Ken Tanigawa Bio
Ken Tanigawa (born December 26, 1967) is an American professional golfer whose career has spanned more than three decades across multiple tours and continents. Born in Kobe, Japan, Tanigawa later settled in the United States, where he played college golf and built a professional résumé that includes time on the Japan Golf Tour and the PGA Tour Champions. He is best known for his senior major victory at the 2019 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship and for earning PGA Tour Champions Rookie of the Year honors in 2018.
Early Life and Background
Ken Tanigawa was born in Kobe, Japan, on December 26, 1967. He later moved to the United States, where he took up competitive golf and developed into a promising player. Tanigawa played college golf at the University of California, Los Angeles, one of the most storied programs in American collegiate golf. In 1990, he graduated from UCLA, completing his education just as he prepared to enter the professional ranks.
Path to Professional Golf
Tanigawa turned professional in 1990, the same year he completed his degree at UCLA. He split his early professional years between developmental circuits in the United States and the Japan Golf Tour, gaining exposure to a variety of courses and playing conditions. He competed on the Ben Hogan Tour in 1991 and again in 2003, with a best finish of tied for 41st at the 2003 Price Cutter Charity Championship. He also played on the Japan Golf Tour in 1996 and 1997, recording a best finish of tied for ninth at the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant Tournament.
After his initial run as a touring professional, Tanigawa stepped away from the professional ranks and was reinstated as an amateur. During the mid-2010s, he won a number of amateur tournaments in Arizona, sharpening his game and laying the groundwork for a return to professional golf. In 2018, he qualified for the PGA Tour Champions through qualifying school while still competing as an amateur, then turned professional again later that year.
Ken Tanigawa Career
Early Career (1990–2003)
Tanigawa’s first professional chapter began in 1990 and stretched across more than a decade of developmental and international competition. On the Ben Hogan Tour, he worked to find consistency, with his best result coming in 2003 at the Price Cutter Charity Championship. His time on the Japan Golf Tour in 1996 and 1997 provided valuable experience on a different style of course, highlighted by a tied-for-ninth finish at the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant Tournament.
During this era, Tanigawa also competed on the Nationwide Tour and the Gateway Tour, building a well-rounded résumé. After competing for several years, he chose to step away from the professional game and return to amateur status, a decision that ultimately set the stage for his later success.
PGA Tour Champions Breakthrough (2018–2019)
Tanigawa re-emerged on a national stage in 2018 when he qualified for the PGA Tour Champions via qualifying school. Still competing as an amateur at that point, he announced his return to the professional ranks later in the year. His first PGA Tour Champions victory came in September 2018 at the PURE Insurance Championship, a milestone that signaled his arrival on the senior circuit. In January 2019, he was awarded the PGA Tour Champions Rookie of the Year honor for his 2018 performance.
The defining moment of his career arrived on May 26, 2019, at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. Tanigawa won the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, one of the senior game’s five major championships. He entered the final round three strokes behind but rallied down the stretch, holing a 10-foot par putt on the 72nd hole to edge Scott McCarron by a single stroke. The victory cemented his place among the senior game’s elite and remains the signature win of his career.
Sustained Success on the PGA Tour Champions (2019–Present)
Following his senior major breakthrough, Tanigawa continued to compete regularly on the PGA Tour Champions. He has added additional victories on the circuit, bringing his PGA Tour Champions win total to three according to available records. He has remained active on the tour, drawing on the experience of more than three decades in professional golf.
Notable Events and Milestones
Tanigawa’s career is defined by a handful of standout moments. His first PGA Tour Champions win at the 2018 PURE Insurance Championship launched his senior career, and his 2019 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship title remains his most celebrated achievement. He was also named PGA Tour Champions Rookie of the Year in 2018, recognizing his immediate impact on the senior circuit. He has competed in the PGA Championship, making the 2020 edition his major-championship appearance among the game’s biggest events.
Ken Tanigawa Career Wins
Ken Tanigawa has accumulated five documented professional wins across multiple tours. His victories span developmental circuits, regional tours, and the PGA Tour Champions, reflecting a career that has progressed through several phases. Three of those wins have come on the PGA Tour Champions, where he has found his greatest success since 2018.
PGA Tour Champions Highlights
Tanigawa’s first PGA Tour Champions victory came at the 2018 PURE Insurance Championship, and his most celebrated triumph followed at the 2019 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, where he edged Scott McCarron by a single stroke at Oak Hill Country Club. With three PGA Tour Champions wins on record, he has established himself as a consistent contender on the senior circuit.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the PGA Tour Champions, Tanigawa has recorded two additional professional wins on developmental circuits, including one on the Gateway Tour. He has also posted a strong amateur résumé, with several wins in Arizona during the mid-2010s.
Ken Tanigawa Family
Personal Life
Ken Tanigawa resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he has been based for much of his post-collegiate life. He was born in Kobe, Japan, and later made the United States his home, completing his education at UCLA and building his professional golf career in Arizona and beyond.
2025 Season Performance
Ken Tanigawa continues to compete on the PGA Tour Champions in 2025, building on a resume that includes three senior tour wins and a senior major championship. As a player who turned professional in 1990 and re-entered the professional ranks in 2018, he brings deep competitive experience to every event he enters. His track record of late-round comebacks, highlighted by his 2019 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship victory, makes him a constant threat in weekend play.
Throughout the 2025 season, Tanigawa remains an established presence on the senior circuit. His ability to perform on major-championship-style courses, combined with the patience forged across more than three decades in professional golf, positions him as a steady competitor. Fans of senior golf continue to follow his progress as he adds to a career defined by perseverance and a late-career surge of high-level success.