In recent years, Justin Lower has become established on the PGA Tour, but his route to the big time was not without disappointment, while a family tragedy when he was a teenager remains a big part of his life.
Here are 15 things to know about the Ohio-born star.
Justin Lower Facts
1. Justin Lower was born on 4 April 4 1989 in Akron, Ohio and introduced to the game by his father, Tim.
2. Lower's earliest golf-related memory is watching Tiger Woods play at the 2000 Bridestone Invitational.
3. At the age of 13, he had an encounter with Arnold Palmer in a practice round for the 2002 Senior PGA Championship, where he was volunteering. Palmer pulled a shot into some fans near Lower and asked if anyone wanted to take the shot. Lower stepped up but, as he told PGATour.com, he didn't get to complete the shot.
“I had my hand on his wedge, and this huge hand out of nowhere just comes back … and he’s like, ‘Don’t worry, son. I’ll take it from here.’”
4. He endured tragedy aged 15 when his dad and brother, Chris, were killed in a car accident on the way to pick him up from the golf course. Nowadays, he has two lucky charms in their memory - ball markers that say "Dad, Chris, 3-26-05."
5. He attended Malone University, where he became the 2010 NAIA Champion.
6. During his time at the university, he achieved 16 wins and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2021.
7. In 2018, he missed out on a PGA Tour card by the narrowest of margins. Lower faced an eight-foot putt at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship to guarantee his place, but his ball grazed the edge of the cup and stayed out.
8. Lower finally secured his PGA Tour card three years later on the last hole of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.
9. If he hadn't made it as a pro golfer, Lower would have become a college athletic director.
10. He has two professional wins so far, and they both came in his first two appearances ithe Ohio Open, in 2012 and 2015.
11. Lower's one Major appearance to date came in the 2024 US Open after reaching it through final qualifying. He gave an emotional TV interview after securing his place, saying: "The Sunday usually falls on Father’s Day and I lost my dad when I was 15. Just to be able to play on that day in the US would be really cool.”
He managed it, finishing T50 at Pinehurst No.2.
12. He's a supporter of Ohio Guidestone-Foster Care and Family Services and hopes to start his own foundation.
13. Lower is also a baseball fan. He excelled as a player growing up before choosing golf, and he threw out the first pitch at a Cleveland Indians game last year in 2018.
14. His favorite non-golf athletes are LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
15. His favorite course is Pebble Beach.
Justin Lower Bio
Justin Lower Professional Wins
- 2012 Ohio Open
- 2015 Ohio Open
