Notah Begay III
A trailblazing Navajo golfer who transitioned from PGA Tour winner to a powerful advocate for Native American health and youth through sport.
Born 1972 (age 54)·American professional golfer·Birthday: September 14·Generation X
Biography
Notah Begay III broke barriers as one of the very few Native Americans to compete on the PGA Tour, arriving with the pedigree of a Stanford teammate to Tiger Woods. His early career was explosive, capturing four Tour wins in two years with a precise, strategic game. However, his momentum was derailed by a serious back injury that required surgery and led to a long struggle to regain his form. This challenge prompted a pivot in his life's work. Begay channeled his competitive spirit into broadcasting, becoming a sharp analyst for NBC and the Golf Channel. More significantly, he founded the Notah Begay III Foundation, which has become a leading force in addressing health crises like childhood obesity and diabetes in Native American communities. His legacy now extends far beyond fairways, using golf as a platform for social change.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Notah was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Notah Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Notah's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won four PGA Tour events between 1999 and 2000, including two in consecutive weeks.
- Founded the Notah Begay III Foundation, a major nonprofit focused on Native American youth health and wellness.
- Became a lead golf analyst for NBC Sports and the Golf Channel.
- Was a member of Stanford's 1994 NCAA championship golf team alongside Tiger Woods.
Did You Know?
He is of Navajo, Pueblo, and Isleta heritage.
He was the first player of Native American descent to play in the Ryder Cup (1999).
His foundation's annual NB3 Challenge golf event has raised millions of dollars.
“My culture and my people are the foundation of who I am. Golf is just what I do.”
