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Feb 12,2010: PGA golfer Matt Kuchar (USA) in action during the 2nd round of the ATundT Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in Pebble Beach, California. – – ZUMAcg4
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Feb 12,2010: PGA golfer Matt Kuchar (USA) in action during the 2nd round of the ATundT Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in Pebble Beach, California. – – ZUMAcg4
Matt Kuchar and his son Cameron Kuchar won the PNC Championship on Sunday with a record 33-under, finishing seven shots clear. As they walked up the 18th fairway, Matt wiped away tears. His father, Peter, had died of a heart attack while swimming on a Caribbean cruise with his wife, Meg, in February. Peter had caddied for Matt at the 1997 U.S. Amateur, 1998 Masters, and U.S. Open. Matt withdrew from the WM Phoenix Open days after his father’s death. Now, 10 months later, at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Matt reflects on what it took to get here.
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He spoke about his family’s immigrant roots and the lessons he teaches Cameron: “Dad’s parents immigrated from the Ukraine to the United States. Hard workers were window washers.” The philosophy was clear: “You provide for your kids to let them have a chance to have a better life than you did.”
Peter, who used to be one of the best doubles tennis players in Florida, made sure Matt understood what it meant to be an immigrant. He got that way of thinking from his father, who handed it down to him. Now he’s doing the same thing with his sons.
The PGA Tour veteran explained that watching each generation improve made his grandfather happy. “I know Dad’s dad, just beamed with pride with what I did for a living, just loved seeing me play golf on the weekends,” Kuchar recalled. His grandparents were so devoted that “they could never understand why I would ever take a week off because they just said—they had nothing to watch when I took a week off.”
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Final Round of PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida, US – 17 Dec 2023 Matt Kuchar and his son, Cameron Kuchar, pose before teeing off on the first hole during the final round of the PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida. Orlando United States Copyright: xPaulxHennessyx/xSOPAxImagesx 12172023_PHH_PNC_19
That dedication? Well, it came from people who understood work. “They were just hard-working people,” Kuchar said, and passing that story forward matters.
The 47-year-old emphasized that sports demand what his family always preached. “Certainly, the beauty about sports is that you have to earn it. You have to put in the work,” he said. “Nobody is blessed with being great just because they were born a great athlete. You either can play or you can’t.”
Both his sons are now succeeding in their respective sports. “It’s been great to see both my boys are doing well in their respective sport but it requires hard work, and they put the effort in, and it’s nice to see some results come,” Matt Kuchar noted. He’s given them the best chance possible, just as his father did for him.
Cameron, who is 18 and signed with TCU in November, showed that on Sunday. He made birdies on his own throughout the competition and even kept track of how many he made to show he beat his father in individual shots. Cameron has a plus-3.5 handicap at The Bears Club, which is close to their house in Jupiter, Florida.
The duo not only won at the PNC 25′ but also rewrote their names in the history books.
Their 33-under score broke the old tournament record of 28-under, which Bernhard Langer and son Jason, as well as Tiger Woods and son Charlie, had held. Last year, the Langers beat the Woods in a playoff, which makes the Kuchars’ seven-shot lead even more impressive. Matt Kuchar could barely hold on to his club as he stood over the last 18-inch putt on Sunday. He let Cameron tap in.
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PGA, Golf Herren 3M Open – Final Round Jul 28, 2024 Blaine, Minnesota, USA Matt Kuchar walks to the third tee box during the final round of the 3M Open golf tournament. Blaine Minnesota USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMattxKrohnx 20240728_mdk_hw1_002
The values Matt inherited from Peter showed up in more than just the trophy ceremony.
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Kuchar centers respect in 2025 PNC commentary
Matt Kuchar faced widespread belief that his teaming with John Daly and his kid at the 2025 PNC Championship would be a sideshow. Why? Because of Daly’s reputation. He immediately denied this idea, placing greater weight on his own experiences than on others’ opinions.
Kuchar noted, “Dalys were so nice to play with…I know [it] always seems like you’re going to play with the Dalys and there’s going to be some sideshow stuff going on…They are awfully nice to play with.” His evaluation made the Dalys seem like helpful partners on the course, which helped keep the event from becoming a caricature.
Kuchar also talked about how Daly and his kid always encouraged him during their rounds: “Any time we’ve been paired with them, they are always sweethearts of people.”
This point of view fits with Matt Kuchar’s bigger ideas about sportsmanship, hard work, and respect. He built a story based on mutual respect and professionalism by rejecting hype and focusing on real interaction. This is in line with the legacy he says he will pass on to his son.
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