Ken Duke
| Ken Duke | |
|---|---|
| — Golfer — | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Kenneth Wootson Duke |
| Born |
January 29, 1969 Hope, Arkansas |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st) |
| Nationality |
 United States
|
| Residence | Palm City, Florida |
| Spouse | Michelle |
| Children | Ashleigh, Lauren |
| Career | |
| College | Henderson State University |
| Turned professional | 1994 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Former tour(s) |
Nationwide Tour Canadian Tour |
| Professional wins | 5 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 1 |
| Web.com Tour | 2 |
| Other | 2 |
| Best results in major championships |
|
| Masters Tournament | T35: 2009 |
| U.S. Open | T23: 2007 |
| The Open Championship | T64: 2013 |
| PGA Championship | T13: 2008 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Canadian Tour Order of Merit winner |
1999 |
| Nationwide Tour leading money winner |
2006 |
| Nationwide Tour Player of the Year |
2006 |
Kenneth Wootson Duke (born January 29, 1969) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.
Duke was born in Hope, Arkansas, the son of Ray and Bettie Duke. As a seventh grader in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, he was diagnosed with scoliosis; it was determined that his spine had a curvature of over 26 percent, and he wore a back brace 23 hours a day. Duke had surgery two years later after it was determined that his spine had a 51 percent curvature. At Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, on February 25, 1985, the day of the surgery, Duke's spine was at 72 degrees and worsening. Once a 16-inch metal rod was attached to his spine, the curve of Duke’s back was set at 38 degrees, within the range of normal, and that’s where it has stayed ever since.
Months later, back playing for Arkadelphia High School, he won medalist honors in a high school district golf tournament while wearing a back brace. In 1987, he was the Arkansas High School Medalist at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock.
Duke played his college golf at Division II Henderson State University. Duke led the Reddies to four straight Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference titles and was a four-time AIC Golfer of the Year. In 1992, he earned NAIA All-American honors
After turning professional in 1994, Duke bounced around the world playing mini-tours and on the Asian Tour, South American Tour, and the Canadian Tour. In 1999, he won twice on the Canadian Tour and led their Order of Merit. Duke first played on what was then the Nike Tour in 1995 and qualified for the PGA Tour in 2004, but failed to keep his card and returned to the Nationwide Tour. In 2006 he finished at the top of the Nationwide Tour money list and won the BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs, which regained his playing rights on the PGA Tour for 2007.
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