Lee Hodges: A Brief Biography
Lee Hodges's Early Life and Background
- Lee Hodges's Early Life and Background
- Lee Hodges's Amateur Golf Career
- Lee Hodges's Professional Career
- Lee Hodges's Playing Style
- Lee Hodges's Caddie
- Lee Hodges's Golf Journey
- Lee Hodges's Achievements
- Lee Hodges's Majors
- Lee Hodges's Awards and Honors
- Lee Hodges's Net Worth
- Lee Hodges's Ventures
- Lee Hodges's Assets
- Lee Hodges's Family
- Lee Hodges's Wife
- Lee Hodges's Children
- Lee Hodges's Cars
Born on June 14, 1995, Lee Hodges is a professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He was born to Jeff and Karen Hodges in Huntsville, Alabama, went to Ardmore High School, and won the Alabama 4A individual state championship.
Lee Hodges's Amateur Golf Career
During his two seasons at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Hodges was selected to the first team of the All-Conference USA both seasons and was awarded Freshman of the Year in 2015. He transferred to the University of Alabama following the 2015–16 season, where he played for two seasons, 2016–17 and 2017–18.
He won twice as a senior, and he and teammate Davis Riley from Alabama were selected to the Ping All-America third team and the All-SEC first team, respectively, as the team placed second in the 2018 NCAA Division I championship.
Lee Hodges's Professional Career
Hodges participated in a PGA Tour Canada qualifying event in March 2018 while still a college student. He tied for 28th, earning membership but no guaranteed starts. The same year he went pro, he qualified for the PGA Tour Canada's Lethbridge Paradise Canyon Open by late June, and he finished in T12.
This opened up more events for him; he placed 15th on the tour money list after placing second at the ATB Financial Classic and third at the Staal Foundation Open. This gave him entry into the Korn Ferry Tour qualifying event, but by the last round, he was eliminated by a one-shot difference of eight guaranteed starts.
At the WinCo Foods Portland Open, Hodges finished 73rd in the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour season, having begun the season 16th at the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic. Placing in the top 75 allowed him to earn a spot in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals and full-exempt status for 2020.
Including a victory at the Portland Open, Hodges finished in the top 10 five times in 2020, putting him third in the points rankings. His performance on the Korn Ferry Tour did qualify him for the 2020 U.S. Open and other PGA Tour events in 2021, at the end of the regular season of the 2020–21 Korn Ferry Tour.
As a rookie on the PGA Tour, Hodges' best result was a tie for third at The American Express, where he shared the lead halfway through the 54-hole round. He managed to hold onto his card and qualified for the FedEx Cup Playoffs in 2022 with 99 points due to three more top-25 finishes.
At the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship, he tied for 13th place in a playoff event, but he was eight points shy of breaking into the top 70 and making it to the second event.
At the age of 28, Hodges won the 2023 3M Open, earning his first-ever PGA Tour victory in his 65th career start. He became the first player on the tour to win by seven strokes or more since Dustin Johnson at the 2020 FedEx St. Jude Championship after defeating Martin Laird, Kevin Streelman, and J.T. Poston.
He also became the first player since J.T. Poston in 2022 to win the 3M Open straight up and the first wire-to-wire champion on the Tour. During the last round, he made two eagles (Nos. 6 and 12), making him the sixth player (seventh instance) in history (1983-present) to hold the lead or co-lead at 54 and then make multiple eagles during the final round.
Lee Hodges's Playing Style
Unfortunately, not much is known about Hodges' playing style, most likely because he has only won one PGA Tour victory and his style has yet to be determined. He did, however, have an odd incident in the 2023 PGA Championship when he was penalized for waiting too long for the ball to fall into the hole.
Lee Hodges's Caddie
Andrew Medley, Hodges' current caddie, is only a few years older than him and attended Auburn University for collegiate golf. Even though he did retire shortly after graduating, Medley continued to play golf by caddying for other professionals.
However, at the beginning of 2022, Hodges ended his association with Robbie Peeler, his first caddie. Medley, whom Hodges knew from their same neighborhood, was the next caddie on the bag. In college, Lee Hodges and James Medley's younger brother played golf together frequently, which is how they got to know one another.
In an interview with Alabama Golf News, Hodges discussed how his decision to select Andrew as his caddy was influenced by their shared interests and the possibility of a truly exceptional working relationship. Hodges appreciated Andrew's "intensity and meticulous approach," seeing it as a good fit for his playing style and a means of establishing a "strong and effective collaboration" on the golf field.
