Keith Allen Clearwater (born September 1, 1959) is an American professional golfer who has won two tournaments on the PGA Tour.
Early life Clearwater was born in Long Beach, California. He went to Northgate High School in Walnut Creek, California.
Amateur career He was one of many Californians to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and play on the school's golf team. In 1981, his junior year, he helped lead BYU to the 1981 NCAA Championship, and was named as a first team All-American. During his tenure at BYU, his teammates included future professional golfers Rick Fehr, Richard Zokol and Bobby Clampett. In his senior year, 1982, he was named as a second team All-American.
Professional career In 1982, Clearwater turned pro.
In 1987, Clearwater joined the PGA Tour. He won two tournaments on the PGA Tour, both in his rookie season of 1987. He won the prestigious Colonial National Invitation in the spring of that year with a 14-under-par 266, which tied the previous tournament record set by Corey Pavin in 1985. Later in that same season, he won the Centel Classic.
Clearwater has had a moderately successful career in professional golf. He has just over two dozen top-10 tournament finishes in PGA Tour events. His best finish in a major was a T-31 at the 1987 U.S. Open, which included a third round of 64 that tied the Olympic Club course record and remains one shot off of the U.S. Open record.
He also competed on the Champions Tour, but plays the PGA Tour's Colonial National Invitational every year. Most recently, Clearwater was hired by Pauma Valley Country Club, Pauma Valley, California as their Director of Instruction in February 2021.
Personal life Clearwater lives in Murrieta, California.
Amateur wins 1982 North and South Amateur
Professional wins (3) PGA Tour wins (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1May 17, 1987Colonial National Invitation67-71-64-64=266−143 strokes Davis Love III2Nov 1, 1987Centel Classic71-68-68-71=278−101 stroke Billy Kratzert, Bob Lohr, Joey Sindelar
Other wins (1) 1985 Alaska State Open
Results in major championships Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989Masters TournamentCUTU.S. OpenCUTT31CUTThe Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipCUTCUT Tournament19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000Masters TournamentT39U.S. OpenT37T52CUTT53The Open ChampionshipCUTPGA ChampionshipT48T56WD
CUT = missed the half-way cut WD = Withdrew "T" = tied
See also 1986 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates 2000 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
References
External links
Northgate High School Athletics Website