whether he can add to his two PGA Tour wins in the senior format.