Kurt Kitayama walked off the 18th green at Bay Hill in March 2023 with a $3.6 million check in his pocket, having just outlasted Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler to claim his first PGA Tour title — then he did it again two years later, shooting a career-best 60 at the 2025 3M Open with his brother on the bag.
Kurt Kitayama’s career prize money surpasses $15 million, and his growing endorsement portfolio has helped push his estimated net worth to $5.5 million.
This article breaks down every dollar — from tour wins to sponsor deals to career-year stats.
Kurt Kitayama’s Biography
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kurt Shun Kitayama |
| Date of Birth | January 14, 1993 |
| Age | 33 |
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | Chico, California, U.S. |
| Height / Weight | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) / 170 lb (77 kg) |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) | 37 (as of July 2026) |
| Turned Professional | 2015 |
| Years Active | 2015–present |
| Tours | PGA Tour, European Tour (former) |
| Highest OWGR | 19 (March 5, 2023) |
| Net Worth | $5.5 million |
| Career Prize Money | $15+ million |
| PGA Tour Wins | 2 (2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational, 2025 3M Open) |
| Major Titles | 0 |
| Relationship Status | Engaged to Eunice Chun (as of December 2025) |
| @kurtkitayama |
Early Life and Golf Journey
Kurt Shun Kitayama was born on January 14, 1993, in Chico, California — a Northern California city roughly 87 miles north of Sacramento.
He grew up in a tight-knit family with strong Japanese heritage; his mother, Rumiko, was born and raised in Japan before moving to California, where she met his father, Cliff Kitayama, who is also of Japanese descent.
Athletics ran deep in the Kitayama household. Kurt played basketball in high school before golf became his primary focus.
His older brother, Daniel, played one season of college golf at the University of Hawaii-Hilo before transitioning into a career as a caddie at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort — a path that would bring the brothers together again on the PGA Tour years later.
Kurt enrolled at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where he competed for the Rebels from 2011 to 2015.
He earned three individual victories at the collegiate level, including individual medalist honors at the 2015 Mountain West Conference Championship.
He earned All-Mountain West First Team honors in both 2014 and 2015, and he graduated with a degree in Finance, earning Academic All-Mountain West honors three consecutive years — proof that his sharp mind extended far beyond the fairways.
After turning professional in 2015 following his graduation, Kitayama set out to build his game the hard way — traveling the globe and competing on the Web.com Tour, PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour China, the Asian Tour, and the Asian Development Tour before landing his European Tour card in late 2018.
Professional Golf Career
Kurt Kitayama’s path to the PGA Tour was unconventional by American standards.
Rather than grinding through the Korn Ferry Tour system, he earned his stripes on international circuits, capturing the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in December 2018 in just his second professional tournament appearance on the European Tour.
That win launched him into the top 200 in the world rankings almost overnight.
The momentum kept building. In March 2019, Kitayama won the Oman Open — becoming the fastest player in European Tour history to record two victories in only his 11th professional start on tour.
He followed those two wins with consistent performances across the DP World Tour before earning his PGA Tour card by finishing 23rd in the 2021 Korn Ferry Tour Finals.
His PGA Tour debut season (2021-22) showed immediate promise. He posted a third-place finish at the Honda Classic in February 2022, then improved to a runner-up T2 at the Mexico Open in May 2022.
Those results confirmed he was ready to compete with the world’s best.
The breakthrough moment arrived on March 5, 2023, when Kitayama won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge — one of the most prestigious non-major events on the PGA Tour — outlasting Rory McIlroy and Harris English by a single stroke with a final-round 72.
The $3.6 million first-place check from a $20 million purse was the largest of his career and earned him an invitation to the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National.
The same year, he posted a career-best major finish with a T4 at the PGA Championship.
After a quieter 2024 campaign, Kitayama rebounded with a spectacular 2025 3M Open victory at TPC Twin Cities.
He fired a career-best and tournament-record-tying 60 in the third round, then closed with a final-round 65 to win by one shot over Sam Stevens.
The result earned him 500 FedExCup points and vaulted him from 110th to 53rd in the standings, securing a playoff spot.
As of 2026, Kitayama holds an OWGR of 37 and carries four top-10 finishes on the season, continuing to establish himself as a consistent threat across the tour.
Caddie
Tim Tucker served as Kurt Kitayama’s primary caddie for much of his early PGA Tour career, including during his 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational victory.
Tucker, a veteran looper previously known for his work with Bryson DeChambeau, connected with Kitayama through a mutual relationship with brother Daniel.
In July 2025, when Tucker rejoined DeChambeau on the LIV Tour, Kitayama turned to his older brother Daniel Kitayama for the 3M Open.
The sibling partnership proved inspired — Daniel guided Kurt to a wire-to-wire victory, with Kurt describing the experience as providing a quiet sense of calm amid Sunday pressure at TPC Twin Cities.
