- published: 24 Aug 2012
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- 2007 PGA Tour
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Augusta, Georgia
Augusta (also known as Augusta–Richmond County) is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.
Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta – Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area, which as of 2010 had an estimated population of 556,877, making it both the second-largest city and the second-largest metro area in the state after Atlanta, as well as the 116th-largest city in the United States. Internationally, Augusta is best known for hosting The Masters Tournament each spring.
The area along the river was long inhabited by varying cultures of indigenous peoples, who relied on the river for fish, water and transportation. The site of Augusta was used by Native Americans as a place to cross the Savannah River, because of its location on the fall line.
In 1735, two years after James Oglethorpe founded Savannah, he sent a detachment of troops to explore up the Savannah River. He gave them an order to build at the head of the navigable part of the river. The expedition was led by Noble Jones, who created the settlement to provide a first line of defense against the Spanish and the French. Oglethorpe named the town Augusta, in honor of Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, the Princess of Wales, daughter-in-law of King George II of Great Britain and mother of King George III of Great Britain. Augusta was the second state capital of Georgia from 1785 until 1795 (alternating for a period with Savannah, the first).
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Australia
Australia (
/əˈstreɪljə/), officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent as well as the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area. Neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north; the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the north-east; and New Zealand to the south-east.
For at least 40,000 years before European settlement in the late 18th century, Australia was inhabited by indigenous Australians, who belonged to one or more of roughly 250 language groups. After discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606, Australia's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain in 1770 and settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788. The population grew steadily in subsequent decades; the continent was explored and an additional five self-governing Crown Colonies were established.
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Baltusrol Golf Club
The Baltusrol Golf Club is a private 36-hole golf club located in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey that was founded by Louis Keller. Among the many prestigious tournaments it has hosted, Baltusrol was most recently the site of the 2005 PGA Championship. The course architect is A. W. Tillinghast. The club's original 9-hole course was designed by George Hunter in 1895 and expanded to 18 holes in 1898. This course which is called the Old Course was further modified by George Low and no longer exists today. Louis Keller in 1918 hired A.W. Tillinghast to build a second golf course to complement the Old Course. However, Tillinghast recommended that the Old Course be plowed over and he would design and build two new courses. Baltusrol approved his design recommendation and commenced construction of the Upper and Lower courses in 1918. In August of 1919, Golf Illustrated declared that "they are planning at Baltusrol on a vaster scale than has ever been attempted in American Golf for the opening of the Dual Courses." The Dual Courses, or Upper and Lower, would be the first contiguous 36-hole design built in America. Both courses officially opened for play in June of 1922. In the yeas following their opening, refinements were made to prepare these courses for National Championship play. The first national championship held on the Lower was the 1926 United States Amateur. The first national championship on the Upper was the 1936 U.S. Open.
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Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda. (In Aramaic, beth hesda means "House of Mercy" and in Hebrew, "bait" "chesed" means "House of Kindness".) The National Institutes of Health main campus and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center are in Bethesda, as are a number of corporate and government headquarters.
Bethesda is one of the most affluent and highly educated communities in the country, placing first in Forbes list of America's most educated small towns and first on CNNMoney.com's list of top-earning American towns. In April 2009, Forbes ranked Bethesda second on its list of "America's Most Livable Cities." In October 2009, based on education, income, health, and fitness, Total Beauty ranked Bethesda first on its list of the U.S.'s "Top 10 Hottest-Guy Cities."
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Carryduff
Coordinates: 54°30′32″N 5°52′19″W / 54.509°N 5.872°W / 54.509; -5.872
Carryduff (from Irish: Ceathrú Aodha Dhuibh, meaning "Black Hugh's quarter") is a small town and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of Belfast city centre. It had a population of 6,595 people in the 2001 Census.
Most of the settlement lies within the townland of Carryduff, although part of it extends into the neighbouring townlands of Killynure and Mealough. Local churches built there include Saint Ignatius' Church of Ireland, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and Carryduff Presbyterian Church. Carryduff has twice been awarded the Best Kept Small Town by the Northern Ireland Amenity Council.
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County Down
County Down (named after its county town, Downpatrick) is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the south-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,448 km², with a population of about 492,840. It is also one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland, lying within the province of Ulster.
The county was archaically called Downshire. It borders County Antrim to the north, the Irish Sea to the east and south, County Armagh to the west, and County Louth to the southwest. In the east of the county is Strangford Lough and the Ards Peninsula. The largest town is Bangor, on the northeast coast. Three other large towns and cities are on its border: Newry lies on the western border with County Armagh, while Lisburn and Belfast lie on the northern border with County Antrim. Down contains both the southernmost point of Northern Ireland (Cranfield Point) and the easternmost point of Ireland (Burr Point).
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Crans-sur-Sierre
Crans-Montana is a ski resort in western Switzerland, in the heart of the Swiss Alps in the canton of Valais. It is located on a plateau above Sierre at an elevation of about 1500 m (4921 ft) above sea level, allowing good view over the Valais Alps and Weisshorn in particular. The resort is a fusion of the two centers of Crans and Montana and belongs to 6 municipalities (Chermignon, Icogne, Lens, Mollens, Montana and Randogne).
The skiing area of Crans-Montana is composed of 140 km (87 mi.) of pistes, and is topped by the Plaine Morte at 2750 m (9022 ft).
Crans-Montana is famous in alpine ski racing for the 1987 World Championships and is often on the World Cup schedule, usually for women's speed events. It also hosts the only winter mountain pop rock festival Caprices Festival and the second largest European golf event Omega European Masters, (an event from the European and Asian Tour) which takes place each September.
English actor Roger Moore has owned a chalet there for many years since moving from Gstaad; Sophia Loren had an apartment overlooking the 8th green of the resort's golf course, Crans-Sur-Sierre. Australian golfer Adam Scott and Spanish golfer Francisco Valera, and French chef & restaurateur Michel Roux also have a home there.
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Dublin, Ohio
Dublin is a city in Franklin, Delaware, and Union counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 41,751 at the 2010 census.[citation needed] Dublin is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio.
Each year in late May or early June, the city hosts the Memorial Tournament, a stop on golf's PGA Tour. Consequently, a large number of golf aficionados choose to make Dublin their home.[citation needed] There are also several other golf courses in Dublin. The Riviera Golf Club is home to the American-Italian Golf Association. Tartan Fields Golf Club, which hosted the LPGA's Wendy's Championship for Children from 2002 through 2006, is also in Dublin. Dublin also has a public golf course financed by the city, as well as the Jack Nicklaus-designed The Country Club of Muirfield Village.
Other annual events include the 4th of July music event, a St. Patrick's Day parade, and the Dublin Irish Festival, which is one of America's largest Irish festivals.
Although its earliest settlements date back to 1802, the village that came to be known as Dublin didn't begin to take shape until the arrival of the Sells family of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Brothers Peter and Benjamin Sells purchased 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land on the west banks of the Scioto River as a gift for their brother John. In 1808, John Sells brought his family to the region, and by 1810 he had begun to survey lots for the new village with his partner, an Irish gentleman named John Shields. According to historians, Shields is responsible for naming the town after his birthplace:
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England
England
i/ˈɪŋɡlənd/ is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, while the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separate it from continental Europe. Most of England comprises the central and southern part of the island of Great Britain in the North Atlantic. The country also includes over 100 smaller islands such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.
The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Palaeolithic period, but it takes its name from the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in AD 927, and since the Age of Discovery, which began during the 15th century, has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world. The English language, the Anglican Church, and English law—the basis for the common law legal systems of many other countries around the world—developed in England, and the country's parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations. The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England, transforming its society into the world's first industrialised nation. England's Royal Society laid the foundations of modern experimental science.
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France
France (Englishi/ˈfræns/ FRANSS or /ˈfrɑːns/ FRAHNSS; French: [fʁɑ̃s] (
listen)), officially the French Republic (French: République française [ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz]), is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. It is often referred to as l’Hexagone ("The Hexagon") because of the geometric shape of its territory. It is the largest western European country and it possesses the second-largest exclusive economic zone in the world, covering 11,035,000 km2 (4,260,000 sq mi), just behind that of the United States (11,351,000 km2 / 4,383,000 sq mi).
Over the past 500 years, France has been a major power with strong cultural, economic, military and political influence in Europe and around the world. During the 17th and 18th centuries, France colonised great parts of North America and Southeast Asia; during the 19th and early 20th centuries, France built the second largest colonial empire of the time, including large portions of North, West and Central Africa, Southeast Asia, and many Caribbean and Pacific Islands.
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Haiti
Haitii/ˈheɪti/ (French: Haïti [aiti]; Haitian Creole Ayiti [ajiti]), officially the Republic of Haiti (République d'Haïti; Repiblik Ayiti), is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti (land of high mountains) was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island. The country's highest point is Pic la Selle, at 2,680 metres (8,793 ft). The total area of Haiti is 27,750 square kilometres (10,714 sq mi) and its capital is Port-au-Prince. Haitian Creole and French are the official languages.
Haiti's regional, historical, and ethno-linguistic position is unique for several reasons. It was the first independent nation of Latin America and the Caribbean, the first black-led republic in the world, and the second republic in the Americas when it gained independence in 1804 as part of a successful slave revolution lasting nearly a decade. In 2012, Haiti announced its intention to seek associate membership status in the African Union. Haiti is the only predominantly Francophone independent nation in the Americas. It is one of only two independent nations in the Americas (along with Canada) to designate French as an official language; the other French-speaking areas are all overseas départements, or collectivités, of France.
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Holywood
Coordinates: 54°38′10″N 5°50′42″W / 54.636°N 5.845°W / 54.636; -5.845
Holywood ( /ˈhɒliwʊd/ HOL-ee-wuud) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the shore of Belfast Lough, between Belfast and Bangor. Holywood Exchange and Belfast City Airport are nearby. The town hosts an annual jazz and blues festival.
The English name Holywood comes from Latin: Sanctus Boscus meaning "holy wood". This was the name the Normans gave to the woodland surrounding the monastery of St Laiseran, son of Nasca. The monastery was founded by Laiseran before 640 and was on the site of the present Holywood Priory. The earliest Anglicized form appears as Haliwode in a 14th century document. Today, the name is pronounced the same as Hollywood.
The Irish name for Holywood is Ard Mhic Nasca meaning "high ground of Mac Nasca".
In the 17th century Ulster ports began to rise in prominence. In 1625 William Pitt was appointed as Customer of the ports of Newcastle, Dundrum, Killough, Portaferry, Donaghadee, Bangor and Holywood.
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Milan, Italy
Milan (Italian: Milano [miˈlaːno] ( listen); Lombard: [miˈlan]; Latin: Mediolanum) is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital of Lombardy as well as of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area is the 5th largest in EU and the largest in Italy with an estimated population of approximately 5 million. The growth of many suburbs and satellite settlements around the city proper, following the Italian economic miracle of 1950s–60s and massive commuting flows, suggest that socioeconomic linkages have expanded well beyond the boundaries of its administrative limits and its agglomeration, creating a region of approximately 9,3 million people. It has been suggested that the Milan metropolitan area is part of the so-called Blue Banana, the area of Europe with the highest population and industrial density. Its health care and education system is considered one of the best of Europe.
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New Jersey
New Jersey (i/nuː ˈdʒɜrzi/) is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the U.S. state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania, and on the southwest by Delaware. New Jersey is the 4th least extensive, but the 11th most populous and the most densely populated of the 50 United States. New Jersey lies mostly within the sprawling metropolitan areas of New York City and Philadelphia. It is also the third wealthiest by 2009–2010 median household income.
The area was inhabited by Native Americans for more than 2,800 years, with historical tribes such as the Lenape along the coast. In the early 17th century, the Dutch and the Swedes made the first European settlements. The British later seized control of the region, naming it the Province of New Jersey. It was granted as a colony to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton. At this time, it was named after the largest of the British Channel Islands, Jersey, Carteret's birthplace. New Jersey was the site of several decisive battles during the American Revolutionary War.
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Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland (Irish: Tuaisceart Éireann pronounced [ˈt̪ˠuəʃcəɾˠt̪ˠ ˈeːɾʲən̪ˠ] ( listen), Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann or Norlin Airlan) is a part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west. As of 2001, its population was 1,685,000, constituting about 30% of the island's total population and about 3% of the population of the United Kingdom. Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, Northern Ireland is largely self-governing. According to the agreement, Northern Ireland co-operates with the rest of Ireland – from which it was partitioned in 1921 — on some policy areas, while other areas are reserved for the Government of the United Kingdom, though the Republic of Ireland "may put forward views and proposals".
Northern Ireland was for many years the site of a violent and bitter inter-communal conflict — the Troubles — which was caused by divisions between nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, and unionists, who are predominantly Protestant. Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain as a part of the United Kingdom, and generally see themselves as British, while nationalists wish for it to be politically reunited with the rest of Ireland, independent of British rule, and generally see themselves as Irish. Additionally, people from both sides of the community may describe themselves as Northern Irish. Since 1998, most of the paramilitary groups involved in the Troubles have ceased their armed campaigns.
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Ohio
Ohio (i/oʊˈhaɪ.oʊ/) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Ohio is the 34th most extensive, the 7th most populous, and the 10th most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state's capital and largest city is Columbus.
The name "Ohio" originated from Iroquois word ohi-yo’, meaning "great river". The state, originally partitioned from the Northwest Territory, was admitted to the Union as the 17th state (and the first under the Northwest Ordinance) on March 1, 1803. Although there are conflicting narratives regarding the origin of the nickname, Ohio is historically known as the "Buckeye State" (relating to the Ohio buckeye tree) and Ohioans are also known as "Buckeyes".
