Architect
39 courses on Course Vaults
Jerome Kendrick Pate, born in 1953, achieved one of golf's most memorable victories when he won the 1976 U.S. Open as a 22-year-old rookie. His famous closing 5-iron from the rough at Atlanta Athletic Club's 18th hole — landing three feet from the pin — secured a two-stroke triumph and remains one of the championship's iconic shots. Previously the 1974 U.S. Amateur champion, Pate won eight PGA Tour events total, with his last victory in 1982. Shoulder injuries significantly curtailed what had appeared to be a promising career, though he later competed on the PGA Tour Champions.
After his playing career, Pate established a successful course design practice concentrated primarily in the southeastern United States. His portfolio includes Old Waverly in Mississippi, Canebrake in Hattiesburg, and Old Overton outside Birmingham. Among his coastal work, Kiva Dunes on Alabama's Gulf Coast stands out as a links-style layout. He also designed both courses at Dancing Rabbit in Mississippi (Azalea and Oaks) and contributed renovations to Trump National Doral's Silver Fox course in Miami.
Sources: Wikipedia articles linked above; course list from Course Vaults.
