A hole-in-one in the 16th round of the 2022 WM Phoenix Open, helped Sam Ryder catch everyone’s attention. Perfectly placing a 125-yard stroke from the tee is not an easy task for any professional. Yet, Ryder made it seem like child’s play!

As the camera panned back to Ryder, we saw his animated reaction as he embraced his caddie in celebration. We could all see how delighted he was when he achieved what any pro might think to be impossible. He may have finished at T23, but we can still assume that he was thrilled with his performance, specifically in the 3rd round on February 12th, 2022

This is not the only achievement he would be proud of in the 34YO’s career. There is much more to him on and off course that makes him who he is today. Let’s get to know more about Florida golfer, Sam Ryder.

Who is Sam Ryder?

Born in Winter Park, Florida, Sam Ryder has always been inclined towards the sport of golf. Much of this is credited to his place of birth, as Winter Park (near Orlando), is famous for for having a rich golf culture. Hence, his surroundings may have influenced his love for the sport. We can also consider the fact that the region is traditionally known for being warm. Hence, he also had ample time and opportunities to grow his skills and interest in golf.

Ryder attended Bishop Moore High School in Orlando. According to his University portfolio, he had quite a few achievements from 2008-2012. He experienced his first win in the Mission Inn Spring Fling in the 2010-11 uni year. He also went on to win 4 more times in the following year and qualified as a first-team member of the All-ASUN Tournament Champion. It is evident that the golfer showed amazing talent from a young age.

Ryder went on to become a pro in 2012. And after 3 years of hard work and determination, he got his first taste of victory. Sam Ryder won the 2015 National Capital Open in the PGA Tour Canada. He won it by defeating Taylor Pendrith in a dramatic finish. Pendrith missed two easy putts, one a 10-footer and another from 4 feet away on the 18th hole. That led to Ryder’s victory in the championship. Speaking of the ending, Ryder said, “It was hard to watch the [Pendrith’s] birdie putt. Honestly, I just wasn’t expecting him to miss that second one. I didn’t really want it to end like that, but I’ll take it.”, per Golf Canada.

In the 2024 Players Championship, Ryder had set the record for the most number of birdies (28) in a single week. Ryder achieved another trophy in 2017, with the Pinnacle Bank Championship in the Korn Ferry Tour. Unlike his first championship victory, he didn’t have to scrape through for a win in the end. This was an extremely dominating performance by Ryder as there was a 8 stroke between him and the runner-up. This was the last time Ryder won a championship.

In his career of 12 years, Ryder has played 266 events overall. He has been a runner-up 5 times, with 6 third spots, 19 top-five finishes and 33 top-ten places.

That’s everything that you need to know about Sam Ryder, the golfer. But we see a completely different side of him that is not always associated with the sport. Would you like to know him better? Let’s look at Sam Ryder beyond the world of golf.

Sam Ryder: The Philanthropist

Ryder will often be spotted indulging in social welfare activities. While we did mention his first professional victory in the National Capital Open, we would also like to add that the tournament was played as a non-profit for the troops. In fact, the tournament is actually called the National Capital Open as it is a Support Our Troops event. Granted that it did add to his resume, but maybe it had a lot more relevance to him than we might see on the surface.

We can view a few posts on his social media where he requests his followers to make contributions to charitable welfare organizations. He has shared posts on Breast Cancer Awareness and COVID-19 Response Funds initiatives. Ryder also likes to use his fame to contribute to the betterment of the world.

Moreover, Ryder also likes to collaborate with other sportspersons for cross-sport events. In fact, he has golfed with Warriors point guard, Stephen Curry, after his Pinnacle Bank Championship victory in 2017.

Apart from that, Sam Ryder has shared a few pictures with his friends and family. He seems to enjoy going to beaches, social outings with friends, and traveling. He has also been spotted a few times with celebrities. Most notably, he has a picture with Clint Eastwood, which we all agree, is amazing.

His next challenge will be the inaugural Black Desert Championship. He currently sits at T4, 2 strokes off the top. Let’s see where he lands on the leaderboard after the next couple of rounds. What do you think of Sam Ryder’s play at the Black Desert Championship? Let us know below!