The government of Ohio is composed of the executive branch, led by the Governor; the legislative branch, which comprises the Ohio General Assembly; and the judicial branch, which is led by the Supreme Court. Currently, Ohio occupies 18 seats in the United States House of Representatives. Ohio is known for its status as both a swing state and a bellwether in national elections.
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Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.
The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New Zealand, as well as their previously operated version in Ireland. Sky News is also offered in an international version without the British adverts under the name Sky News International available in Europe and Asia.
Based at a news centre in London, Sky News started broadcasting on 5 February 1989 as part of the then four-channel Sky Television service. Sky News provides an hourly news radio service to multiple radio networks in the UK and Ireland. The channel currently has seven UK bases each with their own correspondents, and the channel can also call upon a wide range of resources and global bureaux provided by its parent company News Corporation such as reporters from Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network (its sister news and business channels).
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Sun City, North West
Sun City is a luxury casino and resort, situated in the North West Province of South Africa. It is located between the Elands River and the Pilanesberg, about two hours' drive from Johannesburg, near the city of Rustenburg. The complex borders the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.
Sun City was developed by the hotel magnate Sol Kerzner as part of his Sun International group of properties. It was officially opened on 7 December 1979; at the time it was located in the Bantustan of Bophuthatswana.
As Bophuthatswana had been declared an independent state by South Africa's apartheid government (although unrecognized as such by any other country), it was allowed under the South African law at the time to provide entertainment such as gambling and topless revue shows, which were banned in South Africa. These factors, as well as its relatively close location to the large metropolitan areas of Pretoria and Johannesburg, ensured that Sun City soon became (and stayed) a popular holiday and weekend destination. Many famous performers such as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Elaine Page, Frank Sinatra, Queen, Elton John, Sarah Brightman, Roxette, Julio Iglesias, The O'Jays, Boney M., Black Sabbath, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick, Laura Branigan and Thomas Anders (of Modern Talking fame) also performed at the 'Sun City Super Bowl', a large auditorium which seats 6,230. Sun City also became the site of several important Heavyweight boxing matches during the late 1970s and early 1980s. One such boxer was Gerrie Coetzee, who later (1983) became heavyweight world champion.
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United States
The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
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Alec Ross
Alexander Ross (1881 – 25 June 1952), generally known as Alec Ross and sometimes as Alex or Aleck, was a Scottish golfer. He was a native of Dornoch and learned his golf in his home country, but like many British professional golfers of his era he spent many years working as a club professional in the United States. While employed by the Brae Burn Country Club, near Boston, he won the 1907 U.S. Open at the St. Martin's course at Philadelphia Cricket Club. He competed in the U.S. Open seventeen times in total, and finished in the top ten places five times. His other tournament wins include the North and South Open six times (1902, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1915), the Massachusetts Open six times (1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1912) and the Swiss Open three times (1923, 1925, 1926).
Ross's brother Donald also moved to the U.S. and was one of the most celebrated of all golf course designers. Alec was the professional at the Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan for 31 years. He died in Miami, Florida.
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Alex Smith (golfer)
Alex Smith (1872 – 21 April 1930) was a member of a famous Scottish golfing family. His brother Willie won the U.S. Open in 1899, and Alex won it in both 1906 and 1910. Like many British professionals of his era he spent much of his adult life working as a club professional in the United States.
In 1901 Smith lost to Willie Anderson in a playoff for the U.S. Open title. Smith's 1906 U.S. Open victory came at the Onwentsia Club in Lake Forest, Illinois. His 72 hole score of 295 was the lowest at either the U.S. Open or the British Open up to that time, and he won $300. The 1910 U.S. Open was played over the St. Martin's course at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Smith won a three man playoff against American John McDermott and another of his own brothers, Macdonald Smith. Alex Smith played in eighteen U.S. Opens in total and accumulated eleven top ten placings.
Smith also won the Western Open twice and the Metropolitan Open four times.
Smith was born in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland and died in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Amélie Mauresmo
Amélie Simone Mauresmo French pronunciation: [ameli simɔn moʁɛsmo]; (born 5 July 1979) is a French former professional tennis player, and a former World No. 1. Mauresmo won two Grand Slam singles titles at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon.
Mauresmo first attained the top ranking on 13 September 2004, holding it for five weeks on that occasion. She was the fifteenth world no. 1 in women's tennis since the computer rankings began. She is well known for her powerful one-handed backhand and strong net play. She officially announced her retirement from professional tennis on 3 December 2009, ending a career of ten years. She returned to Wimbledon in 2010, acting as a grass court advisor for Frenchman and 2007 Wimbledon doubles champion Michaël Llodra.
Mauresmo was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. She began playing tennis at the age of four, after being inspired by Yannick Noah's win in the 1983 French Open on television. It was after his win that her parents bought her her first tennis racket. Later on in 1998 Yannick Noah picked her on the French team for the Fed Cup. Her mother, Françoise is a homemaker and her father Francis, who died in March 2004, was an engineer. She also has a brother Fabien who is an engineer.
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Anders Hanson
Anders Rosenberg Hansen (born 16 September 1970) is a Danish professional golfer.
Hansen was born in Sønderborg, Denmark. He turned professional in 1995. It took him a few years to establish himself on the European Tour, with his first top 116 Order of Merit finish (the level a player requires to automatically regain his card) coming in 1999.
His maiden European Tour victory was the 2002 Volvo PGA Championship and he finished in the top 60 on the Order of Merit every year from 2000 to 2011, with a best of seventh in 2011. He has featured in the top 25 of the Official World Golf Rankings and has been the highest ranked Danish golfer.
Hansen represented Denmark in the WGC-World Cup in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007.
Hansen had six top 10's in 2006 including a 3rd at the Dubai Desert Classic, playing the two final days in the leaderball with Tiger Woods and Retief Goosen, and a second at the Italian Open for the second straight year.
Hansen qualified for the PGA Tour for 2007, capturing the fourth available spot, eight strokes off the winner, George McNeill, but failed to maintain his playing rights at the end of the season.
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Andrés Romero
For the Chilean footballer with the same name see Andrés Romero (footballer)
Andrés Fabián Romero (born 8 May 1981) is an Argentine professional golfer who plays on both the PGA Tour and European Tour.
Romero was born in Tucumán. He won his European Tour card by finishing 14th on the Challenge Tour rankings in 2005. He had a successful rookie season highlighted by a tied second finish at the Scottish Open and a tied eighth finish in The Open Championship, and finished placed 35th on the Order of Merit.
In the 2007 Open Championship, Romero placed third, behind Sergio García and Pádraig Harrington, making ten birdies on the last day of play. He briefly led the field by two strokes, but made a double bogey on the 17th hole and a bogey on the 18th to miss a play-off by one shot. The following week he won his first European Tour event at the Deutsche Bank Players Championship of Europe. Romero finished the season in the top ten of the Order of Merit, in seventh position.
In July 2006, Romero broke into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time and he reached a new best of 29th after his Players Championship of Europe win. The next week a top-10 finish in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational took him into the top 25.
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Andy North
Andrew Stewart North (born March 9, 1950) is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the U.S. Open twice.
North was born in Thorp, Wisconsin, and raised in Monona, Wisconsin. He attended Monona Grove High School, and graduated in 1968.
North received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Buster Bishop's Florida Gators men's golf team from 1969 to 1972. He was a three-time first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection, and an All-American in 1970, 1971 and 1972. North graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1972, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as "Gator Great."
North turned professional in 1972. He had a moderately successful career on the PGA Tour made remarkable by the fact that two of his three wins on the Tour were in the U.S. Open. The first PGA Tour win of North's career came at the 1977 American Express Westchester Classic. He was 28 years old when he won the 1978 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. He moved into the lead after the second round, and was one shot ahead going into Sunday, but an erratic final round left him needing to make a five on the last hole to take the championship. He struggled up the eighteenth, finding the rough twice and then landing in a greenside bunker, but he nailed a four foot putt to win by one stroke over J. C. Snead and Dave Stockton.
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Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer (born September 10, 1929) is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955. Nicknamed "The King," he is one of golf's most popular stars and its most important trailblazer, because he was the first superstar of the sport's television age, which began in the 1950s. He is part of "The Big Three" in golf, along with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, who are widely credited with popularizing and commercialising the sport around the world.
Palmer won the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, and in 1974 was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Palmer was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He learned golf from his father, Deacon Palmer, who was head professional and greenskeeper at Latrobe Country Club, allowing young Arnold to accompany his father as he maintained the course. He attended Wake Forest University, on a golf scholarship. He left upon the death of close friend Bud Worsham and enlisted in the United States Coast Guard, where he served for three years and had some time to continue to hone his golf skills. Palmer returned to college and competitive golf. His win in the 1954 U.S. Amateur made him decide to try the pro tour for a while, and he and new bride Winifred Walzer (whom he had met at a Pennsylvania tournament) traveled the circuit for 1955.
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Bae Sang-moon
Bae Sang-moon (born 21 June 1986) is a South Korean professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.
Bae turned professional in 2004. He won the 2006 Emerson Pacific Group Open on the Korean Tour, and in 2007 he won the SK Telecom Open, an Asian Tour and Korean Tour co-sanctioned event held in his home country. In 2008, he won his home country's open, the Kolon-Hana Bank Korea Open. In 2009, he won the GS Caltex Maekyung Open. In 2011, he won the Japan Open.
In 2011 he was the leading money winner on the Japan Golf Tour for the season after winning three tournaments. Bae was the second Korean in two years to take this accolade after Kim Kyung-tae's success in 2010.
In March 2012, Bae lost in a four-man playoff at the Transitions Championship on the PGA Tour. After finishing at –13 for the tournament, he lost the playoff when Luke Donald holed a birdie putt on the first extra hole to defeat Bae, Jim Furyk and Robert Garrigus. This is his highest finish on the PGA Tour.
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Ben Hogan
William Ben Hogan (August 13, 1912 – July 25, 1997) was an American professional golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game. Born within six months of two other acknowledged golf greats of the twentieth century, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson, Hogan is notable for his profound influence on the golf swing theory and his legendary ball-striking ability, for which he remains renowned among players and fans.
His nine career professional major championships tie him (with Gary Player) for fourth all-time, trailing only Jack Nicklaus (18), Tiger Woods (14) and Walter Hagen (11). Furthermore, he is one of only five golfers to have won all four major championships currently open to professionals (the Masters Tournament, the British Open, the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship), the other four being Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
Born in Stephenville, Texas, he was the third and youngest child of Chester and Clara (Williams) Hogan. His father was a blacksmith and the family lived ten miles southwest in Dublin until 1921, when they moved 70 miles (112 km) northeast to Fort Worth. In 1922, when Hogan was nine, his father Chester committed suicide at the family home via a self-inflicted gunshot to the chest. By some accounts Chester committed suicide in front of him, which some (including Hogan biographer James Dodson) have cited as the cause of his introverted personality in later years.
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Billy Burke (golfer)
William John Burke, born Burkowski (December 14, 1902 – April 19, 1972) was a prominent American professional golfer of the 1920s and 1930s.
Burke was born in Naugatuck, Connecticut. His greatest season was 1931, when he won the U.S. Open, reached the semi-finals of the PGA Championship, and won four events on the professional circuit, plus appeared on the Ryder Cup team where he was undefeated in two matches. He was also selected for the 1933 Ryder Cup team but not before some agitation by Gene Sarazen was done on his behalf. Burke won his only match in the 1933 competition.
Burke's 1931 U.S. Open win came in a marathon playoff. He and George Von Elm were tied at 292 (8 over par) after regulation play. They played a 36-hole playoff the next day and tied again at 149 (7 over par). The following day they played 36 more holes and Burke emerged victorious 148 to 149.
Throughout Burke's golf career he used a unorthodox grip due to the loss of two fingers on his left hand. Burke died in Clearwater, Florida.
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Billy Casper
William Earl Casper, Jr. (born June 24, 1931) is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.
Casper was born in San Diego, California. His father started him in golf at age five. He turned professional in 1954.
Casper had 51 PGA Tour wins in his career, placing him seventh on the all time list. His victories helped him finish third in McCormack's World Golf Rankings in 1968, 1969 and 1970, the first three years they were published. He won three major championships: the 1959 and 1966 U.S. Opens, and the 1970 Masters Tournament. He was the PGA Tour Money Winner in 1966 and 1968. He was PGA Player of the Year in 1966 and 1970. Casper won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average five times: 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966, and 1968. He was a member of the United States team in the Ryder Cup 8 times—in 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, and a non-playing captain in 1979. Casper has scored the most points in the Ryder Cup by an American player.
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Billy Horschel
William John Horschel (born December 7, 1986) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.
Horschel was born in Grant, Florida. He won the individual medalist honors at the 2006 U.S. Amateur, shooting a two day score of 138 (60-78, -5) at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. His opening round of 60 was an 18–hole tournament and USGA record. He failed to make it past the third round of match play, however.
Horshcel received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Buddy Alexander's Florida Gators men's golf team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 2006 to 2009. He was a four-time All-American, including three first-team honors, and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) player of the year in 2007 and 2009. He was also a 2008 PING southeast all-region selection. Horschel graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in sport management in 2009.
