Howard Twitty: 2023 Arizona Golf Hall of Fame Inductee

As one of four 2023 Arizona Golf Hall of Fame inductees, Sun Devil Howard Twitty will be honored on October 24, 2023 for all his accomplishments throughout his career at Arizona State and the PGA Tour. A Phoenix, Ariz. native, Twitty has represented the Grand Canyon State proudly over the course of his long and decorated golf career.

Staying local, Twitty earned first-team All-American honors in 1970 and 1972 and was a third-team selection in 1971. In 1972, he was also the NCAA individual runner-up; his medals earned at ASU include the Tucson Conquistadores in 1970, Corbitt Classic in 1971 and the 1972 Aztec Spring Invitational; he also shared the 1972 Arizona Collegiate title with Charlie Gibson.

Twitty turned pro in 1974 and racked up three PGA TOUR wins during his career- the B.C. Open, Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open and United Airlines Hawaiian Open. A regular competitor in major championships, Twitty’s highest finish at a major came at the 1980 PGA Championship, where he finished T5. Twitty also earned the PGA TOUR Comeback Player of the Year award in 1993- a season highlighted by a T17 finish at The Masters and T34 at the Open Championship.

While playing on the TOUR, he served as Vice President of the PGA of America in 1980 and Player Director on the PGA TOUR Policy Board from 1981-82. After his PGA Tour Career and a stint on the Nationwide Tour, Twitty turned to the Champions Tour; his best finish on the Champions Tour was a T2 at the 2000 Toshiba Senior Classic.

Although Twitty’s playing career is behind him, he has continued to make an impact on golf in the Valley and beyond. Among his ventures, golf course design consultation. He worked with Roger Maltbie on the well-received redesign of the TPC at River Highlands in Connecticut, which went on to host the Buick Championship; he also collaborated with Tom Weiskopf on TPC Scottsdale’s redesign before it hosted the FBR Open.

In 2010, Twitty also co-authored “There is More to Putting than Meets the Eye”—a study of more than 200 PGA TOUR strokes and developed and patented the “Twitty” Putter. Most recently, Twitty has turned his attention to coaching; his five-year tenure as an assistant coach at Chaparral High School included four state titles and he joined the ASU coaching staff as a Volunteer Assistant Coach in 2018.