Stephen Ames Bio
Stephen Michael Ames (born April 28, 1964) is a professional golfer from Trinidad and Tobago who later became a Canadian citizen. He competed on the PGA Tour for many years and now plays on the PGA Tour Champions, where he has enjoyed considerable success. The biggest win of his career came in 2006, when he captured The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass by a record-equaling six strokes. Ames also represents his heritage off the course, co-founding the Stephen Ames Cup between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.
Early Life and Background
Stephen Michael Ames was born in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, and grew up on the Petrotrin employee compound, then known as Trintoc, in Pointe-à-Pierre. He is of English and Portuguese descent, and much of his family still resides in the Caribbean nation. Ames developed his game at the Pointe-à-Pierre Golf Club, which was the staff course run by the state oil company.
His grandmother was a two-time champion in Trinidad and Tobago, an early sign of the family’s connection to the sport. Ames’ father, Michael, supported his development and emphasized discipline throughout his early years. That grounding helped shape a young golfer who was ready to test himself against older competition before finishing high school.
Path to Golf
Ames first drew international attention in 1980 at the age of 16, when he made his Hoerman Cup debut. Playing at Sandy Lane in Barbados, he set the course record with a six-under-par round of 66, a striking introduction to regional competition. That performance foreshadowed a career that would eventually move far beyond Caribbean amateur golf.
After completing his early education, Ames accepted a golf scholarship at the College of Boca Raton in Florida, a step that introduced him to the United States competitive circuit. He turned professional in 1987, beginning a long climb through the developmental tours. His first professional title in the United States came at the 1991 Ben Hogan Pensacola Open on what was then the Ben Hogan Tour, which laid the foundation for a return to the game’s biggest stages.
Stephen Ames Career
Early Career (1987-1997)
Stephen Michael Ames spent the first decade of his professional career building experience outside the PGA Tour. After his 1991 win on the Ben Hogan Tour, he tried the European Tour Qualifying School in 1992 and earned his card. He played five seasons on the European Tour, making the top 80 of the Order of Merit each year, with a best finish of 13th in 1996. During that stretch he won the 1994 Open V33 Grand Lyon in France and the 1996 Benson and Hedges International Open in England.
A neck injury slowed his progress, and he struggled to earn a full PGA Tour card for several years. In 1997, he finished third at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament to secure exempt status for the 1998 season, a breakthrough that opened the door to a new chapter. Visa difficulties kept him off the PGA Tour for nearly six months in 1999, but he returned and began to find his footing on American soil.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (1998-2006)
After several seasons of steady play, Ames captured his first PGA Tour title at the 2004 Cialis Western Open. The field included Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, and Davis Love III, making the win one of the strongest of his career. By the end of 2004, he had reached the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
In February 2006, Ames drew headlines by commenting that anything could happen against world No. 1 Tiger Woods, and he was then beaten 9 and 8 at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at La Costa. A month later, he answered critics by winning The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on March 26, 2006. He finished six strokes ahead of Retief Goosen, matching the championship’s margin of victory record and becoming the second-oldest champion in tournament history. The win pushed him past US$10 million in career earnings and lifted him to 27th in the world ranking.
PGA Tour Champions Era (2017-Present)
Stephen Michael Ames joined the PGA Tour Champions and recorded his first senior victory at the 2017 Mitsubishi Electric Classic in his 49th Champions start. He closed with a 66 to finish four strokes clear of Bernhard Langer, becoming the third Canadian to win on the tour and the 11th golfer to win on the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, and Web.com Tour.
He added a second Champions title at the 2021 Principal Charity Classic, coming from behind to win in Des Moines. In 2023, Ames enjoyed one of the strongest senior seasons of his career, winning four events on the PGA Tour Champions. He has continued to add to his Champions victory total in the years since, reinforcing his standing among the most successful senior players from Canada and the Caribbean.
Notable Events and Milestones
Beyond his victories, Ames is known for the 2006 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, where his 9-and-8 loss to Tiger Woods is one of the most lopsided results in the format’s history. He founded the Stephen Ames Cup in 2005, a Ryder Cup-style event pitting CJGA Team Canada against Team Trinidad and Tobago. Ames was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in August 2014, and he received the Chaconia Medal (Gold) from Trinidad and Tobago in 2004.
Stephen Ames Career Wins
Stephen Michael Ames has built a deep résumé across multiple professional tours, collecting titles in the United States, Europe, and on the senior circuit. His four PGA Tour victories are anchored by the 2006 Players Championship, while his two European Tour wins and his growing PGA Tour Champions tally round out a versatile record.
PGA Tour Highlights
Ames’ first PGA Tour win came at the 2004 Cialis Western Open, signaling his arrival among the game’s elite. He followed with his career-defining victory at the 2006 Players Championship, the most prestigious non-major title on the PGA Tour schedule. He added the Children’s Miracle Network Classic in 2007 and again in 2009, where he won a three-way playoff over George McNeill and Justin Leonard with a final-round 64.
Other Wins and Performances
On the European Tour, Ames won the 1994 Open V33 Grand Lyon in France and the 1996 Benson and Hedges International Open in England. He picked up his first professional title in the United States at the 1991 Ben Hogan Pensacola Open, a developmental tour win that helped launch his career. On the PGA Tour Champions, his wins include the 2017 Mitsubishi Electric Classic, the 2021 Principal Charity Classic, and four events during the 2023 season, along with additional titles that have continued to grow his Champions résumé.
Stephen Ames Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Stephen Michael Ames comes from a family with deep Caribbean roots in Trinidad and Tobago. His grandmother was a two-time national champion in her home country, an early link to the sport that has stayed with the family for generations. He is of English and Portuguese descent, and much of his family still lives in Trinidad and Tobago.
Personal Life
Ames married his former wife, Kelly Norcott, a Canadian who worked as an air hostess, and the couple had two sons. The family relocated from Calgary to Vancouver in 2014 following their separation. Ames took Canadian citizenship in 2003 and has been based in Vancouver, British Columbia, for much of the past decade.
2025 Season Performance
Stephen Michael Ames entered 2025 as a leading figure on the PGA Tour Champions, building on a strong 2023 campaign that produced four senior victories. He has continued to factor in Champions events, relying on a steady ball-striking game and the experience built across three decades of professional golf. With his exempt status and proven record in senior majors, he has remained a consistent presence in the late-season events on the Champions schedule.
Ames’ 2025 results have reinforced his reputation as a reliable closer on the senior circuit, where his experience around courses like TPC Sawgrass has translated to birdie opportunities in pressure moments. He has used his schedule to balance Champions majors with regular full-field stops, keeping a competitive rhythm that mirrors his late-career form. His established partnership with a steady caddie and a disciplined practice routine has helped him stay near the top of the Champions statistical categories.
Looking ahead through the rest of 2025, Ames is positioned to remain a factor in senior majors and high-purse Champions events, with a clear path to additional career victories. His dual heritage and his continued role as a bridge between Canadian and Trinidad and Tobago golf give him a unique profile among his peers. If his form holds, the year offers another opportunity to add to a résumé that already includes The Players Championship and a place in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.