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Bobby Jones (golfer)
Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. (March 17, 1902 – December 18, 1971) was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level. During his peak as a golfer from 1923 to 1930, he dominated top-level amateur competition, and competed very successfully against the world's best professional golfers. Jones often beat stars such as Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen, the era's top pros. Jones earned his living mainly as a lawyer, and competed in golf only as an amateur, primarily on a part-time basis, and chose to retire from competition at age 28, though he earned significant money from golf after that, as an instructor and equipment designer.
Explaining his decision to retire, Jones said, "It (championship golf) is something like a cage. First you are expected to get into it and then you are expected to stay there. But of course, nobody can stay there." Jones is most famous for his unique "Grand Slam," consisting of his victory in all four major golf tournaments of his era (the open and amateur championships in both the U.S. & the U.K.) in a single calendar year (1930).
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Bubba Watson
Gerry Lester "Bubba" Watson, Jr. (born November 5, 1978) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour. One of the few left-handed golfers on tour, he is a major champion, the winner of the Masters Tournament in 2012. Among the longest drivers on the PGA Tour, in 2007 he had an average drive of 315.2 yards (288.2 m) and can hit a ball over 350 yards (320 m), capable of generating a ball speed up to 194 mph (312 km/h)]. Watson won the 2012 Masters Tournament after defeating Louis Oosthuizen in a sudden death playoff. The win elevated Watson to a career-high fourth place in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Watson was born and raised in Bagdad, Florida, near Pensacola. He played on the golf team at Milton High School, which had featured future PGA Tour members Heath Slocum and Boo Weekley just before he attended. Watson played golf for Faulkner State Community College in nearby Baldwin County, Alabama, where he was a junior college All-American. He transferred to the University of Georgia, the defending NCAA champions, and played for the Bulldogs in 2000 and 2001. As a junior, Watson helped lead the Bulldogs to the SEC title in 2000.
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Byron Nelson
John Byron Nelson, Jr. (February 4, 1912 – September 26, 2006) 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. Although he won many tournaments in the course of his relatively brief career, he is mostly remembered today for having won 11 consecutive tournaments and 18 total tournaments in 1945. He retired officially at the age of 34 to be a rancher, later becoming a commentator and lending his name to the HP Byron Nelson Championship, the first PGA Tour event to be named for a professional golfer. In 1974, Byron Nelson received the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.
Nelson became the second recipient of the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. He received the 1994 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA's highest honor. Nelson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2006.
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Caroline Wozniacki
Caroline Wozniacki (born 11 July 1990) is a Danish professional tennis player. She is a former world no. 1 on the WTA Tour. As of 23 January 2012, she held this position for 67 weeks. She is the first Scandinavian woman to hold the top ranking position and 20th overall.
Since her WTA debut in 2005, she has improved her year-end ranking each year until finishing on top in both 2010 and 2011. She has won 18 WTA singles titles as of August 2011, three in 2008, three in 2009, six in 2010 (the most since Justine Henin's ten in 2007), and six in 2011. She was runner-up at the 2009 US Open and the 2010 WTA Tour Championships in Doha to Kim Clijsters. She won the 2006 Wimbledon Girls' Singles title but has yet to win a women's Grand Slam title. She also holds two WTA titles in doubles.
Wozniacki is the daughter of Polish Roman Catholicimmigrants, Piotr and Anna Wozniacki. Anna played on the Polish women's national volleyball team, and Piotr played professional football. The couple moved to Denmark when Piotr signed for the Danish football club Boldklubben 1909. Wozniacki's older brother Patrik Wozniacki is a professional footballer for Hvidovre IF in Denmark.
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Cary Middlecoff
Emmett Cary Middlecoff (January 6, 1921 – September 1, 1998) was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s.
Middlecoff was born in Halls, Tennessee. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School. He played collegiate golf at the University of Mississippi (UM) where he was the school's first golf All-American in 1939. As a UM undergraduate and a dental student at the University of Tennessee, Middlecoff won the Tennessee State Amateur Championship for four straight years (1940–1943). After obtaining his DDS degree in 1944, he entered the United States Army Dental Corps during World War II. He won a PGA Tour tournament as an amateur in 1945, and then turned professional in 1947.
During his playing career, Middlecoff won 40 PGA Tour tournaments, including the 1955 Masters and U.S. Open titles in 1949 and 1956. He won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average in 1956. He played on three Ryder Cup teams: 1953, 1955, and 1959.
During the decade of the 1950s, Middlecoff won 28 Tour titles, more than any other player during that span. A tall player with plenty of power and good accuracy, Middlecoff during his best years was also a superb putter. He was known for often taking excessive time to play his shots. Back problems and struggles with his nerves during competition ended his career in the early 1960s, when he was only in his early 40s.
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Chick Evans
Charles E. "Chick" Evans, Jr. (July 18, 1890 – November 6, 1979) was a leading amateur golfer of the 1910s and 1920s. Evans was the first amateur to win the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur in one year, a feat he achieved in 1916. Evans went on to win the U.S. Amateur in 1920, while finishing runner-up three times. Selected to the Walker Cup team in 1922, 1924, and 1928, Evans competed in a record 50 consecutive U.S. Amateurs in his long career. All this was achieved with only seven hickory-shafted clubs. In addition to his golf career, Evans is known for sponsoring a college scholarship for qualified caddies.
In 1960, he was voted the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Evans was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and grew up on the north side of Chicago. At the age of eight, Evans was first exposed to golf by being a caddie at a Chicago course, the Edgewater Golf Club. From these beginnings, Evans became one of the most acclaimed American amateur golfers of his time, eventually earning induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1975. The accomplishment that gave him the most contemporary publicity came in 1916, when Evans won both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open in the same year. He was the first person to accomplish this task, and only Bobby Jones has done it since. Evans also won the Western Open in 1910, the only amateur to do so until Scott Verplank in 1985.
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Colin Montgomerie
Colin Stuart Montgomerie, OBE (born 23 June 1963) is a Scottish professional golfer. He has won a record eight European Tour Order of Merit titles, including a streak of seven consecutively from 1993 to 1999, and 31 European Tour events, placing him fourth on the all time list. He has not, to date, won a major championship, after finishing runner-up on five occasions, or an official tournament on PGA Tour. His career high world ranking is second.
Although Scottish by birth and ethnicity, he was raised in Yorkshire, England, where his father, James Montgomerie, was Managing Director of Fox's Biscuits. He spent a number of years with the Ilkley Golf Club, where he was tutored by the past professional Bill Ferguson. He was educated at both Leeds Grammar School and Strathallan School, Perthshire. During his time in Leeds, he became a supporter of Leeds United, but still remains a loyal supporter of Glasgow Rangers. His father later became the secretary of Royal Troon Golf Club, one of Scotland's most famous clubs. Montgomerie became one of the first British golfers to go to a United States college, attending Houston Baptist University, where he played on the golf team and became its top player. He won three important Scottish amateur tournaments – the 1983 Scottish Youths Championship, the 1985 Scottish Stroke Play Championship, and the 1987 Scottish Amateur Championship. He also played for Scotland twice in the Eisenhower Trophy (1984 and 1986) and for Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup twice (1985 and 1987). Between 1988–91, Montgomerie completed a degree in Accountancy at the University of Stirling.
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Corey Pavin
Corey Allen Pavin (born November 16, 1959) is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He spent over 150 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1986 and 1997.
Pavin was born in Oxnard, California. He attended UCLA. Pavin won two gold medals at the 1981 Maccabiah Games, the Jewish Olympics in Israel, and turned professional the following year. He quickly established himself in the sport, with three international victories in 1983, and his first PGA Tour victory at the 1984 Houston Coca-Cola Open.
He won at least one event on either the PGA Tour or the international tour nearly every year for the next decade, and topped the PGA Tour's money list in 1991, when he was the last man to achieve this without winning at least one million dollars in prize money. Pavin's success culminated in his only major victory, the 1995 U.S. Open. Rather than marking a move to a new level of achievement, however, this was soon followed by a long slide down the world rankings from a high ranking of 5th. After Pavin won the Bank of America Colonial in 1996, he did not win another PGA Tour tournament for ten years. His 89th place finish on the 2004 money list was the first time he had made the top one hundred since 1998. Pavin finally won his 15th career title in 2006 at the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee, ending a streak of 242 consecutive tournaments without a win.
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Craig Wood (golfer)
Craig Ralph Wood (November 18, 1901 – May 7, 1968) was an American professional golfer in the 1930s and 1940s, the winner of 21 PGA Tour titles including two major championships and a member of three Ryder Cup teams (1931, 1933, 1935).
Wood was born in Lake Placid, New York.
Despite his two major championships, Wood is probably most well known as the victim of Gene Sarazen's famous double eagle in the 1935 Augusta National Invitational (now known as the Masters Tournament). The shot left the two players tied at the end of regulation and Sarazen went on to victory in a 36-hole playoff.
This was the fourth runner-up and third playoff loss for Wood in a major in just two years. In the 1933 British Open at St Andrews, Denny Shute had defeated Wood in another 36-hole playoff. In the spring of 1934, Wood was the runner up by a single shot to Horton Smith at the first Masters and later that year he was defeated on the 38th hole by Paul Runyan in the PGA Championship which was then decided by match play. After Sarazen's shot, Wood was left with his second consecutive Masters runner-up and a reputation of being "jinxed". At the 1939 U.S. Open he birdied the 72nd hole and was again in a playoff, but this time Byron Nelson was the winner, making Wood the first player to lose all four major championships in extra holes. Greg Norman is the only other player to suffer this fate.
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Curtis Strange
Curtis Northrup Strange (born January 30, 1955) is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.
Strange and his identical twin brother, Allan, were born in Norfolk, Virginia. His father, a local country club owner, started him in golf at age 7. Strange is a graduate of Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He attended Wake Forest University and was a member of the NCAA Championship team with Jay Haas and Bob Byman that Golf World has labeled "the greatest of all time".
Strange is considered one of the leading golfers of the 1980s as 16 of his 17 PGA Tour victories took place in that decade. He topped the PGA Tour money list in 1985 and 1987 and in 1988, when he became the first man to win a million dollars in official money on the Tour in a season. His two majors were the 1988 and 1989 U.S. Opens.
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Cyril Walker
Cyril Walker (September 18, 1892 – August 6, 1948) was an English professional golfer born in Manchester who emigrated to the United States in 1914.
Walker won the 1924 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills Country Club, while playing out of Englewood Golf Club in New Jersey. He beat defending champion Bobby Jones by three strokes. This was his only top ten finish in seven appearances at the U.S. Open. He was a small man, weighing only 118 pounds.
Walker won six PGA events between 1917 and 1930. He also won the Indiana Open in 1916.
In 1928 he became the pro at the Saddle River Golf and Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey.
An alcohol addiction resulted in Walker's downward spiral that ended up with him working as a dishwasher and near destitute. He died of pleural pneumonia in a Hackensack, New Jersey jail cell where he had gone for shelter.
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
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D. A. Points
Darren Andrew "D.A." Points (born December 1, 1976) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.
Points was born and raised in Pekin, Illinois, where he attended Pekin High School. He attended the University of Illinois where he was a third team All-American. Points won the Illinois State Amateur Championship in 1995, 1998 and 1999. He lost to Tiger Woods in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur in 1996. He turned professional in 1999.
Points played on the Nationwide Tour from 2001 to 2004. During that time he won three events, the 2001 BUY.COM Inland Empire Open, the 2004 Northeast Pennsylvania Classic and the 2004 Pete Dye West Virginia Classic. He earned his PGA Tour card by finishing second on the Nationwide Tour money list in 2004. He played on the PGA Tour in 2005 and 2006, but dropped back to the Nationwide Tour for 2007 and 2008. In 2008, at the Miccosukee Championship, he holed his second shot from the fairway on the last hole on Sunday with a wedge and ended up winning in a playoff over Matt Bettencourt for his fourth career win. He finished 16th on the money list to earn his 2009 PGA Tour card.
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Danes
Danish people or Danes are the nation and ethnic group that is native to Denmark, and who speak Danish.
The first mention of Danes within the Danish territory is on the Jelling Rune Stone which mentions how Harald Bluetooth converted the Danes to Christianity in the 10th century. Denmark has been continuously inhabited since this period and although much cultural and ethnic influence and immigration from all over the world has entered Denmark since then, Danes tend to see themselves as ethnic descendents of the early Danes mentioned in the sources.
Since the formulation of a Danish national identity in the 19th century the defining criteria for being Danish has been speaking the Danish language and identifying with Denmark as a homeland. Danish national identity was built on a basis of peasant culture and Lutheran theology, theologian N. F. S. Grundtvig and his popular movement played a prominent part in the process.
Today the main criterion for being considered a Dane is having Danish citizenship, although also people with a Danish ancestral or ethnic identity, living outside of Denmark such as emigrants, descendants of emigrants or members of the Danish ethnic minority in Southern Schleswig, can be considered Danes under a wider definition taking into consideration cultural self-identification.
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Darren Clarke
Darren Christopher Clarke, OBE (born 14 August 1968) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the European Tour and has previously played on the PGA Tour. He has won 22 tournaments worldwide on a number of golf's main tours including the European Tour, the PGA Tour, the Sunshine Tour and the Japan Golf Tour. His most notable win came at Royal St George's where he won the 2011 Open Championship, his first major win after more than 20 years and 54 attempts. Clarke has also won two World Golf Championship events, most notably the 2000 WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship where he squared off with, and defeated, Tiger Woods. These victories came when Clarke enjoyed his most prominent spell as a golfer – he was ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 43 weeks between 2000 and 2002. His highest finish on the European Tour money list is second, which he achieved in 1998, 2000 and 2003. Clarke is currently ranked as the sixth highest career money winner on the European Tour.