Medley is not afraid to call out Lee Hodges' mistakes and because of this blunt honesty, Hodges won the trophy at the 3M Open.
Lee Hodges's Golf Journey
Lee Hodges's golf journey is a mix of failures and successes. As it began in high school, it saw him go from high school individual state champion in Alabama to the PGA Tour as a professional player.
During his amateur career, he made the University of Alabama at Birmingham All-Conference USA first team, then transferred to the University of Alabama, where he helped the team win the 2018 NCAA Division I championship.
Hodges turned pro in 2018 and earned renown on the Korn Ferry Tour, eventually achieving full-exempt status in 2020. His breakthrough came in 2023, at the 3M Open, where he won his first PGA Tour event. His excellent coordination with his caddie, Andrew Medley, is also responsible for his success, given that Medley’s honest attitude is critical to Hodges' success.
Lee Hodges's Achievements
As per the official website of the PGA Tour, Lee Hodges became a member of the tour in 2022. Since then, he has competed in 73 events. He has one PGA Tour victory and has cut in 45 of the 73 tournaments. While he does not have any international wins, he has one third-place finish, two top-5 finishes, and several top-10 finishes.
However, he has a few wins during his amateur career, which are no less than achievements, as listed below:
2014 Alabama 4A State Championship
2017 Desert Mountain Intercollegiate
2018 Puerto Rico Classic, Linger Longer Invitational
Lee Hodges's Majors
Sl. No. | Tournaments | Years |
1. | Master Tournament | - |
2. | PGA Championship | T55 (2023) |
3. | U.S. Open | Cut |
4. | The Open Championship | Cut |
Lee Hodges's Awards and Honors
Hodges hasn't won any awards or honors in his professional career as of February 2024.
Lee Hodges's Net Worth
Lee Hodges’s net worth is estimated to be $2-5 million as of February 2024. He earns mostly from his golf career and endorsements. His total career earnings are around $5.3 million and his biggest payday was at the 2023 3M Open, where he earned $1.4 million.
According to Spotrac, Hodges earned $14,592 in 2019, and his earnings climbed considerably by 2021 to $160,344. Subsequent years saw more growth, reaching $1.37 million in 2022 and $3.74 million in 2023.
Lee Hodges's Ventures
Hodges previously spent about five years as Vineyard Vines' sponsored athlete. Right now, he has endorsement agreements with Levelwear and Titleist. Hodges wears FootJoy sneakers, of which he owns his favorite model from the Premiere line—the Packard edition in the all-white colorway. Additionally, Hometown Lenders, Jimmy Smith Buick-GMC, EasyPost, and EyePromise are sponsors of Lee Hodges.
Unfortunately, there is no information available about any other ventures Hodges might have.
Lee Hodges's Assets
Hodges and his wife live in Athens, Alabama, USA, though the exact address is unknown. As a result, nothing is known about his possessions, such as his property.
Lee Hodges's Family
Hodges was born in Huntsville, Alabama, to Jeff and Karen Hodges, who were American citizens. His parents' personal information has not yet been made public.
He was also reportedly taken on the greens by his father when he was a small boy, and his father taught him the game. As per his official PGA profile, his interests are music, football, sports card collecting, and duck hunting.
Lee Hodges's Wife
Hodges tied the knot with Savannah Hodges on June 19, 2021, after nine years of dating. They celebrated their anniversary on Instagram. In November 2019, the golfer proposed to his girlfriend, and the two were married a year later. Savannah frequently updates her Instagram with pictures of them together.
Since 2019, Savannah has been employed as a real estate agent. She began her first employment with Mary Harmon Young at Pritchett-Moore Realty a year prior as a client care expert. She completed her MBA degree from the University of Alabama.
Lee Hodges's Children
The couple doesn't have children yet.
Lee Hodges's Cars
There is no information available about the car collection of Lee Hodges.
FAQ's On Lee Hodges
A. Lee Hodges joined the PGA Tour in 2022, marking the beginning of his professional golf career.
A. Lee Hodges has secured one PGA Tour victory during his professional career.
A. As of 2024, Lee Hodges has participated in the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, making the cut in the latter.
A. Lee Hodges's net worth is estimated to be $2–5 million as of February 2024.
A. Andrew Medley is Lee Hodges's current caddie, providing crucial support and honest feedback on the golf course.
A. Lee Hodges won his first PGA Tour event, the 3M Open, in July 2023, securing a victory with a perfect score.