Everything to know about PGA Tour player Ted Potter, Jr.

With many of the top names in golf playing this week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, one name that was a surprise to see at the top of the leaderboard was Ted Potter, Jr.

 

If you’re unfamiliar with the name, here are a few things you should know about this week’s winner.

 

Potter hails from Ocala, Florida and graduated from Lake Weir High School in 2002. Following a strong showing on the Florida junior golf circuit, he decided to turn pro instead of playing golf in college.

 

MORE: Final leaderboard from the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

 

Potter found success early in his golf career, earning Player of the Year honors on the NGA Hooters Tour in 2006 and 2009.

 

In 2011, Potter had a strong year on the Nationwide Tour (since renamed the Web.com Tour) which propelled him to his PGA Tour card in 2012. His debut on the PGA Tour was a T-13 finish at the Sony Open and later that season he earned his first PGA Tour win in a playoff at the Greenbrier Classic. 

 

He finished T-60 in his first major championship appearance -- the 2012 Open Championship -- but has not made the cut at a major since then in four appearances. He did, however, win the 2013 Masters Par-3 contest.

 

Unfortunately, things took a downturn for the 34-year-old in 2014 when he fractured his ankle in a freak accident stepping off a curb while walking in flip-flops in Montreal after missing the cut at the RBC Canadian Open. 

 

The injury caused Potter to sit out until April 2016, at which point he did not qualify to return to the PGA Tour after his major medical exemption expired. He finished 57th on the Web.com money list and then spent much of 2017 on the Web.com Tour with only past champion status on the PGA Tour. 

 

A successful 2017 season on the Web.com Tour got him inside the top 25 on the money list and his return to full status on the PGA Tour. Heading into this week, he was ranked 245th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

 

Potter’s win at Pebble Beach secures him his PGA Tour card through the 2019-20 season and an exemption into this year’s Masters, Open Championship and PGA Championship.