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Dave Stockton
David Knapp Stockton (born November 2, 1941) is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.
Stockton was born in San Bernardino, California. He attended the University of Southern California and turned professional in 1964. His first PGA Tour win came at the 1967 Colonial National Invitation. He was selected by former Colonial champions as one of two Champion's Choice invitations; he is the only Champion's Choice invitee to win the Colonial in the year of the invitation. His best year was 1974, when he won three times, but his two majors, both of which were PGA Championships, came in 1970 and 1976. In 1970 he played the final round with Arnold Palmer, shooting an erratic seventy-three which included an eagle and a double-bogey on the seventh and the eighth holes, and making a bogey on the thirteenth despite putting a ball in the water. In the end, this effort was good enough for a two stroke victory over Palmer and Bob Murphy. Due to rain at the 1976 PGA Championship, which was held at the Congressional Country Club, the final round had to be delayed until Monday. Stockton sank a fifteen-foot par putt at the seventy-second hole to avoid a three-man playoff with Raymond Floyd and Don January.
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David Duval
David Robert Duval (born November 9, 1971) is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour.
Duval was born in Jacksonville, Florida, the son of golf instructor and club professional Bob Duval and Diane Poole Duval, a member of the FSU Flying High Circus during college. His brother Brent was two years older, and sister Diedre was five years younger. During his early years, his father was club professional at Timuquana Country Club, where he learned to play golf under his father's guidance.
When David was nine, his brother Brent developed aplastic anemia. The family sought treatment at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, where David underwent surgery to donate bone marrow. Unfortunately, the transplant was not successful, and Brent died as a result of blood poisoning on May 17, 1981 at age 12.
Bob Duval was unable to cope, and moved out of the family home for a year. Counseling enabled him to reunite with his wife and children in 1982, and David continued to receive golf instruction from his father.
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Dick Mayer
Alvin Richard Mayer (August 28, 1924 – June 2, 1989) was an American professional golfer.
Mayer was born in Stamford, Connecticut. He apprenticed with renowned player and teacher Claude Harmon at the Winged Foot Golf Club in suburban New York City.
Mayer won seven times on the PGA Tour, between 1953 and 1965. Mayer almost won the 1954 U.S. Open, but a triple bogey on the final hole left him tied for third, two shots back, as Ed Furgol won.
Mayer's career year was 1957, when he finished the regulation 72 holes of the U.S. Open at Inverness Club tied with defending champion Cary Middlecoff. He won the 18-hole playoff 72 to 79, and his prize was $7,200. He later won $50,000 at the World Championship of Golf, topped the PGA Tour money list with winnings of $65,835, and won the PGA Player of the Year award. He also played on the 1957 Ryder Cup team.
Mayer battled alcoholism, which kept him from winning more often on the Tour. Mayer died at age 64 in Palm Springs, California.
Major championship is shown in bold.
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Dustin Johnson
Dustin Hunter Johnson (born June 22, 1984) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. He is one of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour having been third in the driving distance stats for three consecutive years between 2009-2011.
Johnson was born in Columbia, South Carolina. He played collegiate golf at Coastal Carolina University. As an amateur, he won the Monroe Invitational and the Northeast Amateur in 2007 and played on the winning 2007 Walker Cup and Palmer Cup teams.
Johnson turned professional in 2007 and earned his 2008 PGA Tour card by finishing in a tie for 14th place in the 2007 qualifying school.
Johnson won his first PGA Tour event, the Turning Stone Resort Championship in October 2008. Four months later, he won his second event at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. The tournament was shortened to 54 holes when the final round was cancelled due to strong winds and heavy rain, leaving Johnson the winner by four strokes over Mike Weir and five strokes over second round leader Retief Goosen, who shot a third round 2 over par 74. Johnson finished the 2009 season ranked 15th on the PGA Tour money list.
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Ed Furgol
Edward Joseph Furgol (March 24, 1917 – March 6, 1997) was an American professional golfer.
When he was twelve years of age, Furgol injured his left elbow when he fell off a set of parallel bars. The elbow never healed correctly and Furgol was left with a crooked arm as a result. On the recommendation of his doctors, he took up golf.
Furgol won six times on the PGA Tour including one major championship, the 1954 U.S. Open. He also played on the 1957 Ryder Cup team. He was born in New York Mills, New York and died in Miami Shores, Florida. Although he was from the same town as golfer Marty Furgol, they are not related.
this list may be incomplete
Major championship is shown in bold.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
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English people
The English (from Old English: Englisc) are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens. Their ethnonym is derived from the Angles, a Germanic people originally from Northern Germany who migrated to Britain.
Historically, the English population is descended from several genetically similar peoples—the earlier Britons (or Brythons), the Germanic tribes that settled in the area, including Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, collectively known as the Anglo-Saxons, who founded what was to become England (from the Old English Englaland), and the later Danes, Normans and other groups. Following the Act of Union in 1707, in which the Kingdom of England became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain, English customs and identity became closely aligned with British customs and identity.
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Ernie Els
Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els (/ˈɛls/; born 17 October 1969) is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature (he stands 1.91 metres [6 feet, 3 inches]) along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing. Among his numerous victories are three major championships: the U.S. Open in 1994 at the Oakmont Country Club and 1997 at the Congressional Country Club, and The Open Championship in 2002 at Muirfield.
Other highlights in Els' career include topping the 2003 and 2004 European Tour Order of Merit (money list), and winning the World Match Play Championship a record seven times. He was the leading career money winner on the European Tour until overtaken by Lee Westwood in 2011, and was the first member of the tour to earn over 25 million Euros from European Tour events. He has held the number one spot in the Official World Golf Rankings and holds the record for weeks ranked in the top ten with over 780. Els was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2010, on his first time on the ballot, and was inducted in May 2011.
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Francesco Molinari
Francesco Molinari (born 8 November 1982) is an Italian professional golfer. He is a three-time winner on the European Tour, with one of those wins being the WGC-HSBC Champions in 2010. He was a member of the 2010 European Ryder Cup team at Celtic Manor.
Molinari was born in Turin, Italy, and is the younger brother of Edoardo Molinari. As an amateur, he won the Italian Amateur Stroke Play Championship twice, and the Italian Match Play Championship in 2004. He turned professional later that year.
Molinari earned his European Tour card for 2005 through qualifying school. He finished in 86th place on the tour's Order of Merit in his rookie season.
In May 2006, Molinari claimed his first European Tour victory, becoming the first Italian since Massimo Mannelli in 1980 to win the Telecom Italia Open. This victory helped him finish 38th on the Order of Merit. Molinari didn't win on Tour between 2007 and 2009 but during that time he recorded twenty top-10 finishes including three runner-up finishes. He finished 60th on the Order of Merit in 2007, 24th in 2008 and 14th in the Race to Dubai in 2009. In October of 2009, Molinari reached the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time.
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Francis Ouimet
Francis DeSales Ouimet (May 8, 1893 – September 2, 1967) was an American golfer, who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the 1913 U.S. Open, and was the first American elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
Ouimet was born to Mary Ellen Burke and Arthur Ouimet in Brookline, Massachusetts. His father was a French-Canadian immigrant, and his mother was an Irish immigrant. When Francis was four years old, his family purchased a house on Clyde Street in Brookline, directly across from the 17th hole of The Country Club. The Ouimet family grew up relatively poor, and found themselves near the bottom of the economic ladder, which was hardly the position of any American golfer at the time. As far as the general public was concerned, amateur golf was reserved for the wealthy, while professional golf provided competition and income for former caddies, prohibited by the USGA from caddying after the age of 16 or lose their amateur status. Ouimet found an interest in golf at an early age and started caddying at The Country Club at the age of nine. Using clubs from his brother and balls he found around the course, Ouimet taught himself the game. Soon enough his game caught the eye of many country club members and caddie master Dan MacNamara. It wasn't long before Ouimet was the best high school golfer in the state. When he was a junior in high school, his father insisted Francis drop out and finally begin to do "something useful" with his life. He worked at a drygoods store before a stroke of good luck helped him land a job at a sporting goods store owned by the future Baseball Hall of Famer George Wright.
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Fred Couples
Frederick Steven Couples (born October 3, 1959) is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship. Because of his long drives, Couples has been given the nickname "Boom Boom".
Couples was born in Seattle, Washington, to Tom and Violet (Sobich) Couples. His paternal grandparents immigrated from Italy and changed the family name from "Coppola" to "Couples" to make it sound less ethnic. His mother is of Croatian descent. His father was a groundskeeper for the Seattle Parks Department and the family, which included brother Tom, Jr., and sister Cindy, lived in a modest house on Beacon Hill near the city's Jefferson Park golf course, where Couples developed his signature loose, rhythmic swing in order to gain enough distance to keep up with the older children.
Couples attended O'Dea High School in Seattle and the University of Houston, where, as a member of the Houston Cougars men's golf team, he roomed with Blaine McCallister, another future PGA Tour player, and future CBS television broadcaster Jim Nantz.
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Fred Herd
Fred Herd (26 November 1874 – 14 March 1954) was a Scottish professional golfer from St Andrews. In 1898 he won the fourth U.S. Open at Myopia Hunt Club, in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. This was the first U.S. Open to be played over 72 holes, requiring the competitors to play eight rounds of Myopia's nine hole course. Herd was a professional at the Washington Park course in Chicago at this time. He won $150, but such was his reputation as a drinker that he was not allowed to take the U.S. Open trophy away until he had paid a deposit, as the USGA was worried that he might pawn it to buy drink.
Herd played in the U.S. Open on three other occasions, but did not have any other top ten finishes. His brother Sandy Herd, won the British Open in 1902.
Herd played only in the U.S. Open.
DNP = Did not play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
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Fred McLeod
Frederick Robertson McLeod (25 April 1882 – 8 May 1976) was a Scottish-American golfer who had a distinguished career in the United States, which included victory in the 1908 U.S. Open. He was born in Kirk Ports, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland.
McLeod's mother was from Bolton in East Lothian and his father was from the Isle of Skye . His father was employed as the manager of a temperance book stall and also worked as a caddy. McLeod began his working life as a postman at the age of fourteen. At seventeen he joined the Bass Rock Golf Club in North Berwick, which was a club for artisans. It did not have its own course and the members played on a public links. McLeod soon had some success in local competitions, and in 1903 he left for the United States to try his luck as a golf professional there, a route followed by many other Scots around that time as the golf clubs which were springing up rapidly in the U.S. had no experienced local professionals on whom they could call. He quickly found employment at the Rockford Country Club in Illinois, and later worked at several other clubs.
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Fuzzy Zoeller
Frank Urban "Fuzzy" Zoeller, Jr. ( /ˈzɛlər/; born November 11, 1951) is an American professional golfer. He is one of three golfers to have won The Masters in his first appearance in the event. He also won the 1984 U.S. Open, which earned him the 1985 Bob Jones Award.
Zoeller was born in New Albany, Indiana. He attended the University of Houston and became a professional golfer in 1973. He has won two major championships: the 1979 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club and the 1984 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club.
Zoeller is one of only three golfers to have won The Masters in his first appearance in the event. The other two were the winners of the first two Masters, Horton Smith and Gene Sarazen. Zoeller was voted the 1985 Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.
In 2002, Zoeller joined the Champions Tour and won the Senior PGA Championship, a senior major, that year. He also won the 2004 MasterCard Championship.
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Gary Player
Gary Player DMS; OIG (born 1 November 1935) is a South African professional golfer and widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. Over his career, Player accumulated an impressive nine major championships on the regular tour and six Champions Tour major championship victories, as well as three Senior British Open Championships on the European Senior Tour. At the age 29, Player won the 1965 U.S. Open and became the only non-American to win all four majors, known as the career Grand Slam. Player became only the third golfer in history to win the Grand Slam, following Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen. Since then, only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have won the Grand Slam. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six decades and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
Player was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has logged more than 25 million kilometers (15 million miles) in travel, which is more than any other athlete. Nicknamed the Black Knight, Mr. Fitness, and the International Ambassador of Golf, Player is also a renowned golf course architect with more than 325 design projects on 5 continents throughout the world. He has also authored or co-written 36 golf books.
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Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen (/ˈsɑrəzɛn/; February 27, 1902 – May 13, 1999) was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers (along with Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods) to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam: U.S. Open in 1922, 1932, PGA Championship in 1922, 1923, 1933, British Open in 1932, and The Masters in 1935.
Sarazen was born in Harrison, New York as Eugenio Saraceni. Sarazen began caddying at age ten at local golf clubs, took up golf himself, and gradually developed his skills; he was essentially self-taught. He used the somewhat unusual, at the time, interlocking grip to hold the club.
Sarazen took a series of club professional jobs in the New York area from his mid-teens, and worked hard on his game. Sarazen won his first major championships – the 1922 U.S. Open and PGA Championship – at age 20. He was a contemporary and great rival of Bobby Jones, who was born in the same year; Sarazen also had many great battles with Walter Hagen, who was about ten years older. Sarazen, Jones, and Hagen were the world's dominant players during the 1920s. Rivalries among the three great champions significantly expanded interest in golf around the world during this period, and made the United States the world's dominant golf power for the first time, taking over this position from Great Britain.
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Geoff Ogilvy
Geoff Charles Ogilvy (born 11 June 1977) is an Australian professional golfer. He won the 2006 U.S. Open and has also won three World Golf Championships.
