Notah Begay III Bio
Notah Ryan Begay III (born September 14, 1972) is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few Native American golfers to have played on the PGA Tour and reached the top 20 of the Official World Golf Rankings. Since 2013, Begay has served as an analyst with the Golf Channel and NBC Sports, drawing on more than a decade of competitive experience at the highest levels of the sport.
Early Life and Background
Notah Ryan Begay III was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a Native American of Navajo, San Felipe, and Isleta heritage, and his first name in the Navajo language means “almost there.” His grandfather, also named Notah Begay, served as a Navajo code talker during World War II. In 1990, he graduated from Albuquerque Academy, a private high school in his hometown.
Begay went on to attend Stanford University, where he became a three-time All-American in golf. He played alongside Tiger Woods and was part of the Stanford team that won the 1994 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship. A member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics in 1995, the same year he turned professional.
Path to Professional Golf
After leaving Stanford, Begay began his professional career on the Nike Tour in 1995, the PGA Tour’s primary development circuit at the time. In 1998, he shot a 59 in the second round of the Nike Tour Dominion Open, joining a small group of golfers to break 60 in a professional tournament. That season he finished 10th on the Nike Tour money list, which earned him a place on the PGA Tour for 1999.
Notah Begay III Career
Early Career (1995–1998)
Begay’s early professional years were spent on the Nike Tour, where he honed his game against established mini-tour players. The 1998 season proved transformative, highlighted by his historic 59 at the Dominion Open. His strong play throughout the year secured his PGA Tour card for the following season.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (1999–2000)
Begay wasted little time making his mark, winning twice in each of his first two seasons on the PGA Tour. From late September 1999 to early July 2000, a span of just over nine months, he recorded four PGA Tour victories, with the third and fourth coming in back-to-back weeks. During this run, he reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 19th on August 20, 2000, and posted his best major championship results that same year, including an eighth-place finish at the PGA Championship.
After his breakout run, Begay was plagued by serious back trouble that put his future in professional golf in doubt. In 2005, he played under a Major Medical Exemption with limited success, and in 2006 he returned to the Nationwide Tour to rebuild his form. He earned a European Tour card through qualifying school at the end of 2006, and in December 2008, he regained his PGA Tour playing card through Q-school.
PGA Tour Champions Era
In his later career, Begay has competed on the PGA Tour Champions, the senior tour for players aged 50 and over. He currently plays on that circuit while continuing his broadcasting work with Golf Channel and NBC Sports, where he provides analysis for the network’s golf coverage. He has also been involved in course consulting and youth initiatives through his foundation work.
Driving Style and Strengths
Begay is best known for a unique cross-handed putting method in which he used a putter with playing faces on both the front and back of the head. He putted right-to-left-breaking putts right-handed and left-to-right-breaking putts left-handed, making him the first top player to regularly employ that technique. The approach helped him convert pressure putts during his four-win run on the PGA Tour.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Begay’s career are his 59 at the 1998 Nike Tour Dominion Open and his four PGA Tour wins, including back-to-back victories in mid-2000. He reached a career-high world ranking of 19th in 2000 and made the cut in all four major championships that year, with his best finish an eighth at the PGA Championship.
Notah Begay III Career Wins
Begay has recorded five professional wins across his career, with four coming on the PGA Tour and one on another recognized tour. His PGA Tour victories all occurred between late 1999 and mid-2000, a remarkable concentration of success in less than a year.
PGA Tour Highlights
Begay’s first PGA Tour win came in late 1999, kicking off a streak of four victories by the following July. Two of those wins came in consecutive weeks during the summer of 2000, underscoring the peak of his form during that period. He compiled a PGA Tour playoff record of 1–0 across those four titles.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the PGA Tour, Begay’s additional professional win came during his time competing on developmental circuits. He also reached the final stages of European Tour qualifying at the end of 2006, earning a playing card on that tour for the 2007 season before eventually returning his focus to the PGA Tour and its Champions circuit.
Notah Begay III Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Begay comes from a Native American family with roots in the Navajo, San Felipe, and Isleta communities. His grandfather, Notah Begay, was a Navajo code talker, a family connection that has shaped Begay’s ongoing work supporting tribal communities. He is the uncle of Madison Hammond, who in 2020 became the first Native American soccer player to play in the National Women’s Soccer League and has cited her uncle as one of her inspirations.
Personal Life
In January 2000, Begay was arrested for what he later admitted in court was his second DUI incident, and he was sentenced to 364 days in jail with all but seven days suspended. In 2014, while practicing on the putting green at Dallas National Golf Club, he suffered a heart attack and was rushed to Methodist Hospital in Dallas, where a stent was placed in his right coronary artery. He has continued his recovery and remains active in broadcasting, business, and philanthropy.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into 2025, Begay remains a regular presence on the PGA Tour Champions, where he is eligible as a senior competitor. His 2025 schedule has included appearances at Champions events across the United States, allowing him to compete while balancing his analyst duties with Golf Channel and NBC Sports. His continued participation in the senior circuit reflects his enduring connection to tournament golf after his four PGA Tour wins more than two decades ago.
Off the course, Begay has continued to grow the work of the Notah Begay III Foundation, which focuses on health, wellness, and sport-based programs for Native American youth, particularly in golf and soccer. His company, NB3 Consulting, founded in 2002, has continued to advise tribal communities on golf course development, including projects such as Sequoyah National, Firekeeper Golf Course, and Sewailo Golf Club. These ventures remain central to his post-tour identity.