Kurt Kitayama won his second PGA Tour event at the 3M Open in Minnesota last weekend.
Kitayama (-23) finished one stroke ahead of Sam Stevens and three ahead of Matt Wallace, Jake Knapp, David Lipsky, and Pierceson Coody at TPC Twin Cities.
The American golfer, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational two years ago, could now make next month’s FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Despite his two PGA Tour victories, few golf fans will know much about the 3M Open champion.
The Golfing Gazette now looks at something Kitayama has in common with YouTube golf sensation Grant Horvat.
- READ MORE: Dan Rapaport gives his verdict on Grant Horvat’s decision to reject invite to play on the PGA Tour
Kurt Kitayama and Grant Horvat share the same favorite golf course
Kitayama has been a PGA Tour member since 2021, so he has experience playing many of the golf courses on the circuit.
When asked to name his favorite in an interview last year, he said: Pebble has always been one of my favourites. There are ocean holes, and the greens are small.”
Horvat recently told Collin Morikawa that Pebble Beach is his favorite course in the world, too. “Pebble Beach. I’m a sucker for Pebble Beach. I love ocean golf,” he said.
Morikawa also enjoys playing there, as he replied: “I love that. I’m with you.” Morikawa and Kitayama could next play there in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February.
Kurt Kitayama names the hardest golf course on the PGA Tour
Kitayama also named the most difficult golf course on the PGA Tour. “I think US Open courses are really tough,” he added.
“The one at Winged Foot I played was like super high rough, the greens are fast and undulating. I would say that would be one of the hardest courses I have ever played.”
Kitayama can only speak from his experience, but statistics suggest that the US Open at Winged Foot was not particularly difficult.
| Year | Winner | Course | Score | To Par |
| 2020 | Bryson DeChambeau | Winged Foot Golf Club | 274 | −6 |
| 2021 | Jon Rahm | Torrey Pines | 278 | −6 |
| 2022 | Matt Fitzpatrick | The Country Club | 274 | −6 |
| 2023 | Wyndham Clark | Los Angeles Country Club | 270 | −10 |
| 2024 | Bryson DeChambeau | Pinehurst Resort | 274 | −6 |
| 2025 | J. J. Spaun | Oakmont Country Club | 279 | −1 |
Four of the last six US Open winning scores have been six under par, including Bryson DeChambeau’s victory at Winged Foot in 2020.
The hardest venue by far was Oakmont Country Club earlier this year, as J.J. Spaun was the only player under par in the field.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