Ogilvy was born in Adelaide, South Australia to an English-born father Mike and Australian born mother Judy. He turned professional in May 1998 and he won a European Tour card at that year's Qualifying school. He played on the European Tour in 1999 and 2000, finishing 65th in his first season and improving to 48th in his second. He joined the U.S. based PGA Tour in 2001, and finished in the top 100 in each of his first five seasons. His first professional tournament win came in 2005 at the PGA Tour's Chrysler Classic of Tucson. In February 2006 he beat Davis Love III in the final of the 2006 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
Ogilvy won his first major championship at the 2006 U.S. Open, becoming the first Australian to win a men's golf major since Steve Elkington at the 1995 PGA Championship. Ogilvy finished his round with a champion's flourish, making improbable pars on each of the last two holes. He holed a 30-foot chip shot at the 17th, and then got up-and-down for par at the 18th, dropping a downhill six-footer for his final stroke as all his competitors collapsed around him. Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie needed pars on the final hole to win, or bogeys to tie with Ogilvy, but they ruined their chances by producing double-bogey sixes to give Ogilvy a dramatic win. Jim Furyk needed par to force a playoff but bogeyed the final hole.
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George Coetzee
George William Coetzee (born 18 July 1986) is a South African professional golfer.
Coetzee was born in Pretoria. He started playing golf when he was 10 and won the first junior tournament he ever played in, shooting 49 in 9 holes. He finished 4th and 8th in the Callaway Junior World Championship in San Diego, where he attended the University of San Diego for one semester. He turned professional in 2007.
Coetzee joined the Sunshine Tour in 2007, and claimed his first win during his rookie season, in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour event at Selborne. His second and third wins came a year later at the SAA Pro-Am Invitational, and the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour event at Humewood.
He earned a European Tour card for the 2010 season, but had to return to qualifying school at the end of the season. Coetzee regained his playing rights, and had a successful 2011 season, with a runner-up place at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and three third place finishes at other tournaments. Coetzee finished the season ranked 26th on the Race to Dubai.
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Greg Norman
Gregory John Norman AO (born 10 February 1955) is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s. He is nicknamed The Great White Shark or sometimes simply The Shark – a reference to Norman's blond hair, size, aggressive golf style and the shark inhabiting Australian waters.
Norman was born in Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia to Merv and Toini Norman. His mother was the daughter of a Finnish carpenter, and his father an electrical engineer. As a youth, he played rugby and cricket and was a keen surfer. His mother was a fine golfer with a single-figure handicap. Norman began playing golf at 15, somewhat late for a world-class player, and within two years was playing to a scratch handicap. Norman attended Townsville Grammar School in Townsville, Queensland (enrolled 1964) then moved on to Aspley State High School on the north side of Brisbane.
At the age of 20, Norman served as assistant professional under Billy McWilliam OAM at Beverley Park Golf Club in Sydney, New South Wales. His professional career had begun as Charlie Earp's trainee in the Royal Queensland Golf Club pro shop, earning $A38 a week.
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Grégory Havret
Grégory Havret (born 25 November 1976) is a French professional golfer.
Havret won the French Amateur Championship three years in a row from 1997 to 1999, and in 1999 he won the European Amateur. He also won a minor professional tournament as an amateur, the 1998 Omnium National.
Havret turned professional in 1999 and won a place on the European Tour at the 2000 Qualifying School. He finished 60th on the Order of Merit in 2001, his rookie season, recording a maiden tour victory at the Italian Open. Havret's biggest win to date came in the 2007 Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, where he overcame three-time major winner Phil Mickelson in a playoff. In August 2008 Havret recorded a second tournament victory in Scotland (third overall), leading the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles at the end of every round in recording a one shot win over Graeme Storm.
Havret's best year-end ranking on the Order of Merit is 19th in 2007. In 2008 Havret reached the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings and established himself as the highest ranked French golfer.
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Hale Irwin
Hale S. Irwin (born June 3, 1945) is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.
Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was raised in Baxter Springs, Kansas. He graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1967, where he was a two-time All-Big Eight defensive back, as well as an academic All-American in football. He won the individual NCAA Division I Championship in golf in 1967 and turned professional the following year.
Irwin had 20 victories on the PGA Tour beginning with the 1971 Sea Pines Heritage Classic and finishing with the 1994 MCI Heritage Golf Classic, and won prize money of just under six million dollars. His 1994 Heritage win at the age of nearly 49 made him one of the oldest winners in Tour history. He also won two Piccadilly World Match Play Championships at Wentworth in the 1970s. His successes kept him ranked high among his peers - he was ranked among the top five in McCormack's World Golf Rankings in every year from 1975 to 1979, inclusive. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for a few weeks in 1991.
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Harry Vardon
Harry Vardon (9 May 1870 – 20 March 1937) was a Jersey professional golfer and member of the fabled Great Triumvirate of the sport in his day, along with John Henry Taylor and James Braid. He won The Open Championship a record six times and also won the U.S. Open.
Vardon was born in Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands. As a child growing up on the island of Jersey, he did not play much golf, but showed natural talent for the sport as a young caddie. Harry and his brother Tom, younger by two years and also interested in golf, were very close. Their golf development was held back by poor family circumstances; and their father was not supportive of his sons' golf interest. Tom actually made the move to England first to pursue a golf career. Harry followed Tom to England in the spring of 1890, taking a job as greenkeeper for a club in Yorkshire. Harry was the better player of the two brothers. By his early 20s, Harry developed a demanding practice program, the most ambitious seen to that time. Harry was the first professional golfer to play in Knickerbockers -- discarding the "proper" dress of an Englishman in an uncomfortable shirt and tie with a buttoned jacket.
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Hubert Green
Hubert Myatt Green (born December 28, 1946) is a former American professional golfer who won 23 professional golf tournaments on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.
Green was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He grew up playing at the Birmingham Country Club, where his parents were members. Green played on the golf team at Florida State University, graduated in 1968 with a degree in marketing, and turned pro in 1969. He won the Houston Champions International and was the PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year in 1971. Green is among the top 38 all-time PGA Tour winners with 19 victories during his 26 years on the PGA Tour. He won two major championships: the 1977 U.S. Open which was held at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the 1985 PGA Championship which was held at the Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. He played on three Ryder Cup teams: 1977, 1979, and 1985. In 1977, Green finished third in The Open Championship at Turnberry, that became known as the "Duel in the Sun", as Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus finished respectively 11 and 10 shots clear of Green in third place; fittingly, perhaps, Green also finished the year ranked third in Mark McCormack's world golf rankings that year.
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Hunter Mahan
Hunter Myles Mahan (born May 17, 1982) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.
Mahan was born in Orange, California. He had a successful amateur career, winning the 1999 5A Texas State High School Golf Championship while attending McKinney High School and the 1999 U.S. Junior Amateur. After high school, Mahan enrolled at the University of Southern California, where he was named Pacific-10 Conference Freshman of the Year. Mahan only played one year at USC before he transferred to Oklahoma State University, where he was a two-time Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and a two-time first-team All American. Mahan was the runner-up at the U.S. Amateur in 2002, in which he was defeated by Ricky Barnes 2 & 1. He won the Haskins Award in 2003 for outstanding collegiate golfer.
Mahan turned professional in 2003 and made it through qualifying school to earn a PGA Tour card for the 2004 season. His first PGA Tour victory, which came at the 2007 Travelers Championship, lifted Mahan into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings. In August 2007 Mahan entered the top 50 and by March 2008 he had reached the top 30. His performances in 2007 saw U.S. Presidents Cup captain Jack Nicklaus choose Mahan as one of two captain's picks for the U.S. team. On February 28, 2010, Mahan won his second PGA Tour event, beating Rickie Fowler by one stroke at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. On August 8, 2010, Mahan won his third PGA Tour title at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. He beat Ryan Palmer by 2 strokes. Mahan won his second WGC tournament in February 2012 at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. He defeated Rory McIlroy, 2 and 1, in the final. Mahan recorded his fifth career PGA Tour victory in April at the Shell Houston Open and moved to fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking, making him the highest-ranked American for the first time.
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Ian Poulter
Ian James Poulter (born 10 January 1976) is an English professional golfer who is a member of the world's top two professional golf tours, the U.S.-based PGA Tour and the European Tour. He has previously been rated as high as #5 in the world rankings. He is the touring professional for Woburn Golf and Country Club which is situated in Bedfordshire.[citation needed]
Born in Hitchin, Poulter took up the game at the age of four when his single-handicap father, Terry, gave him a cut-down 3-wood. His older brother Danny is also a professional golfer. Unable to get a place as a pro at a private club, he became the assistant pro and golf shop manager at the Chesfield Downs Golf Club. There he was forced by his boss to pay a full green fee every time he wanted to play in a competition. His handicap hence stayed at four, because he did not play in competitions.
Poulter turned professional in 1996 gaining his first win at the 1999 Open de Côte d'Ivoire on the European Tour's second tier Challenge Tour; he won promotion to the European Tour itself via the qualifying school later that year. In his first season, he claimed the Italian Open title and was the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year for 2000. Further wins followed in each of the next four seasons, most prestigiously the season ending "tour championship" the Volvo Masters in 2004. He was in the top ten on the Order of Merit in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2009. In 2010, he finished 4th on the Order of Merit, his highest placing so far. After narrowly missing a place in the 2002 European Ryder Cup team, Poulter was a member of the victorious squad in 2004, where he officially scored the winning points for his team. This entitled him to take up membership of the PGA Tour in 2005, and he has divided his time between the two tours since then.[citation needed]
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Ian Woosnam
Ian Harold Woosnam OBE (born 2 March 1958) is a Welsh professional golfer.
Nicknamed 'Woosie', 'Woosers', or the 'Wee Welshman', Woosnam was one of the "Big Five" generation of European golfers, all born within 12 months of one another, all of whom have won majors, and made Europe competitive in the Ryder Cup. His peers in this group were Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, and Sandy Lyle.
Woosnam was born in the town of Oswestry, Shropshire in England, and his family lived in the nearby village of St Martin's in Shropshire. He started playing at the unique Llanymynech Golf Club, which straddles the Wales-England border. He is short for a male golfer at 5 ft 4 1⁄2 in (1.638 m), but he is a powerful hitter. He played as an amateur in regional competitions in the English county of Shropshire alongside Sandy Lyle.
Woosnam turned professional in 1976 and first played the European Tour in 1979. After three modest seasons his career took off in 1982 when he won the Swiss Open and came eighth on the Order of Merit (prize money list). He also finished in the top ten on the Order of Merit every year from 1983 to 1991 and again in 1993, 1996, and 1997, making thirteen times in all. In 1987 and 1990 he was first, and in the former year he set a world record for global tournament earnings of £1,062,662.
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Jack Fleck
Jack Fleck (born November 7, 1921) is an American professional golfer best known for winning the 1955 U.S. Open. He is the oldest living U.S. Open champion.
Fleck was born and raised in Bettendorf, Iowa. His parents were poor farmers who had lost their land in the 1920s. Fleck attended Davenport High School in Davenport, Iowa where he played on the golf team. He started as a caddy for a local dentist in the mid-1930s. He turned professional in 1939 and worked as an assistant golf pro before World War II. During the war, Fleck served in the Navy and participated in the D-Day invasion from a British rocket-firing ship off Utah Beach. Within two weeks after separation from the Navy, Fleck was on the PGA's winter golf tour with pro friends trying to qualify for PGA Tour events.
After a few years of competing in local and PGA Tour events, Fleck decided to play full-time on the Tour for two years. Within six months, Fleck had his first win — on the biggest stage in men's professional golf — at the 1955 U.S. Open. Fleck won an 18-hole playoff by three strokes over his idol, Ben Hogan, at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. Fleck's first round deficit of nine strokes (behind Tommy Bolt), was the largest overcome by a U.S. Open winner.
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Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus (born January 21, 1940), nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. By winning a total of 18 career major championships while producing 19 second place and 9 third place finishes in major events on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years, he is widely regarded as the most accomplished professional golfer of all time. Nicklaus did not play that many tournaments because he wanted to focus on the Majors, but is still second on the PGA-tournament winning list, with 73 victories.
After winning two U.S. Amateurs in 1959 and 1961, and challenging for the 1960 U.S. Open, Nicklaus turned professional toward the end of 1961. The 1962 U.S. Open was both Nicklaus' first major championship victory and his first professional win. This win over Arnold Palmer began the on-course rivalry between the two. In 1966, Nicklaus won the Masters Tournament for the second year in a row, becoming the first golfer to achieve this, and also won The Open Championship, completing his career slam of major championships. At age 26, he became the youngest to do so at the time. In 1968 and 1969, Nicklaus did not win a major tournament. He then won another Open Championship in 1970.
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James Foulis
James Foulis (11 December 1870 – 31 October 1928) was a Scottish professional golfer who won the second U.S. Open.
Foulis was born in the "Home of Golf", St Andrews in Scotland. His father was foreman at Old Tom Morris's golf shop and clubmaking business, and Foulis spent some time working at the shop. In 1895 he travelled to the United States to take up a job as golf professional at Chicago Golf Club, which was the first club in the United States to have an eighteen hole course. He was the first golf professional in the western States.
Foulis was one of the eleven players who took part in the first U.S. Open in 1895, and he came third. The following year he won the tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Long Island. He was representing the Chicago Golf Club and he won $200. He was helped out by the fact that twice British Open champion Willie Park, Jnr, who would have been odds-on favourite if he had reached the United States in time to play, did not arrive in America until the day after the tournament. The following year the Open was played at Foulis's home club, and he finished third. The most notable aspect of his game was his driving; it is said that he often drove over three hundred yards using the relatively primitive clubs of his day. He continued to compete in the U.S. Open until 1906, but did not win again.
