A little over 11 years ago, a young Tom Hoge formally entered the PGA scene. A former two-time Minnesota state amateur champion, the North Dakota native was a talented golfer who belonged. But, it was clear he was someone who would have to work their way up to earn their keep among golf’s best. In other words, the way many do.
Breaking news: Winning in professional golf is difficult, sometimes even impossible. More at 11 on this groundbreaking story!
Eleven years later, Hoge can finally reap the benefits of his rewards.
With a closing round 69, and an overall -19 score, Hoge is your winner of the 2022 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM. One of the most demanding PGA courses, known for its treacherous cliff sides in particular, became the setting for what seemed like a practice run for the now seasoned 32-year-old.
Congratulations to @HogeGolf on his first ever @PGATOUR win!🏆⛳️ pic.twitter.com/3RHruWbdo5
— AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (@attproam) February 7, 2022
It’s Hoge’s first-ever win on the PGA tour, and an impressive one at that, considering who he had to hold off.
For most of Sunday, three-time major winner Jordan Spieth rallied hard. After the first rounds, he trailed by 11 strokes. Only three people on the PGA Tour had ever completed an equivalent or greater comeback after 36 holes in the last 50 years. He was done, over and out.
Jordan Spieth trailed by 11 strokes (to par) after the first two rounds of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Largest 36-hole comebacks on the PGA TOUR in last 50 years (72-hole events): pic.twitter.com/zc3zQ2IgaP
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) February 6, 2022
Of course, that’s what made Spieth’s comeback inconceivable. He looked earmarked for such history and even took an overall -18 lead on a cool and calm 13th hole birdie.
.@JordanSpieth takes the lead‼️
He pulls ahead of the field with a birdie on the 13th hole. @attproam pic.twitter.com/qeH47JOEiS
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) February 6, 2022
But, in what is anything but customary for him, Spieth would lose his groove and fade down the stretch. It simply wasn’t his weekend, as much as it seemed like he would pull off the signature career moment. At the same time, with Spieth breathing down his neck — a lot of pressure on anyone, regardless of stature — Hoge was dipping deep into his bag of tricks:
Four birdies on the back nine, including a clincher on 18.
A back nine to remember at Pebble Beach.@HogeGolf birdies four holes on the way in to claim his first TOUR win @ATTProAm. pic.twitter.com/EAM8yO99yn
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 6, 2022
A monumental moment for Hoge, to be sure, considering he wasn’t exactly a household name amongst fans or even his peers. In 2015, during the Wyndham Championship, a now-infamous clip showed Tiger Woods confused at who Hoge was — who was tied with him for the tournament lead at the time.
Tom Hoge.
He's a PGA TOUR winner. pic.twitter.com/cXJzddNNQG
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 7, 2022
“What is it? Or him? Or what? I don’t know,” said a perplexed Woods when asked about his reaction to Hoge’s performance. Go and ask Woods and any other golfer now, like Spieth, who Hoge is, and whether he’s someone they play with on a regular basis.
They’ll know, and they’ll tell you this with confidence: Tom Hoge is a deserved winner at Pebble Beach.