Wife
Kurt Kitayama announced his engagement to Eunice Chun in December 2025, sharing a series of photos on Instagram showing him proposing on a bridge on November 28, 2025.
His caption — “Well I tried…… just kidding she said yes! 11.28.25 💍” — gave fans a glimpse into the couple’s playful dynamic.
Kitayama keeps his personal life relatively private, but family clearly anchors him. He was raised in Chico by his parents, Cliff and Rumiko Kitayama, both of Japanese descent.
His older brother Daniel played a major role in his 2025 3M Open victory, caddying for him during the tournament.
After claiming the title, Kurt’s first calls were to his parents, with Rumiko reportedly too nervous to watch the final round.
Kurt Kitayama’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Kurt Kitayama’s has an estimated net worth of $5.5 million.
He built this fortune through PGA Tour prize money totaling more than $15 million across his career, supplemented by a growing portfolio of endorsement and sponsorship deals across financial services, luxury goods, and technology sectors.
Career Prize Money
Kitayama’s total career earnings on the PGA Tour alone exceed $12.6 million, with additional winnings from the European Tour, Asian Tour, and various development circuits contributing to a career total that surpasses $15 million.
His single biggest paycheck came at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he banked $3.6 million from the $20 million designated-event purse.
His second PGA Tour win, the 2025 3M Open, added $1.512 million to his total from an $8.4 million purse — his 2022-23 season remains his highest-earning campaign, with over $6.8 million in prize money driven by the API win, a runner-up finish at the CJ Cup, a T5 at WGC-Match Play, and a T4 at the PGA Championship.
In the 2025 PGA Tour season, Kitayama earned approximately $3.36 million, anchored by his 3M Open victory.
His 2026 season is still in progress, with over $163,000 in earnings recorded through late July 2026 across events already completed.
Career Earnings By Year
| Season / Year | Tournament Wins | Approx. Prize Money Earned |
|---|---|---|
| 2015–2021 (Int’l Tours) | 3 (European Tour ×2, Asian Tour ×1) | ~$1 million (est.) |
| 2021–22 (PGA Tour Rookie) | 0 | ~$2.5 million |
| 2022–23 | 1 (Arnold Palmer Invitational) | ~$6.8 million |
| 2024 | 0 | ~$900,000 (partial data) |
| 2025 | 1 (3M Open) | ~$3.36 million |
| 2026 (in progress) | 0 | $163,000+ (to date) |
Endorsements
Kitayama’s endorsement portfolio reflects both his on-course success and his off-course credibility as a clean-cut, finance-savvy professional.
His most prominent partnership is with Empower, the Greenwood Village, Colorado-based retirement and financial services giant, who signed him shortly after his Arnold Palmer Invitational victory in April 2023.
He wears the Empower logo on his right chest at every PGA Tour event, and the partnership includes client engagement appearances across the country.
luxury pre-owned watch retailer Bob’s Watches named Kitayama as its brand ambassador, aligning the golfer’s precision and timing with their portfolio of Rolex, Omega, Cartier, and Panerai timepieces.
He represents the brand at PGA Tour events and across media campaigns.
Career Statistics
| Season | Events Played | Titles Won | Majors Won | Cuts Made | Notable Finish / OWGR Milestone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | ~28 | 0 | 0 | ~19 | T2 Mexico Open; Top 50 season-end |
| 2022–23 | ~26 | 1 | 0 | ~18 | Arnold Palmer Invitational; T4 PGA Championship; OWGR peak 19 |
| 2024 | ~25 | 0 | 0 | ~15 | T35 Masters, T41 The Open; missed FedEx top 70 |
| 2025 | 23 | 1 | 0 | ~16 | 3M Open win; T10 St. Jude Championship; T20 BMW Championship |
| 2026 (partial) | ~12 | 0 | 0 | ~7 | 4 top-10s; OWGR 37 (July 2026) |
FAQs
What is Kurt Kitayama’s estimated net worth?
Kurt Kitayama’s net worth is estimated at $5.5 million, built through $15+ million in career prize money and endorsement deals with brands like Empower and Bob’s Watches.
How much career prize money has Kurt Kitayama earned on the PGA Tour?
Kitayama has earned more than $12.6 million in PGA Tour prize money alone, with his career total across all tours exceeding $15 million.
What are Kurt Kitayama’s biggest career wins?
His two PGA Tour wins are the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational ($3.6 million) and the 2025 3M Open ($1.512 million). Internationally, he won the 2018 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open and the 2019 Oman Open on the European Tour.
Who is Kurt Kitayama’s caddie?
Tim Tucker served as his long-term caddie; his brother Daniel Kitayama stepped in for the 2025 3M Open when Tucker rejoined Bryson DeChambeau, and Daniel has continued in the role since that victory.
Has Kurt Kitayama ever won a Major championship?
Kitayama has not won a Major. His best major result is a T4 finish at the 2023 PGA Championship. He also has a T35 at the 2024 Masters and a T41 at the 2024 Open Championship.