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Jason Day (golfer)
Jason Day (born 12 November 1987) is an Australian professional golfer who is a member on the PGA Tour. He has had some notable results in the major championships with two consecutive second place finishes at the 2011 Masters and the 2011 U.S. Open. In June 2011, Day broke into the world's top ten for the first time in his career, rising to world number nine after his runner-up finish at the U.S. Open. In July 2011, Day rose to world number seven, his highest world ranking position to date.
Day was born in Beaudesert, Queensland to an Australian father and Filipino mother. His father took him to Beaudesert Golf Club and enrolled him as a junior member just past his sixth birthday. He was allowed to play six holes a day as a junior. At the age of eight his family moved to Rockhampton and during this period he began to win events in the surrounding districts.
Day's mother sent him to school at Kooralbyn, just a 30 minute drive south of Beaudesert. The Kooralbyn International School has a golf course attached. Later he was to go to Hills International College where they have a Golf Academy at the behest of his coach, Col Swatton, who had moved there when Kooralbyn school closed down.
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Jerome Travers
Jerome Dunstan "Jerry" Travers (May 19, 1887 – March 29, 1951) was one of the leading amateur golfers of the early 20th century. He won the U.S. Amateur in 1907, 1908, 1912 and 1913, the New Jersey Amateur three times, and the Metropolitan Amateur (New York) five times. He was regarded as one of the finest match play golfers of his time and had a famous rivalry with Walter Travis.
In 1915 Travers won the U.S. Open at Baltusrol Golf Club, making him the second of the five amateurs to win the event. It was his only top ten finish in four appearances at the U.S. Open - he never entered the tournament again once he had won it.
Although all of Travers' notable victories came as an amateur, he later became a teaching professional and gave exhibitions. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1976.
Note: Travers played in only the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, and the British Amateur.
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
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Jerry Pate
Jerome Kendrick "Jerry" Pate (born September 16, 1953) is an American golfer.
Jerry Pate was born in Macon, Georgia. He attended the University of Alabama, where he played on the golf team. Pate had a distinguished amateur career. He won the U.S. Amateur in 1974, and the following year he was a member of victorious U.S. teams at the Walker Cup and the Eisenhower Trophy. He was also the low amateur at the 1975 U.S. Open.
Pate turned professional in 1975 and was the medalist at the 1975 PGA Tour Qualifying School. During his rookie season, he won the U.S. Open, which was to be his only major championship victory, and the Canadian Open. He was selected as the Rookie of the Year and Co-Player of the Year. Six more PGA Tour victories followed between 1977 and 1982, as well as several other titles around the world. In 1981 he was a member of a victorious United States Ryder Cup team; however, shoulder injuries curtailed his career and he didn't win a regular (under 50) professional title after his thirtieth birthday.
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Jim Barnes
James Martin Barnes (April 8, 1886 – May 24, 1966) was a leading figure in the early years of professional golf in the United States.
Barnes was born in Lelant, Cornwall, England. Like many golfers of his era, Barnes worked as a caddie and a club-maker's apprentice while growing up. He moved to the United States and turned professional in 1906. From 1923–1926, he was resident professional at the Temple Terrace Golf and Country Club in Temple Terrace, Florida, which hosted the 1925 Florida Open (dubbed "The Greatest Field of Golfers Ever to Play in Florida") as well as the 1926 Florida Open with over one hundred contestants and a $5,000 cash prize. In 1925–26 his good friend and fellow golfer Fred McLeod wintered with him there where they worked with James Kelly Thomson from North Berwick.
Barnes was also known as "Long Jim" for his height of 6 feet 4 inches. He later moved to the Oakland, California area, where he resided for many years. He authored several books on golf technique. He died in East Orange, New Jersey.
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Jim Furyk
James Michael Furyk (born May 12, 1970) is an American professional golfer, 2010 FedEx Cup champion, and 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk is known for consistently playing at the top level and for a visibly unconventional, looping golf swing. Due to his ability to perform at such a high level despite that swing and his deliberate approach to the game, his devoted fan base has given him the nicknames "The Grinder" and "The Businessman". In September 2006 he reached a career high of second in the Official World Golf Rankings. He ranked in the top-10 for over 350 weeks between 1999 and 2010.
Furyk was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. At that time, his father Mike was an assistant pro at Edgmont Country Club and later also spent time as a pro at West Chester Golf and Country Club as well as Hidden Springs Golf Course in Horsham. His early years were spent in the Pittsburgh suburbs learning the game from his father, who was head pro at Uniontown Country Club near Pittsburgh. He graduated from Manheim Township High School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1988 where he was a standout basketball player in addition to being a state champion golfer. He attended the University of Arizona and turned professional in 1992.
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Joe Lloyd
Joseph "Joe" Lloyd (1864-?) was an English professional golfer who won the third U.S. Open at the Chicago Golf Club in 1897.
Lloyd grew up playing at Hoylake. He was the first golf professional in France, being hired in 1883 at the Pau Golf Club in Pau, France, by Englishmen spending their winters there. From 1895 to 1909, he spent his summers as the club professional at the Essex Country Club, in Manchester, Massachusetts (Donald Ross succeeded him as club professional there.) Lloyd retired from the Pau Golf Club in 1925.
Lloyd played in the 1896 U.S. Open, and lead at the halfway point, but finished a few strokes behind. In the 1897 tournament, he was trailing entering the final round, but an eagle at the par-5 18th hole gave him a one-stroke victory over Willie Anderson (who would later win four U.S. Opens).
Lloyd played in only the U.S. Open and The Open Championship.
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
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John Daly (golfer)
John Patrick Daly (born April 28, 1966) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour.
Daly is known primarily for his driving distance off the tee (earning him the nickname "Long John"), his non-country club appearance and attitude, and his rough-and-tumble personal life. Daly remains one of the most popular and intriguing figures on the PGA Tour. His two greatest on course accomplishments are his "zero to hero" victory in the 1991 PGA Championship, and his playoff victory over Costantino Rocca in the 1995 British Open.
Daly's last PGA Tour victory came in San Diego in 2004, earning him a two-year playing exemption. For 2012, Daly does not have full playing privileges on the PGA Tour, and must rely on his status as a past champion, and on sponsor invitations, to gain entry to events.
Daly is the only man from either Europe or the United States to win two major golf championships but not participate in the Ryder Cup.
Daly was born in Carmichael, California. His family: Dad Jim, Mom Lou, older sister Julia, older brother Jamie and John moved from California to Dardanelle, Arkansas when he was four, and he began playing golf the following year.
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Johnny Farrell
John Joseph Farrell (April 1, 1901 – June 14, 1988) was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1928 U.S. Open.
Farrell was born in White Plains, New York. He turned professional in 1922.
In 1928, Farrell won the U.S. Open. He tied with amateur Bobby Jones after the regulation 72 holes, at the Olympia Fields Country Club near Chicago, and won a 36-hole playoff by one stroke. He was voted the 1927 and 1928 Best Golf Professional in the United States, after a winning streak of six consecutive tournaments, on his road to a total of 22 career PGA Tour wins. He played for the United States in the first three Ryder Cups: 1927, 1929, and 1931.
Farrell was the head professional at the Quaker Ridge Golf Club in New York from 1919-1930.
In 1931, Farrell played in his third Ryder Cup. He also met and married Catherine Hush. In 1934, Farrell accepted the Head Golf Professional's job at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey. The Farrell's had five children: Johnny, Jimmy, Billy, Peggy and Cathy. The Farrell family dedicated itself to golf, becoming Golf Family of the Year in 1966. Billy Farrell played professional golf, and is best known for being the first player to hit the 630-yard par 5 17th hole at Baltusrol's Lower Course in two shots, during the 1967 U.S. Open held there.
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Johnny Goodman
Johnny G. Goodman (December 28, 1909 – August 8, 1970) was the last amateur golfer to win the U.S. Open, doing so in 1933; he also won the U.S. Amateur in 1937. Goodman was born in South Omaha, Nebraska in 1909, to Lithuanian immigrants. He was orphaned at the age of 14 when his mother died after giving birth to her 13th child and his father abandoned the family. He won the Omaha city championship in 1925; four years later, he won the first of three consecutive Nebraska Amateur titles. He won the Trans-Mississippi Amateur three times (1927, 1931, and 1935). Goodman did not turn professional until 1960; he supported himself throughout his career by selling insurance. There is a golf course in Omaha named after him.
Note: Goodman never played in the British Open or the PGA Championship.
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
Source for 1934 British Amateur: Reading Eagle, May 24, 1934, pg. 17.
Source for 1936 Masters: www.masters.com
Source for 1938 British Amateur: TIME Magazine, June 6, 1938
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Johnny Miller
John Laurence Miller (born April 29, 1947) is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf analyst for NBC Sports, a position he has held since January 1990. He is also an active and successful golf course architect.
Miller was born and raised in San Francisco. In 1963, he joined the Olympic Club as a Junior Golf Section member, and became the top player on its junior team. He won the San Francisco city junior title in 1963 at age 16, and the following year won the 1964 U.S. Junior Amateur. He enrolled at Brigham Young University in 1965.
At the end of his freshman year, Miller qualified for the 1966 U.S. Open at the Olympic Club. His intimate knowledge of his home course helped him to finish in a tie for eighth place, the low amateur by three strokes, and earned him an invitation to the 1967 Masters. He won the California State Amateur Championship in 1968.
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Julius Boros
Julius Nicholas Boros (March 3, 1920 – May 28, 1994) was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.
Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He played varsity baseball in college. He worked as an accountant, played high-standard amateur golf, and did not turn professional until 1949, when he was already 29 years old.
Boros won 18 PGA Tour events, including three major championships: the 1952 and 1963 U.S. Opens and the 1968 PGA Championship. He defeated Ed (Porky) Oliver by four strokes at the Northwood Country Club in Dallas at the 1952 U.S. Open for his first PGA Tour victory. In the 1963 U.S. Open, he defeated Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit in a playoff. Boros was the oldest player ever to win one of the four modern major championships with his 1968 PGA Championship victory at the age of 48. His record at the U.S. Open included seven other top five finishes, and he contended in that championship as late as 1973, when he was 53.
Boros was a member of the Ryder Cup team in 1959, 1963, 1965 and 1967. He was PGA Player of Year in 1952 and 1963. His total career PGA Tour earnings were $1,004,861. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982.
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Justin Rose
Justin Peter Rose (born 30 July 1980) is a South African-born English professional golfer who plays most of his golf on the PGA Tour, while keeping his membership on the European Tour. He first came to prominence at the 1998 Open Championship where he holed a dramatic shot from the rough at the final hole to finish in a tie for fourth place. He won the 2007 Order of Merit on the European Tour and was ranked in the World top ten for 34 weeks between November 2007 and July 2008, with a highest ranking of six. In March 2012, Rose won his first World Golf Championship event at the WGC-Cadillac Championship. This was the biggest win of his career, and as a result he re-entered the World top ten at number seven.
Rose was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and moved to England at the age of five where he started to play golf seriously at Hartley Wintney GC, near his then Hampshire home. Rose broke 70 for the first time at the age of 11, and was a plus one handicap by 14. He played in the Walker Cup in 1997 as a 17-year-old. Shortly after that event, Rose burst to world-wide prominence at The Open Championship in 1998. He holed a dramatic shot from the rough from about 50 yards for birdie on the 18th hole, to finish in a tie for fourth. He won the silver medal for the low amateur. The following day he turned professional.
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Keegan Bradley
Keegan Bradley (born June 7, 1986) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won two tour events, most notably the 2011 PGA Championship. He is one of three golfers to win in their major debut, along with Ben Curtis and Francis Ouimet. He was the 2011 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.
Keegan Bradley is the elder child of Mark Bradley, the head professional at the Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club just outside Jackson, Wyoming. Growing up as an all-state ski racer in Woodstock, Vermont, Bradley decided as a teenager to pursue golf over skiing. He moved to Hopkinton, Massachusetts prior to his senior year at Hopkinton High School, where he won the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Division 2 individual state championship in 2004. Bradley attended St. John's University and won nine collegiate events before graduating in 2008.
Bradley turned professional in 2008 and began playing on the NGA Hooters Tour, where he won at Southern Dunes in his fifth and final start of the year. Bradley won a second Hooters Tour event in 2009 at the Texas Honing Open. He played two Nationwide Tour events that year, making the cut in both of them. He attempted to earn a 2010 PGA Tour card through qualifying school but fell short by two strokes. In 2010, Bradley played on the Nationwide Tour, where he recorded four consecutive top-five finishes late in the season to finish 14th on the money list and earn his PGA Tour card for 2011. After making the cut in his first PGA Tour event, the 2011 Sony Open in Hawaii, Bradley finished T-7 the following week at the Bob Hope Classic. He added a second top 10 finish at the Valero Texas Open in April.
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Ken Venturi
Kenneth Venturi (born May 15, 1931) is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.
Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area. In the early 1950s, Venturi had been a pupil of the great Byron Nelson, and was also influenced by playing partner Ben Hogan. He won the California State Amateur Championship in 1951 and 1956, serving in the Army in Korea in the interim. Venturi first gained national attention in 1956 while still an amateur; he finished second in that year's Masters, by one shot to Jack Burke, Jr., after leading from the first round. Venturi shot a final-round 80 in very windy conditions, and relinquished a four-shot lead, which prevented him from winning outright and thus becoming the first amateur to do so in the history of The Masters. Years later it would be compared to Greg Norman's back nine collapse in 1996.
