[1][8] He attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and played on its Crimson Tide golf team.

Amateur in 1974,[9][10][11] and was a member of victorious U.S. teams at the Eisenhower Trophy competition later that year and for the Walker Cup in May 1975 at St Andrews in Scotland.

He was a member of the victorious Ryder Cup team in 1981, but shoulder injuries curtailed his career.

Pate celebrated by throwing course designer Pete Dye and PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman into the lake adjacent to the 18th green, then jumped in himself.

Pate has been forced by health problems, including arthroscopic left-knee surgery in 2010, to begin limiting his Champions Tour appearances.

[19] In the late 1990s, Pate returned to the University of Alabama to complete his bachelor's degree in administrative science.