Kirk Triplett Bio
Kirk Alan Triplett (born March 29, 1962) is an American professional golfer who has competed on the PGA Tour, the Nationwide Tour, and the PGA Tour Champions. Over a career that began in 1985, he built a reputation as a steady ball striker and clutch putter, highlighted by three PGA Tour victories and a successful transition to senior golf. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall, Triplett combined a calm temperament with disciplined course management, traits that helped him remain competitive across multiple tours and decades.
Early Life and Background
Born in Moses Lake, Washington, Triplett grew up on the Palouse in Pullman, a region in the southeastern part of the state known for its rolling farmland and strong high school sports tradition. He graduated from Pullman High School in 1980, where he developed his early interest in golf alongside the everyday rhythms of small-town life. The wide-open spaces and cool weather of the inland Northwest helped shape his work ethic and patience on the course.
After high school, Triplett accepted a golf scholarship to the University of Nevada in Reno, where he balanced competitive play with a demanding academic course load. He earned a degree in civil engineering from Nevada, an education that reflected the same methodical, problem-solving approach he later brought to tournament golf. His college years bridged the gap between small-town amateur play and the wider professional circuit, giving him the structure and discipline required for the next step.
Path to Professional Golf
Triplett turned professional in 1985 and spent his first several years broadening his game across several international circuits. He played on tours in Australia, Asia, and Canada, gaining the kind of varied course experience that few early-career Americans could match. During this period he also qualified for the U.S. Open in 1986 and 1987, a notable achievement for a developing player, though he missed the cut in both appearances.
After several attempts at the qualifying tournament, Triplett earned his PGA Tour card in December 1989 near Houston and joined the main tour as a rookie in 1990. His willingness to travel, combined with a strong amateur foundation at Nevada, gave him the tools to handle the demands of full-time Tour play. By the mid-1990s, he was a regular presence in PGA Tour events, building toward his first victory at the turn of the century.
Kirk Triplett Career
Early Career (1985–1999)
Triplett’s early professional years were defined by steady improvement and a willingness to compete anywhere the game would take him. After his time in Australia, Asia, and Canada, his runner-up finish at the 1992 Houston Open signaled that he could contend on the PGA Tour. Throughout the 1990s he added additional top finishes, including a runner-up result at the 1995 Buick Invitational, sharpening the competitive edge that would eventually lead to his breakthrough win.
By the end of the decade, Triplett had established himself as a reliable Tour presence, capable of contending on a variety of course layouts. His career-best Official World Golf Ranking of 25th, reached in June 2000, reflected the consistency he had built through years of patient work. The stage was set for his first PGA Tour victory.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (2000–2006)
Triplett captured his first PGA Tour title at the 2000 Nissan Open, a win that confirmed his arrival among the tour’s regular contenders. That same year he was selected for the U.S. Presidents Cup team, where he claimed three wins and halved his singles match as the United States defeated the International side 21½–10½. The season marked the high point of his PGA Tour career, blending individual victory with team success on an international stage.
He added two more PGA Tour wins later in the decade, taking the 2003 Reno-Tahoe Open and the 2006 Chrysler Classic of Tucson. Triplett also recorded runner-up finishes at the 2000 John Deere Classic, the 2001 Michelob Championship at Kingsmill, and the 2003 Bay Hill Invitational, showing that he could contend on a range of courses. In major championships, his best results were ties for sixth at the Masters in both 2001 and 2004, with the latter round featuring a hole in one at the par-3 16th in a grouping that also saw Pádraig Harrington ace the same hole minutes earlier.
PGA Tour Champions Era (2012–Present)
Eligible for the Champions Tour in 2012 after turning 50 on March 29, Triplett wasted little time making his mark. He won the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach in just his eighth start on the senior circuit, entering the final round four strokes behind before firing a 66 to win by two over Mark McNulty. That victory made him the sixth player to win on all three PGA Tour-sponsored tours, and he successfully defended the title in 2013.
