
KurtKitayama
United States
Kurt Kitayama
Profile
Height
5'7"
Weight
170lbs
Age
32
Birthday
Jan 14, 1993
Birthplace
Chico, CA
Turned Pro
2015
Career Earnings
$15,504,605
College
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Residence
Henderson, NV
Plays From
Chico, CA
Pronunciation
kee-tuh-YAW-muh
Family
Single
Exempt Status
Winner, Arnold Palmer Invitational (thru 2027)
Personal
Named the 2023 Chico Sportsperson of the Year Award after becoming the first Chico, California native to win a PGA TOUR event.
Nickname at UNLV was "The Project". Kurt said of the nickname, "When I got into school I was struggling, but the guys at the course saw me every day, grinding, just working hard, and that's kind of why they nicknamed me that."
First hole-in-one was on a par 4, the 16th hole at Southern Highlands GC in Las Vegas.
Not many people know that he played basketball in high school. Started at point guard for the Chico High School varsity basketball team as a junior and senior, with Kitayama helping the team win Northern Section titles in 2010 and 2011.
Would trade places with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for a day because "he is a very successful man and an incredibly hard worker."
Older brother (by five years), Daniel, played one season (2006-07) of college golf at University of Hawaii-Hilo, an NCAA Division II program. After he gave up competitive golf, Daniel picked up work as a caddie at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, which led to him participating in a caddie exchange program for six months at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course in New Zealand. Eventually returned to college and earned a bachelor's degree in finance from California State University, Chico in 2014. In addition to working as a caddie at Bandon Dunes for many years, Daniel also caddied for Kurt throughout his time playing international tours in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Daniel was on the bag for Kurt's DP World Tour wins in December 2018 and March 2019, and he later served as a fill-in caddie for Kurt at the 2025 3M Open -- where Kurt earned his second PGA TOUR win.