Stewart Cink
A PGA Tour stalwart known for his steady demeanor and a stunning Open Championship victory that broke a nation's heart.
Born 1973 (age 53)·American professional golfer·Birthday: May 21·Generation X
Biography
Stewart Cink built a reputation as one of golf's most consistent and resilient competitors, a tall figure with a smooth swing and an even-keeled personality. For over two decades, he piled up wins on the PGA Tour, known for his superb ball-striking and putting. His career, however, is forever defined by a single Sunday at Turnberry in 2009. In a dramatic duel that captivated the sports world, the 59-year-old Tom Watson, on the cusp of a miraculous sixth Open title, was denied by Cink's clutch play, culminating in a four-hole playoff victory. While the narrative centered on Watson's near-miss, Cink's triumph was a testament to his skill and mental fortitude under immense pressure. A devoted family man who publicly supported his wife's battle with breast cancer, Cink's career is a model of longevity and grace, with his later victory at the 2021 RBC Heritage proving his competitive fire still burned brightly into his late forties.
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.
Stewart was born in 1973, 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 Stewart Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Stewart's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry, defeating Tom Watson in a playoff.
- Claimed eight PGA Tour victories across three different decades, including the 2021 RBC Heritage.
- Represented the United States on multiple Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams.
- Spent over 40 weeks ranked inside the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking.
Did You Know?
He is an avid pilot and owns his own airplane.
Cink is a dedicated amateur photographer, often documenting his travels on tour.
He and his wife, Lisa, have been active advocates for breast cancer awareness.
He played college golf at Georgia Tech, where he was a three-time All-American.
“I was just trying to stay in the moment and not think about the magnitude of what was happening.”