Triplett continued to pile up senior titles in the years that followed, highlighted by a tournament-record 9-under-par at the Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, Iowa, and additional victories that brought his Champions Tour total to seven by early 2019. In March 2019, he won the Hoag Classic in Newport Beach, California, in a playoff over Woody Austin, holing an 18-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th hole. Later that September, he added the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links, again in a playoff, this time over Billy Andrade, bringing his Champions Tour victory count to eight.
Off the course, Triplett is also a part owner of Hole In One International, a hole-in-one insurance company he runs in conjunction with President and CEO Mark Gilmartin. The business reflects both his entrepreneurial interests and his long connection to the game at the grassroots level.
Driving Style and Strengths
Triplett’s game has long been built on accuracy, patience, and a willingness to plot his way around a course rather than overpower it. His background in civil engineering often showed in the precision of his course management, and his height helped him generate steady distance without sacrificing control. On the Champions Tour, his ability to remain calm under pressure, particularly in playoffs, became one of his defining traits, with several of his senior victories coming in extra-hole formats.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Triplett’s signature moments are his three PGA Tour wins, his Presidents Cup performance in 2000, and his Champions Tour debut victory at Pebble Beach in 2012. His 2011 Nationwide Tour win at the News Sentinel Open at age 49 made him the oldest winner in that tour’s history, a record that underscored his longevity. The back-to-back hole-in-ones shared with Harrington at the 2004 Masters remains one of the most memorable pairings in recent major-championship memory.
Kirk Triplett Career Wins
Kirk Triplett has accumulated 17 documented professional victories across the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, PGA Tour Champions, and several international circuits. His wins span more than three decades, beginning with his early professional play abroad and continuing through his ongoing career on the senior circuit.
PGA Tour Champions Highlights
Triplett has won eight events on the PGA Tour Champions, including his breakthrough at the 2012 Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach and a successful defense of that title in 2013. His Champions Tour playoff record stands at 3–1, with key extra-hole victories coming at the 2019 Hoag Classic and the 2019 PURE Insurance Championship. He was also named the Champions Tour Rookie of the Year in 2012, recognition of how quickly he adapted to senior competition.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his senior success, Triplett recorded three PGA Tour victories, one Nationwide Tour win, and additional titles on the Canadian Tour and other international circuits. His 2011 Nationwide Tour win at the News Sentinel Open at age 49 established him as the oldest winner in the tour’s history, a milestone that highlighted both his durability and his competitive sharpness late in his PGA Tour career.
| Series | Wins | Playoff Record |
|---|---|---|
| PGA Tour | 3 | 0–1 |
| Nationwide Tour | 1 | — |
| PGA Tour Champions | 8 | 3–1 |
Kirk Triplett Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Triplett’s family roots are tied to the Pacific Northwest, where he was raised in the small communities of Moses Lake and Pullman, Washington. His upbringing in this rural setting helped instill the patience and self-reliance that have come to define his professional approach.
Personal Life
Triplett is married to Cathi, his wife, and the couple has made their home in Scottsdale, Arizona, a popular base for many Champions Tour professionals. The Arizona residency allows him easy access to a busy schedule of senior events across the country while remaining close to several of the tour’s most frequent stops.
2025 Season Performance
Now in his 40th year as a professional, Triplett continues to compete on the PGA Tour Champions, where his experience remains a valuable asset. His career total of eight Champions Tour victories, including the playoff wins at the 2019 Hoag Classic and PURE Insurance Championship, places him among the more decorated players of his era on the senior circuit. Heading into 2025, he remains capable of contending on courses that reward accuracy and course management, two areas that have defined his game for decades.
Triplett’s established playoff record of 3–1 on the Champions Tour suggests he will continue to be a factor in close finishes, and his long-standing partnership with the business side of golf through Hole In One International has helped him stay connected to the sport beyond tournament play. While Father Time remains the ultimate opponent for any senior competitor, his track record of late-career milestones, including his 2011 Nationwide Tour win at 49, suggests he is not yet done adding to his resume.
As the 2025 Champions Tour schedule unfolds, Triplett will look to build on a career defined by steady play, strategic thinking, and a knack for performing when it matters most. Whether contending for titles or mentoring the next generation of professionals, he remains one of the most respected American golfers of his generation.