Rico Hoey Bio
Richard Hoey, known professionally as Rico Hoey, is an American-Filipino professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour. Born in Manila, Philippines, he moved with his family to Rancho Cucamonga, California at a young age and was raised in the United States. He attended the University of Southern California, where he played college golf before turning professional in 2017. Hoey has built his career across developmental tours, including PGA Tour Canada and the Korn Ferry Tour, before earning a place on the PGA Tour.
Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall, Hoey represents the Philippines in international competition after switching his sporting nationality in 2024. He has competed in major championships and continues to develop his game at the sport’s highest level.
Early Life and Background
Richard Hoey was born on 19 September 1995 in Manila, Philippines. Shortly after his birth, his family relocated to the United States, settling in Rancho Cucamonga, California, where he spent his childhood and formative years. Growing up in Southern California provided him with year-round access to golf courses and a strong amateur competitive scene that helped shape his game.
Hoey attended the University of Southern California from 2014 to 2017, where he played collegiate golf for the Trojans. His time at USC allowed him to develop his competitive skills against top amateur talent and prepared him for the transition to professional golf. The combination of his early life in the Philippines and his education in California gave him a unique dual background that continues to influence his identity as a player.
Path to Professional Golf
After completing his college career at USC in 2017, Hoey made the decision to turn professional and pursue a career on the developmental professional tours. He began his professional career on PGA Tour Canada, one of the primary feeder circuits for players aspiring to reach the PGA Tour. The Canadian circuit offered him the opportunity to gain competitive experience and earn status on higher tours through strong performance.
His breakthrough on PGA Tour Canada came quickly when he won the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, the season-ending event of the tour. That victory helped him finish fifth on the Order of Merit, which earned him status to play on the 2018 Web.com Tour, then the official development tour of the PGA Tour. This early success demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure and set the foundation for his continued progression through the professional ranks.
Rico Hoey Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Rico Hoey began his professional career in 2017 on PGA Tour Canada, where he quickly established himself as a player to watch. His win at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, the season-ending event, was the highlight of his rookie campaign. The performance was significant because it secured him exempt status on the 2018 Web.com Tour, the top developmental circuit in North American professional golf.
Moving to the Web.com Tour in 2018 represented an important step up in competition. Playing against more experienced professionals, Hoey gained valuable experience that helped him refine his game and prepare for future opportunities at higher levels.
PGA Tour Canada and Korn Ferry Tour Breakthrough (2017–2023)
Hoey’s victory at the 2017 Freedom 55 Financial Championship on PGA Tour Canada marked his first professional win and signaled his potential as a rising player. The win, which came in his rookie season, demonstrated his ability to close out tournaments and earned him promotion to the Web.com Tour for the following season.
After several years of development, Hoey claimed his first Korn Ferry Tour victory in 2023 at the Visit Knoxville Open. The win was a career-defining moment, as he finished the season fourth on the regular-season points list. That strong finish earned him exempt status to play on the 2024 PGA Tour, fulfilling a long-held goal of reaching the top level of professional golf.
PGA Tour Era (2024–Present)
In 2024, Hoey began his first full season on the PGA Tour after earning his card through the Korn Ferry Tour the previous year. That same year, he made a significant personal and professional decision by switching his sporting nationality from the United States to the Philippines, the country of his birth. The change in representation came less than two years before the 2024 Olympics, which rendered him ineligible for the Games under international golf rules.
Hoey reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 69 on 21 December 2025, confirming his status as a competitive presence on the PGA Tour. He has continued to compete in major championships, with a tied 60th finish at the 2026 PGA Championship representing his best major result to date. He also made the cut at the 2024 U.S. Open, further establishing himself on golf’s biggest stages.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hoey has demonstrated the ability to perform well in high-pressure situations, as evidenced by his early career win on PGA Tour Canada and his Korn Ferry Tour victory. His competitive background, developed through college golf at USC and years on developmental tours, has given him the mental toughness required to compete at the highest level. He continues to develop his game as he gains more experience on the PGA Tour.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the most significant milestones in Hoey’s career are his 2017 Freedom 55 Financial Championship win on PGA Tour Canada and his 2023 Visit Knoxville Open victory on the Korn Ferry Tour. His ascent to a career-high world ranking of 69 in December 2025 marked another major achievement, and his decision to represent the Philippines in international competition added an important chapter to his professional identity.
Rico Hoey Career Wins
Rico Hoey has accumulated two verified professional wins across his career, with victories on both PGA Tour Canada and the Korn Ferry Tour. His wins have come at critical moments in his development, with each victory helping him earn status on the next level of professional golf.
Korn Ferry Tour Highlights
Hoey claimed his first Korn Ferry Tour victory in 2023 at the Visit Knoxville Open. The win was a breakthrough moment that helped him finish the season fourth on the points list, securing his PGA Tour card for 2024. The victory demonstrated his readiness to compete at the sport’s highest level.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his Korn Ferry Tour win, Hoey captured the 2017 Freedom 55 Financial Championship on PGA Tour Canada in his rookie season. That early-career win helped him finish fifth on the Order of Merit and earned him status on the 2018 Web.com Tour. These developmental victories laid the groundwork for his eventual promotion to the PGA Tour.
Rico Hoey Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Little public information is available about Hoey’s parents or extended family background. He was born in Manila, Philippines, before his family relocated to Rancho Cucamonga, California, where he was raised. The details of his family’s involvement in golf or other sports have not been widely documented in public sources.
Personal Life
Hoey currently resides in Rancho Cucamonga, California, where he grew up after his family moved from the Philippines. He has not publicly disclosed details about a spouse or children, and limited public information is available regarding his personal life beyond his professional career and his switch to representing the Philippines internationally in 2024.
2025 Season Performance
Hoey’s 2025 season represented a continuation of his growth on the PGA Tour. Building on the momentum from his Korn Ferry Tour success and his first full season on tour in 2024, he worked to establish himself as a consistent presence in PGA Tour events. His competitive play throughout the year helped him climb the Official World Golf Ranking, reaching a career-high 69th position on 21 December 2025.
The decision to represent the Philippines in 2024 added a new dimension to his career, connecting him to his birth country and expanding his international profile. Although he was ineligible for the 2024 Olympics due to the timing of his nationality switch, the change positioned him for potential future international representation, including at the Asian Games and future Olympic Games once eligibility requirements are met.
Looking ahead, Hoey’s outlook remains positive as he continues to gain experience on the PGA Tour. His steady progression through the developmental tours and his proven ability to win have established a solid foundation, and his career-best world ranking suggests that further improvements are within reach as he continues to compete against the world’s best players.