Venturi was a regular winner during his early years on the PGA Tour after turning pro at the end of 1956. He again come close to winning the Masters in 1958 and 1960, both times being edged out by Arnold Palmer.
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Kevin Na
Kevin Sangwook Na (born September 15, 1983) is a Korean American professional golfer currently playing on the PGA Tour.
Na was born in Seoul, South Korea. His family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old. He turned professional at age 17 in 2001. He later naturalized as an American citizen. Na lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Na has played on the Asian Tour (with a win at the 2002 Volvo Masters of Asia), European Tour, Nationwide Tour (with a win at the 2006 Mark Christopher Charity Classic), and PGA Tour (with a win at the 2011 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open). In 2009 he had nine top-10 finishes and finished in 19th place on the money list, securing his entry to The Masters and the U.S. Open for the first time.
In February 2011, Na was in contention to win his first PGA Tour title at the Northern Trust Open. He entered the final round in a tie for 2nd at -9, one stroke behind the Australian Aaron Baddeley. However a run of four bogeys in the first ten holes ended Na's chances of victory. He would eventually fight back on the back nine and a vital birdie on the par-five 17th sealed a top-three finish, behind eventual winner Baddeley and the Fijian Vijay Singh.
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Laurie Auchterlonie
Lawrence "Laurie" Auchterlonie (8 December 1868 – 20 January 1948) was a Scottish professional golfer. He was a native of St Andrews, the "Home of Golf". In 1902, representing the Chicago Golf Club, he won the eighth U.S. Open at Garden City Golf Club in Garden City, New York.
Auchterlonie's win was the first time that 80 was broken in all four rounds, as he posted a score of 78-78-74-77=307. He played with the recently invented Haskell rubber-cored ball, which was at least partly responsible for the lower scoring . The new ball had first been used to win an important tournament the previous year, when it was used by Walter Travis at the U.S. Amateur and Sandy Herd at The Open Championship. It soon became the standard golf ball.
Auchterlonie competed in the U.S. Open eleven times, finishing in the top-10 on seven occasions. His other victories included the 1901 Western Open. He died in St Andrews at the age of 80.
Laurie Auchterlonie was the brother of Willie Auchterlonie, who won The Open Championship in 1893. Willie Auchterlonie had a son named Laurie who was to succeed his father as honorary professional to the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. This Laurie Auchterlonie should not be confused with his uncle the U.S. Open winner.
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Lawson Little
William Lawson Little, Jr. (June 23, 1910 – February 1, 1968) was an American professional golfer who also had a distinguished amateur career.
Little was born in Newport, Rhode Island, and lived much of his early life in the San Francisco area, where his father was a senior military officer. Little was one of the most dominant amateur players in the history of the sport, capturing both the British Amateur and the U.S. Amateur, then regarded as major championships, consecutively in 1934 and 1935. He remains the only player to have won both titles in the same year more than once. Little's winning margin of 14 and 13 in the 1934 British final remains the record for dominance. Bob Dickson, Harold Hilton and Bobby Jones are the only other golfers to have won the two titles in the same year.
Little graduated from Stanford University in 1934 and is a member of the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame. He won the James E. Sullivan Award for outstanding amateur athlete in 1935. Little was a student of golf instructor Ernest Jones.
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Lee Janzen
Lee McLeod Janzen (born August 28, 1964) is an American golfer who is best known for twice winning the U.S. Open, in 1993 and 1998.
Janzen was born in Austin, Minnesota, and spent most of his childhood in Baltimore, Maryland, where he played Little League baseball. When Janzen was 12, his father's company transferred him to Florida and his parents started him in golf and tennis, and he continued playing baseball. Janzen liked golf best and started playing that sport exclusively. He won his first tournament at age 15 as a member of the Greater Tampa Junior Golf Association.
Janzen chose to attend a small college – Florida Southern – rather than a big institution like Florida. In 1985 and 1986, Florida Southern won the Division II national team championship. Janzen was the individual medalist in 1986. He turned professional later that same year.
In 1989, Janzen joined the PGA Tour. He has won eight times on the PGA Tour, most notably the 1993 and 1998 U.S. Opens. In 1993, Janzen defeated Payne Stewart at Baltusrol in Springfield, New Jersey, en route to tying the 72-hole U.S. Open scoring record of 8-under par. Five years later, he again beat out Stewart to win his second U.S. Open, this time at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. He overcame a five stroke deficit on Sunday, marking the best final-round comeback in a U.S. Open since 1973.
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Lee Trevino
Lee Buck Trevino (born December 1, 1939) is a Mexican American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.
Trevino was born in Dallas, Texas into a family of Mexican ancestry. He was raised by his mother, Juanita Trevino, and his grandfather, Joe Trevino, a gravedigger. Trevino never knew his father, Joseph Trevino, who left when his son was small. Trevino's childhood consisted of attending school occasionally and working to earn money for the family. At age five, he started working in the cotton fields.
Trevino was introduced to golf when his uncle gave him a few golf balls and an old golf club. He then spent his free time sneaking into nearby country clubs to practice, and began as a caddy at the Dallas Athletic Club. He soon began caddying full-time. Trevino had to leave school at 14 to go to work. He earned $30 a week as a caddy and a shoeshiner. He was also able to practice golf, since the caddies had three short holes behind their shack. After work, he would hit at least 300 balls. Trevino has claimed to have earned extra money by challenging competitors to rounds of golf where he used only a shovel and taped-up 32-ounce glass Dr. Pepper bottle.
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Lee Westwood
Lee John Westwood OBE (born 24 April 1973) is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000 and 2009 seasons. He has won the 2000 European Tour Order of Merit, and the renamed 2009 Race to Dubai. He has represented Europe for the last seven Ryder Cups. In late 2010 Westwood became the World number one golfer, ending the reign of Tiger Woods, and becoming the first British golfer since Nick Faldo in 1994 to hold that position. He held the number one position for a total of 22 weeks.
Born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, Westwood began to play golf aged 13 with a half set bought by grandparents. His father John, a mathematics teacher, took up the game at the same time to encourage his son. A talented sportsman at school, Lee played rugby, cricket and football.
Westwood had a later start at the game than many future tournament professionals, but less than two years later he was the junior champion of Nottinghamshire. In 1990 he won his first amateur tournament, the Peter McEvoy Trophy. In 1993 he won the British Youth Championship and turned professional.
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Lew Worsham
Lewis Elmer Worsham, Jr. (October 5, 1917 – October 19, 1990) was an American professional golfer.
Worsham was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. In 1947, he won the U.S. Open by defeating Sam Snead in an 18-hole playoff at the St. Louis Country Club in Clayton, Missouri after the two men had finished tied at 282 in regulation. This was the first U.S. Open to be televised locally and the winner's prize was $2,000. In July 1947, he appeared on the cover of Golfing magazine. In 1953, he topped the PGA Tour money list with winnings of US$34,002. That same year he won the first golf tournament to be broadcast nationally in the United States and golf's first $100,000 tournament, the Tam O'Shanter World Championship of Golf, in spectacular fashion. He holed out a wedge from 104 yards for an eagle-2 to win over Chandler Harper by one shot. The event was televised by ABC.
Worsham made his only Ryder Cup appearance in 1947, winning both of his matches. Like most golfers of his generation, he earned his living primarily as a club professional. His employer was the Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He died in Poquoson, Virginia at age 73.
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Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton,MBE (born 7 January 1985) is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He is the 2008 Formula One World Champion.
Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. In December 1995, at the age of ten, he approached McLaren team principal Ron Dennis at the Autosport Awards ceremony and told him, "I want to race for you one day ... I want to race for McLaren." Less than three years later McLaren and Mercedes-Benz signed him to their Young Driver Support Programme. After winning the British Formula Renault, Formula Three Euroseries, and GP2 championships on his way up the racing career ladder, he drove for McLaren in 2007, making his Formula One debut 12 years after his initial encounter with Dennis. Lewis Hamilton's contract for the McLaren driver development program made him the youngest ever driver to secure a contract which later resulted in an F1 drive.
Coming from a mixed-race background, with a black father and white mother, Hamilton is often labelled "the first black driver in Formula One", although Willy T. Ribbs tested an F1 car in 1986. He is also the first driver of black heritage to win a major race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in any discipline.
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Liu Xiang
Liu Xiang (simplified Chinese: 刘翔; traditional Chinese: 劉翔; pinyin: Liú Xiáng; born July 13, 1983 in Putuo District, Shanghai, China) is a Chinese 110 meter hurdler. Liu is an Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion. His 2004 Olympic gold medal was the first in a men's track and field event for China.
Liu is one of China's most commercially successful athletes and has emerged as a cultural icon. He is the first Chinese athlete to achieve the "triple crown" of athletics: World Record Holder, World Champion and Olympic Champion. He was the favorite to win another gold in the 110 metre hurdles at the Beijing Olympics, but much to the dismay of his fans, he had to withdraw from competition at the last moment after a false start and aggravation to a previously unrevealed injury.
In May 2001, he won at the East Asian Games in Osaka, Japan with a time of 13.42 seconds. In August 2001, he won at the Universiade in Beijing, China with a time of 13.33 seconds. He also won at the 9th National Games of the People's Republic of China that same year.
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Lou Graham
Louis Krebs Graham (born January 7, 1938) is an American professional golfer who has participated in and won numerous golf tournaments including the 1975 U.S. Open. Most of his wins were in the 1970s.
Lou Graham was born in Nashville, Tennessee. He started playing golf when he was seven years old. He attended Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis, in Memphis, Tennessee, where he played on the golf team for three years. Later, Graham was drafted into the U.S. Army. While in the Army, Graham served as a member of the Old Guard — Company E of the Third U.S. Infantry Regiment — the ceremonial Honor Guard that guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. During his Army career, he made the Army golf team that won the Inter-Service championship in 1961. Graham joined the PGA Tour in September 1964. His first win was at the Minnesota Golf Classic at Hazeltine National Golf Club in 1967 during his third full year on the tour. Graham won again in 1972 at the Liggett Myers Open, followed by the U.S. Open in 1975. Graham had only three wins in fifteen years, and then in 1979, he won three more times in the space of eleven weeks. For this achievement, he won Golf Digest's 1979 Comeback of the Year award.
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Lucas Glover
Lucas Hendley Glover (born November 12, 1979) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. He is best known for winning the 2009 U.S. Open.
Glover was born in Greenville, South Carolina. He was a three-time High School All-American at Wade Hampton High School. He won the South Carolina State High School championship as a freshman and sophomore and finished as the runner up as a junior and senior. Glover was All-State for all four years of high school.
Glover attended Clemson University from 1998 to 2001, where he was a brother of Alpha Tau Omega. He was named first-team All-American in 2000 and 2001 and honorable mention All-American in 1999. He was a member of the 2001 United States Walker Cup team and the 1999 USA vs. Japan Cup Team. He won three college tournaments and also won the South Carolina Amateur in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and the Sunnehanna Amateur in 2001.
Glover turned professional in 2001 after graduating from Clemson. He joined the Nationwide Tour in 2002, making 7 of 12 cuts while recording two top-10 finishes and five top-25 finishes in his rookie season. He earned $64,692 and finished 67th on the money list. Glover went to PGA Tour qualifying school for the first time where he finished tied for 39th which was not good enough to earn his tour card.
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Luke Donald
Luke Campbell Donald (born 7 December 1977) is an English professional golfer who is the current World Number One. He plays mainly on the U.S. based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. Donald had an outstanding year in 2011, winning several tournaments and awards. He won the PGA Tour money list and European Race to Dubai to complete a historic double. He is the only player to ever win both money lists on the PGA and European Tours in the same year. He was named the PGA Player of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year, becoming the first Englishman to win either award. He was also named the European Tour Golfer of the Year. He also became the first Englishman to win the PGA Tour's Vardon Trophy and the first golfer other than Tiger Woods to win the Mark H. McCormack Award for the most weeks at number one during a calendar year. In May 2012, Donald was awarded honorary life membership of the European Tour for his achievements in 2011.
In May 2011 Donald became the number one golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking after winning the BMW PGA Championship. He held the number one position for 40 weeks between May 2011 and March 2012 before being briefly dethroned on 4 March 2012 by Rory McIlroy. Two weeks later, Donald regained the number one ranking with his victory at the Transitions Championship on 18 March 2012. McIlroy regained the top ranking on 15 April 2012, only for Donald to claim the top ranking for a third spell on 29 April 2012. He lost the top spot again the following week after McIlroy's runner-up finish at the Wells Fargo Championship. Donald regained the world number one ranking with his victory at the BMW PGA Championship on 27 May 2012. He has spent over 100 weeks in the top-10.
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Marat Safin
Marat Mikhailovich Safin (Russian: Марат Михайлович Сафин, Tatar: Марат Мөбин улы Сафин, Marat Möbin uğlı Safin) (born January 27, 1980) is a Russian politician and retired tennis player of Tatar descent. Safin won two grand slams and reached the World No. 1 ranking during his career. He was also famous for his emotional outbursts and sometimes fiery temper on court. Safin also holds the record for most broken racquets in a year with 87. Safin is the older brother of former World No. 1 WTA player Dinara Safina (Dinara Mikhailovna Safina) (Russian: Динара Михайловна Сафина), born April 27, 1986 in Moscow. They are the first brother-sister tandem in tennis history to both achieve No. 1 rankings.
