Old rivalries die hard. Just ask Kyle Westmoreland, the first Air Force Academy graduate to earn his PGA Tour card.
“Go Air Force. Beat Army. Sink Navy. And we’re Tour bound, baby,” he said with the sun setting behind him and 24 others who made their dreams come true Sunday at Victoria National in Newburgh, Indiana.
Westmoreland, who saw his score inch up in the wrong direction each day this week, posted scores of 69-70-71-72 and finished 6 under, 15 shots back of Korn Ferry Tour Championship winner Justin Suh. But it was good enough for Westmoreland, the first Air Force grad to play in a U.S. Open, to earn his place on Tour for the 2022-23 season.
He was a senior in college at Air Force in 2014 and then served out his five-year commitment, reaching the rank of captain serving in the financial management division. But he never wavered on his goal of playing professional golf.
"Go Air Force. Beat Army, Sink Navy."@Kyle_West_ played collegiality @AF_Golf and completed a five-year service commitment in the @USAirForce before pursuing professional golf.
He's the first Air Force Academy graduate to earn a @PGATOUR card. pic.twitter.com/eJz7j544iB
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) September 5, 2022
Westmoreland, 30, finished in the 25th and final spot in the points standings.
He was 13th in driving distance on the Korn Ferry Tour at 319 yards. He had three top-10s and made 14 cuts in 26 events during the season. He earned $122,575 in on-course winnings during the 2022 campaign.
The next PGA Tour season starts in Napa, California, at the Fortinet Championship, Sept. 15-18. Defending tournament champ Max Homa has committed to play. Others in the field include Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, Brandt Snedeker and past winner Cameron Champ.
