Jerry Kelly
US professional golfer Jerome Patrick Kelly - more often known as Jerry Kelly - currently falls among the top 20 on the US Ryder Cup points list, making him a possible candidate for Team USA in the 2008 Ryder Cup golf matches. As a golfer, he has also featured in the top 20 of the Official World Golf Rankings.
Jerry Kelly was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and was an avid ice hockey player before his interest turned to golf. He turned professional in 1989 - the year he graduated from the University of Hartford.
In 1992, Jerry Kelly made his first real mark, winning the 1992 Wisconsin State Open. In 1995, he won two tournaments on the Nike Tour (now known as the Nationwide Tour) - the NIKE Alabama Classic and the NIKE Buffalo Open. Following this success, he made it onto the PGA Team in 1996.
In 2002, Jerry Kelly won the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Advil Western Open, and ranked as number four on the PGA Tour money list.
Together with Rod Pampling, he won the Merrill Lynch Shootout in 2006.
Jerry Kelly is known for his clutch putts - something that has earned him the nickname "The Cylinder", and that we'll be watching for if he makes it onto the American side for the 2008 Ryder Cup golf matches. Although he hasn't secured further PGA Tour wins, he has remained high in the rankings, with several top ten finishes.
2007 PGA Season
As of the end of the 2007 PGA season, Jerry Kelly was ranked 36th overall, with total prize money of $1,978,034.
Jerry Kelly's best PGA Tour finishes for the year included:
- third place in the EDS Byron Nelson Championship
- fifth place in the Masters Tournament
- seventh place in the Crowne Plaza Invitational
- eight place in the Verizon Heritage
- ninth place in the Arnold Palmer Invitational
Which top US golfers do you think will feature at the 2008 Ryder Cup golf matches?
