Lee Hodges Bio
Lee Hodges (born June 14, 1995) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He is best known for his breakthrough victory at the 3M Open in July 2023, a wire-to-wire win that announced his arrival among the tour’s consistent performers. Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall, Hodges competes from his home base in Athens, Alabama, and has steadily built a reputation as a steady ball striker with a strong short game.
Early Life and Background
Lee Hodges was born on June 14, 1995, in Huntsville, Alabama, and grew up in the northern part of the state. He attended Ardmore High School, where his talent for golf became clear during his senior year in 2014, when he won the Alabama 4A individual state championship. That state title helped establish him as one of the top amateur prospects in the region.
After high school, Hodges enrolled at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he spent two seasons competing for the Blazers. He was named to the All-Conference USA first team in both of his years and earned Conference USA Freshman of the Year honors in 2015. Following the 2015–16 season, he transferred to the University of Alabama, joining one of the strongest programs in college golf and setting the stage for the next phase of his development.
Path to Professional Golf
At the University of Alabama, Hodges continued to sharpen his game alongside future tour colleague Davis Riley. As a senior in 2017–18, he won twice and was selected to the All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) first team and the Ping All-America third team, while Alabama finished second at the 2018 NCAA Division I championship. Those results positioned him as a player ready for the next step.
In March 2018, while still finishing his college season, Hodges entered a qualifying tournament for PGA Tour Canada and earned conditional membership. He turned professional after the NCAA championship and Monday-qualified for the Lethbridge Paradise Canyon Open, where a tie for 12th gave him access to more events. He went on to post a third-place finish at the Staal Foundation Open and a runner-up result at the ATB Financial Classic, finishing 15th on the tour’s money list and earning a path into the Korn Ferry Tour qualifying process.
Lee Hodges Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
Hodges opened the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour season with a tie for 16th at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic and kept his card for most of the year. Entering the final week of the regular season, he was 92nd on the points list, but a season-best tie for seventh at the WinCo Foods Portland Open moved him to 73rd, securing fully exempt status for 2020 and a place in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.
In 2020, Hodges strung together five top-10 finishes and broke through with a victory at the Portland Open, which lifted him to third on the points list. Although the COVID-19 pandemic canceled that year’s graduating class, his strong play earned him spots in opposite-field PGA Tour events in 2021 and a start in the 2020 U.S. Open. By the end of the 2020–21 Korn Ferry Tour regular season, he sat 10th in points and graduated to the PGA Tour for the 2021–22 season.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (2021–2023)
As a PGA Tour rookie in 2021–22, Hodges posted his best result at The American Express, where he tied for third and co-led through 54 holes. Three additional top-25 finishes helped him keep his card, and he entered the 2022 FedEx Cup Playoffs ranked 99th in points after LIV Golf players were removed from the standings. He opened the playoffs with a tie for 13th at the FedEx St. Jude Championship but finished eight points shy of the top 70 and did not advance to the second event.
The following year brought his biggest career moment. In July 2023, Hodges won the 3M Open by seven shots, leading the tournament from start to finish in a wire-to-wire performance. The victory was his first on the PGA Tour, and his world ranking climbed to a career-best 52nd on September 10, 2023.
PGA Tour Era (2023–Present)
Following his breakthrough win, Hodges continued to compete on the PGA Tour with his exempt status, representing his home state of Alabama on a national stage. He made his Masters Tournament debut in 2024 and missed the cut, while at the 2024 PGA Championship he recorded a tied 12th finish, his best result in a major championship to date. He has also played in the U.S. Open (2020) and The Open Championship (2023), gaining valuable experience in the game’s biggest events.
Hodges remains active on the PGA Tour, based in Athens, Alabama, and continues to refine his game. His career win total stands at two professional victories, split between the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour, and he has built a consistent record of making cuts and competing for finishes.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hodges is recognized for steady ball striking and a calm, controlled approach on the course. His background in team-based college golf, where he played in tight events and pressure-packed match play, has helped him handle the demands of professional tournaments. He pairs accurate iron play with a reliable short game, allowing him to capitalize on scoring opportunities when his putter gets going.
Notable Events and Milestones
His 3M Open victory in 2023 stands as the defining moment of his career, a wire-to-wire performance that produced a seven-shot margin, one of the more dominant recent wins on the PGA Tour. He also reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 52 in September 2023. Earlier milestones include his 2014 Alabama 4A state title, his conference honors in college, and his Korn Ferry Tour win at the 2020 Portland Open.
Lee Hodges Career Wins
Lee Hodges has recorded two verified professional victories, one on the PGA Tour and one on the Korn Ferry Tour. His PGA Tour win came in 2023, and his Korn Ferry Tour title came in 2020, with both wins showcasing his ability to perform under pressure across different levels of professional golf.
PGA Tour Highlights
Hodges’ lone PGA Tour victory came at the 3M Open in July 2023, where he led from the opening round and won by seven shots. It was his first start-to-finish win on tour and remains his most significant career achievement. The result moved him inside the top 60 of the world rankings and cemented his place on the PGA Tour.
Korn Ferry Tour Highlights
On the Korn Ferry Tour, Hodges won the 2020 Portland Open, a victory that pushed him to third on the regular-season points list. The win was pivotal in his path to the PGA Tour and demonstrated the form that would later translate to the big stage. It remains his only Korn Ferry Tour title.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his two professional wins, Hodges has notched several strong finishes in development circuits, including a tie for third at the 2018 Staal Foundation Open on PGA Tour Canada and a runner-up showing at the ATB Financial Classic that same year. He has also recorded multiple top-10 finishes in PGA Tour events since earning his card, including a tied third at The American Express during his rookie season.
Lee Hodges Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Lee Hodges’ family background remains limited. He grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, and developed his game in the northern part of the state, but specific details about his parents or broader family are not widely documented. His college connections, especially his years playing alongside Davis Riley at Alabama, have been among the most discussed relationships in his early career.
Personal Life
Lee Hodges is married to Savannah Rae Kennedy, and the couple tied the knot in 2021. He currently resides in Athens, Alabama, where he lives with his wife and trains between PGA Tour events. The pair have kept much of their personal life out of the public eye, focusing attention on his professional career.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 PGA Tour season, Lee Hodges carried the momentum of his breakthrough 2023 victory and his growing comfort at the game’s biggest events. His tied 12th finish at the 2024 PGA Championship suggested that his game travels well to major-championship setups, and he used that confidence as a foundation for his 2025 campaign. Based out of Athens, Alabama, he continued to balance travel with his settled home life.
Throughout the 2025 season, Hodges focused on making cuts, building FedEx Cup points, and putting himself in position for the playoffs. His ball-striking strengths and steady temperament allowed him to compete on a variety of course types, and he remained a regular presence in weekend play across several events. With the experience of a full season on tour already in hand, he approached each tournament with the same methodical mindset that defined his 3M Open run.
Looking ahead, Hodges’ outlook for the remainder of 2025 and beyond centers on adding a second PGA Tour title and pushing deeper into the FedEx Cup Playoffs. With a major-championship resume now in place, his next targets include contending in elevated events, breaking back into the top 50 of the world ranking, and cementing his status as a consistent presence in the closing rounds of PGA Tour stops.
