Billy Hurley III is an American professional golfer

Professional golfer

In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...

. He earned the last tour card for the 2012 PGA Tour

PGA Tour

The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...

 by finishing 25th on the 2011 Nationwide Tour

2011 Nationwide Tour

The 2011 Nationwide Tour was the 22nd Nationwide Tour season. It ran from February 24 to October 30. The season consisted of 26 official money golf tournaments; three of which were played outside of the United State]. The top 25 players on the year-end money list earned their PGA Tour card for...

 money list.

Naval career

Prior to becoming a professional golfer, Hurley was a Lieutenant

Lieutenant (naval)

LieutenantThe pronunciation of lieutenant is generally split between or , generally in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth countries, and or , generally associated with the United States. See lieutenant. is a commissioned officer rank in many nations' navies...

 in the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 until July 2009. In addition, he is a 2004 graduate of the United States Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

.

College and amateur career

As an amateur, Hurley played on the 2005 Walker Cup

2005 Walker Cup

The 40th Walker Cup Match was held between August 13 and August 14, 2005 at the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois, United States. Team United States won 12½ to 11½.-Format:...

 team. Additionally, Hurley was captain of the 2004 Palmer Cup

Palmer Cup

The Palmer Cup is an annual eight man team golf competition between American college golfers and European college/university golfers. It is named after Arnold Palmer. The teams are selected on the basis of nationality, not according to the location of the players' universities...

 team, won seven college golf titles, earned the award for the top college golfer and sportsman (the Byron Nelson

Byron Nelson

John Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912...

 Award), and was ranked as the sixth best amateur in the world.

2011 Season

On the 2011 Nationwide Tour, Hurley's best finish was second place at the Chiquita Classic

Chiquita Classic

The Chiquita Classic is a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It was played for the first time in July 2010 at TPC River's Bend in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tommy Gainey won the inaugural event in 2010 by 3 strokes at 27-under-par. The 2011 purse was US$550,000, with $99,000 going to the...

 while having four top-10 finishes. He entered the 2011 Nationwide Tour Championship in the 25th money list position and his T18 position earned him his PGA Tour card.

External links