Stephen Ames

Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)

Weight: 165 lb (75 kg; 11.8 st)

Birthdate: April 28, 1964

College: College of Boca Raton

Year turned pro: 1987

Birthplace: San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago

Country: Trinidad and Tobago/Canada

Sponsor: –

Ames was born in San Fernando in Trinidad and Tobago, although he now also has Canadian citizenship. Ames learned to play golf at a very early age, at the Parroting Pointe-à-Pierre Golf Club. His grandmother played and was a champion in Trinidad and Tobago. Ames was encouraged in his golfing career by his father Michael, and he made his first appearance in the Herman Cup when he was just sixteen years of age.

As a result of his obvious talent, Ames was awarded a golf scholarship to Boca Raton in the USA. He turned professional in 1997 but he did not win a place on the PGA Tour for the first few years of his professional career. He did however taste success, at the United States (the Pensacola Open) in 1991 while he was playing on what was then known as the Ben Hogan Tour.

After being successful at qualifying school for the European Tour in 1992, Ames spent the next five years playing on that tour. Over those years he achieved a limited amount of success, with wins at the Open V33 Grand Lyon in France in 1994 and at the Benson & Hedges International Open in England two years later.

Ames first began playing regularly on the PGA tour in 1998 with limited success. It wasn’t until 2004 that his form started to improve significantly. It was during this year that he achieved his first win on the PGA tour, at the Cialis Western Open. As a result of this win he entered the top 20 of the golf World Rankings for the first time.  One of Ames’ most famous losses came against Tiger Woods at the 2006 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. He came back from this defeat with a victory at the Players Championship. In 2009, Ames achieved a fourth victory on the PGA tour, at the Children's Miracle Network Classic.

As a result of his international golfing success, Ames was awarded the Cahokia Medal (Gold), which is the second highest honor in his home country. Although he retains his citizenship of Trinidad and Tobago, Ames is also a Canadian citizen and is married to a Canadian. The couple has two sons.  In recognition of his love for both countries, Ames hosts the Stephen Ames Cup which is competed for by CJGA Team Canada and Team Trinidad & Tobago.

As of the end of 2014, Ames had achieved four wins on the PGA Tour, amassing total prize money of $19,710,283.