Pro Golfer Tommy Aaron was born in Gainesville, Georgia. He began playing golf at age 12 and won two Georgia Amateur titles, two Southeastern Amateur events and two Georgia Open crowns in the late 1950s despite not having a golf course in his hometown. He attended the University of Florida, where he was a member of the Beta Zeta Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Order. He lost the U.S. Amateur to Charles Coe in 1958. He was a member of the 1959 U.S. Walker Cup team. He won the Western Amateur in 1960.
Aaron turned professional in 1960. His first professional victory came at the 1969 Canadian Open, which was not a PGA Tour event at that time. The following year he gained his first PGA Tour victory at the Atlanta Classic. In 1972, he won the Trophée Lancôme in France. Aaron's best year on tour in monetary terms was 1972 when he finished in ninth place on the PGA Tour money list.
Aaron won the Masters Tournament in 1973, which was his one major championship. He also finished in the top ten at the Masters in 1967–1970. His only other top ten major championship finishes came at the PGA Championship in 1965 and 1972. In 2000 he made the cut at the Masters at the age of 63, breaking a record previously held by Gary Player.
Aaron played for the U.S. in the Ryder Cup in 1969, 1973 and had a record of one win, one tie and four losses.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Aaron played on the Senior PGA Tour, winning $3,646,302. The 1992 Kaanapali Classic on that tour was his last professional win.
Aaron was a student of golf instructor Manuel de la Torre.
