David Lipsky

David Lipsky Bio

David Lipsky (born July 14, 1988) is an American professional golfer who has built his career across the Asian, European, and Korn Ferry Tours. A former standout at Northwestern University, he has been a consistent presence in international competition since turning professional in 2011. He is best known for winning the Omega European Masters in 2014 and capturing the Asian Tour Order of Merit that same year. Lipsky now plays on the PGA Tour, the highest level of professional golf in the United States.

Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing around 160 pounds, Lipsky has combined steady ball-striking with a calm tournament temperament. His career has carried him from junior circuits in Southern California to marquee co-sanctioned events on three continents, with a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 88 reached in 2026.

Early Life and Background

David Lipsky was born in Los Angeles, California, to Aaron Lipsky and Yon Suk Lipsky, who is from Korea. He grew up in La Cañada Flintridge, a community in the foothills northeast of Los Angeles, in a household that blended Korean and Jewish heritage. His parents introduced him to golf when he was ten years old, an introduction that would set the course for the rest of his life.

He attended La Cañada High School, where he maintained a 4.0 grade-point average while building one of the strongest junior résumés in Southern California. Lipsky won the 2003 Ashworth Postseason at Mission Hills and the 2004 Junior Tour Championship played at PGA West, and he captured the Rio Hondo High School League Tournament in both 2004 and 2005. He was named Los Angeles all-Southern Section from 2004 through 2006, Rio Hondo League MVP in 2004 and 2005, and First-team all-Los Angeles Area in 2005, while averaging a score of 36 over his final two high school seasons. He graduated in 2006.

Path to Professional Golf

Lipsky played college golf at Northwestern University, where he attended on a partial scholarship and majored in political science and history. He also worked as a caddie throughout college, an experience that sharpened his understanding of course management and strategy. He became a member of the Rho chapter of Beta Theta Pi, balancing academics and athletics during his years in Evanston, Illinois.

His amateur results steadily improved each season. As a sophomore he posted a 74.47 stroke average, and as a junior he earned All-Big Ten second-team, GCAA PING All-Region, and Academic All-Big Ten honors. His senior season was his most decorated, as he won the 2010 Big Ten individual championship with a 72-hole total of 3-under 281, was named All-Big Ten first-team and GCAA PING All-Midwest Region, and was recognized as an All-American. He graduated from Northwestern in 2011 and turned professional that same year.

David Lipsky Career

Asian Tour Debut (2012–2013)

Lipsky earned his Asian Tour card by finishing as medalist at Asian Tour Qualifying School in January 2012. In only his third start on the tour, he won the 2012 Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic, earning $47,550 and a winner’s exemption on the Asian Tour through the end of 2014. He finished 11th on the tour’s Order of Merit as a rookie, a remarkable debut that announced him as one of the tour’s most promising newcomers.

In 2013, Lipsky split his time between the Asian Tour and the Web.com Tour (now the Korn Ferry Tour), continuing to build a varied international résumé. The experience of competing on two continents in his first two professional seasons helped prepare him for the breakthrough that would follow.

Asian Tour and European Tour Breakthrough (2014)

The 2014 season marked the high point of Lipsky’s early professional career. In May, he finished second by one stroke to Felipe Aguilar of Chile at The Championship at Laguna National, a co-sanctioned event between the Asian Tour and the European Tour. He then captured the Omega European Masters later that year, earning a career-best €383,330 (approximately $497,000).

That victory also secured his place at the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, earning him entry into his first major championship, the 2015 Open Championship, as well as his first WGC event, the 2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship. It also gave him a European Tour exemption through 2016. He ended the year ranked inside the top 150 in the world, cementing his status as a global player.

European Tour Establishment (2015–2018)

Following his breakout year, Lipsky competed predominantly on the European Tour. In 2015, he made his Open Championship debut and went on to record additional top finishes on the circuit. On December 16, 2018, he won the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Country Club in South Africa, an event co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Sunshine Tour. The victory was his second on the European Tour and demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure on difficult international venues.

He has also played on the Korn Ferry Tour in the United States, the developmental pathway to the PGA Tour, winning once at that level. Across the Asian Tour, European Tour, Sunshine Tour, and Korn Ferry Tour, he has accumulated four professional wins, with the Sunshine Tour title recorded as a co-sanctioned event.

PGA Tour Era (2019–Present)

Lipsky has since progressed to the PGA Tour, the premier level of men’s professional golf in the United States. His major-championship appearances include a T71 finish at the 2019 PGA Championship and a T58 finish at The Open Championship in 2015. He reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 88 on March 22, 2026, reflecting his continued competitiveness at the sport’s highest level.

Driving Style and Strengths

Lipsky is known for a calm, methodical approach on the course and a particular comfort on co-sanctioned events that bridge tours and continents. His time caddieing in college sharpened his course-management skills, and he is regarded as a steady ball-striker who builds rounds through accuracy and patience rather than raw power.

Notable Events and Milestones

His signature victories include the 2012 Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic, the 2014 Omega European Masters, and the 2018 Alfred Dunhill Championship. The 2014 season, highlighted by the Order of Merit title and his first major and WGC invitations, remains the defining campaign of his career.

David Lipsky Career Wins

David Lipsky has recorded four professional wins across multiple tours, with titles on the Asian Tour, the European Tour, the Sunshine Tour (co-sanctioned), and the Korn Ferry Tour. He has also recorded a runner-up finish at The Championship at Laguna National in 2014.

Asian Tour Highlights

He has two Asian Tour wins, the first coming in only his third start on the tour at the 2012 Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic, and the second via the 2014 Omega European Masters, which was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour. He finished atop the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2014.

European Tour Highlights

His two European Tour wins are the 2014 Omega European Masters and the 2018 Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Country Club, the latter co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour.

Korn Ferry Tour Highlights

He has one win on the Korn Ferry Tour, the second-tier circuit in the United States that feeds the PGA Tour, providing important experience on American soil.

Other Wins and Performances

He has posted numerous top finishes on the European and Asian Tours, including his runner-up at the 2014 Championship at Laguna National and a T58 at the 2015 Open Championship.

David Lipsky Family

Family Background and Personal Life

David Lipsky is Korean and Jewish, and was born in Los Angeles, California, to Aaron Lipsky and Yon Suk Lipsky. He was raised in La Cañada Flintridge, California, and currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.