Safin began his professional career in 1997, and held the No. 1 world ranking for a total of 9 weeks between November 2000 and April 2001. He won his first Grand Slam title at the 2000 U.S. Open after defeating Pete Sampras, and won the 2005 Australian Open, defeating Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the final. Safin helped lead Russia to Davis Cup victories in 2002 and 2006. Despite his dislike of grass courts, he became the first Russian man to reach the semi-finals of Wimbledon at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships. At the time of his final Grand Slam appearance at the US Open on September 2, 2009, Safin was No. 58 in the official world men's tennis rankings.
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Martin Kaymer
Martin Kaymer (born 28 December 1984) is a German professional golfer. He became the No. 1 ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Rankings on 27 February 2011 after his runner-up finish in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, but lost the top spot to Lee Westwood eight weeks later.
Kaymer was born in Düsseldorf, Germany. He turned professional in 2005 and is a member of the European Tour. He has won ten tournaments on the tour including four in 2010 to win the Race to Dubai, formerly the Order of Merit, for the first time. Among those wins was the 2010 PGA Championship, a victory which made him only the second German to win a major championship, after Bernhard Langer. He also won the 2011 WGC-HSBC Champions, which made him only the tenth player to have won both a major championship and a World Golf Championship event.
Kaymer picked up his first professional win at the age of 20 as an amateur at the Central German Classic in 2005 on the third-tier EPD Tour. He shot a −19 (67–64–66=197) to win the tournament by a margin of five strokes.
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Michael Campbell
Michael Shane Campbell, CNZM (born 23 February 1969) is a New Zealand golfer who is best known for having won the 2005 U.S. Open and the richest prize in golf, the £1,000,000 HSBC World Match Play Championship, in the same year. He is a member of the European Tour.
Ethnically, he is predominantly Māori, from the Ngati Ruanui (father's side) and Nga Rauru (mother's side) iwi. He also has some Scottish ancestry, being a great-great-great-grandson of John Logan Campbell, a Scottish emigrant to New Zealand.
Campbell was born in Hawera, Taranaki. As a young child, he lived near his mother's Wai-o-Turi marae at Whenuakura, just south of Patea, and also spent much of his time with whanau at his father's Taiporohenui marae, near Hawera.
Like many young New Zealand boys, Campbell dreamed of playing for the All Blacks, and began playing rugby union, but his mother vetoed his participation. While he was talented at several other sports, such as softball, squash and table tennis, his passion turned out to be golf.
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Michelle Wie
Michelle Sung Wie ( /ˈwiː/; Korean: Wie Seong-mi Hangul: 위성미 Hanja: 魏聖美; born October 11, 1989) is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. At age 10, she became the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship. Wie would also become the youngest winner of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and the youngest to qualify for a LPGA Tour event. Wie turned professional shortly before her 16th birthday in 2005, accompanied by an enormous amount of publicity and endorsements.
Wie was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the only child of immigrant parents from South Korea who came to the United States in the 1980s. Her father, Byung-wook Wie, is a former professor of transportation management at the University of Hawaii. Her mother, Bo, was South Korea's women's amateur golf champion in 1985 and competed in a Miss Korea pageant. Her paternal grandfather, Dr. Sang Kyu Wie, a resident of Jangheung, Jeollanam-do, was an emeritus professor at Seoul National University. When she was born, Wie was a dual citizen of both the Republic of Korea and the United States by default. Wie only has United States citizenship today.
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Miguel Ángel Jiménez
Miguel Ángel Jiménez Rodríguez (born 5 January 1964) is a Spanish professional golfer. He has won 18 times on the European Tour.
Jiménez first played on the European Tour in 1988 and improved steadily over the next few seasons. His first win on the tour came at the Piaget Belgian Open in 1992. During a fairly up and down career, he has so far had four main periods of success. He has finished inside the top 100 on the European Tour Order of Merit every season since 1989. In 1994 he finished fifth on the European Tour Order of Merit. One highlight was scoring an exceptionally rare albatross (double eagle) on the 17th hole at Valderrama, during the 1994 Volvo Masters, sinking his second shot on the par-5 hole with a 3-iron.
After some weaker seasons he bounced back in 1998 and 1999, finishing fourth on the Order of Merit in consecutive years and winning four tournaments including the prestigious Volvo Masters. In 1999 he also came second in the WGC-American Express Championship, which is one of the elite World Golf Championships events, and made his Ryder Cup debut.
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Nick Faldo
Sir Nicholas Alexander Faldo (born 18 July 1957) is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No. 1 on the Official World Golf Rankings for a total of 98 weeks.
In 2006, Faldo became the lead golf analyst for CBS Sports.
Faldo was born in Welwyn Garden City, England. He borrowed some clubs from his neighbours after watching Jack Nicklaus play the 1971 Masters on television. While working as a carpet fitter, Faldo won the English Amateur and the British Youths Championship in 1975. He turned professional in 1976 and quickly achieved success, finishing 8th on the European Tour Order of Merit in 1977 and 3rd in 1978 and winning a European Tour event in each of those seasons. In the former year he became the youngest player to appear in the Ryder Cup at the age of 21. Faldo was one of the leading players on the European Tour in the early 1980s, and he topped the Order of Merit in 1983.
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Nick Price
Nicholas Raymond Leige Price (born 28 January 1957) is a South African-Zimbabwean professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Price is a citizen of Zimbabwe, but was born in Durban, Union of South Africa. His parents were originally British and his early life was spent in Zimbabwe (then called Rhodesia). He attended Prince Edward School in Salisbury, where he captained the golf team. After his schooling he spent some time in the army during that country's civil war. He began his professional golf career in 1977 on the Southern Africa Tour, before moving to the European Tour and finally the PGA Tour in 1983. Price now lives in Hobe Sound, Florida. Price's nephew Ray Price is a national cricketer for Zimbabwe.
Price won his first tournament outside of South Africa at the 1980 Swiss Open. He was still relatively unknown when he finished tied for second with Peter Oosterhuis one shot behind Tom Watson at the 1982 Open Championship after having a two-shot lead with six holes to go. The next year, was when Price won his first PGA Tour event. A wire to wire four-shot triumph over Jack Nicklaus at the World Series of Golf.
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Olin Dutra
Olin Dutra (January 17, 1901 – May 5, 1983) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1920s and 1930s.
Dutra was born in Monterey, California. At age nine, he was introduced to golf as a caddie on the course in Del Monte, California. In 1924, he resigned from a job at his father's hardware store and joined the PGA Tour, where he would win 10 tournaments. His best years as a golf professional were in the early 1930s; he won the 1932 PGA Championship, the 1934 U.S. Open at Merion and played in the 1933 and 1935 Ryder Cup matches. In the 1932 PGA Championship, Dutra played 196 holes and finished an astounding 19-under-par, including finishing as low qualifier and winning his matches 9 & 8, 5 & 3, 5 & 4, 3 & 2, and 4 & 3.
The 1934 U.S. Open is the tournament for which Dutra is best remembered. While traveling to Philadelphia, where the tournament was to take place, Dutra became ill and lost 15 pounds. After the first two rounds, he was eight strokes behind the leaders and in 18th place. On the eve of the 36-hole final day, Dutra had an attack of dysentery, forcing him to snack on sugar cubes throughout the day. He was still able to shoot a 71-72, holding off Gene Sarazen to win by a single stroke.
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Oliver Wilson
Oliver John Wilson (born 14 September 1980) is an English professional golfer.
Wilson was born in Mansfield, England, where his golfing career began at Coxmoor Golf Club.
After playing collegiately at Augusta State University, Wilson turned professional in 2003 and played on the Challenge Tour in 2004. He finished 15th on the Order of Merit list and moved up to the European Tour. He improved year-on-year, finishing 97th on the Order of Merit in 2005, 71st in 2006, 30th in 2007, 11th in 2008 and 7th in 2009.
In his rookie season on the European Tour in 2005, Wilson had three top ten finishes. In 2006 he lost in a play-off to Paul Casey at the Volvo China Open and in 2007 he had two second place finishes. Wilson finished second four times in 2008. The most notable of which came in the BMW PGA Championship where he lost in a play-off to Miguel Ángel Jiménez. In April of that year Wilson reached the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time, the next month after his runner-up spot at the PGA Championship he reached a new high position of 45.
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Orville Moody
Orville James Moody (December 9, 1933 – August 8, 2008) was an American professional golfer who won numerous tournaments in his career. He won the 1969 U.S. Open, the last champion in the 20th century to win through local and sectional qualifying.
Moody was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma. The son of a golf course superintendent, he began his career at Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City, winning the 1952 state high school golf championship. After attempting college for a few weeks at the University of Oklahoma, Moody joined the U.S. Army. He was able to continue playing golf while in uniform, winning the All-Service championship and three Korean Opens. He spent 14 years in the Army, heading up maintenance supervision and instruction at all Army golf courses.
Moody gave up his military career in favor of a trial run at the PGA Tour in 1967. His nickname on the Tour was "Sarge" because he rose to the rank of sergeant in the Army.
Moody's had limited success on the PGA Tour prior to 1969. In April 1969, he took part in a four way playoff at the Greater Greensboro Open won by Gene Littler.
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Payne Stewart
William Payne Stewart (January 30, 1957 – October 25, 1999) was an American professional golfer who won three majors in his career, the last of which occurred only months before he died in an airplane accident at the age of 42.
Stewart was born in Springfield, Missouri, and attended Greenwood Laboratory School, a K-12 school, on the campus of Missouri State University. He graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta. He was always popular with fans, especially for his clothing, and was reputed to have the biggest wardrobe of all professional golfers. He was a favorite of photographers because of his ivy caps and patterned pants, which were a cross between plus fours and knickerbockers, a throwback to the once-commonplace golf "uniform."
Stewart failed to earn a PGA Tour card at Qualifying School in his graduation year, so he played on the Asian Tour for a couple of years, winning twice. He finally earned his PGA Tour card in 1982 and won his first event on the tour at that year's Quad Cities Open. This win was especially memorable to him because it was the only time his father saw him win. Stewart won eleven Tour events, including the 1989 PGA Championship and the U.S. Open in 1991 and 1999. He was a two-time winner of the Hassan II Trophy in Morocco. At the time of his death, Stewart was ranked third on the all-time money list and in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings—he had been ranked in the top 10 for almost 250 weeks, from 1986 to 1993 and again in 1999. At a time of international domination of the golf scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was often the highest-ranked American player.
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Peter Hanson
Peter Hanson (born 4 October 1977) is a Swedish professional golfer who currently plays on the European Tour and PGA Tour.
Hanson was born in Svedala, Sweden. He turned professional in 1998 and has played on the Challenge Tour and the European Tour. His professional wins include the 1998 Gunther Hamburg Classics on the Challenge Tour and the 2005 Open de España on the European Tour. He has since won three more titles on the European Tour. He was a member of the Continental Europe team at the 2005 and 2007 Seve Trophy. He has featured in the top 25 of the Official World Golf Ranking and has consistently finished in the top twenty of the European Tour Order of Merit since 2007. His best position on the Order of Merit occurred in 2011 when he placed 13th.
On 27 March 2012, Hanson accepted an invitation to join the PGA Tour for the remainder of 2012 with Special Temporary Membership status.
Hanson recorded his best finish at a major championship in April 2012, when he finished tied for third at the Masters. After shooting a seven under round of 65 in the third round, Hanson was the sole 54 hole leader at 9 under par with a one stroke advantage heading into the final round. However his final round started badly with two bogeys in the opening three holes and he never recovered shooting a one over par round of 73 to finish in a tie for third.
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Pádraig Harrington
Pádraig P. Harrington (born 31 August 1971) is an Irish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.
Harrington was born in Ballyroan, Dublin, Ireland, the youngest of five sons of Patrick and Breda Harrington. His father, "Paddy" (1933–2005), a Garda (Irish police officer) who played Gaelic football for Cork in the 1950s, was also a boxer and hurler, and played to a five handicap in golf.
The Ballyroan Parish is located in Rathfarnham, a middle class area in Dublin's Southside and the birth place of two other touring professional golfers – Paul McGinley and Peter Lawrie. Harrington attended local secondary school Coláiste Éanna at the same time, but not in the same year/class, as McGinley, giving it the unique distinction of having produced two Ryder Cup golfers. Coached by Joseph McGinley, a golf enthusiast in the school, and Mark Hynes, local professional and first caddie, Harrington's interest and passion for the game grew, as the pair recorded their first victory together, in Stackstown G.C.
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Rafael Cabrera-Bello
Rafael Cabrera-Bello (born 25 May 1984) is a Spanish professional golfer.
Cabrera-Bello was born in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. He first played golf aged six and went on to enjoy a successful amateur career, winning the Spanish National Championship at every age group level from under-7 through under-18. In 2002, as a 17-year-old amateur, he finished in a tie for fourth at the Open de Espana, a European Tour event. He turned professional at the age of 20 in 2005, having narrowly missed out obtaining a European Tour card at final qualifying school. His performance did ensure a place for the second tier Challenge Tour.
In a successful first season Cabrera-Bello recorded his maiden professional victory, at the MAN NÖ Open in Austria. He finished the season 13th in the Tour rankings, earning him a place on the following year's European Tour. He struggled during his rookie season in 2007, failing to finish better than tied for 18th in any tournament as he finished outside the top 200 on the Order of Merit. He failed to regain his playing status at the end of season qualifying school and returned to the Challenge Tour for 2008. His second professional victory came in the 2008 Credit Suisse Challenge, and he ended the year by once again earning graduation to the main tour, finishing 14th in the rankings.
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Rafael Nadal
Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera (Catalan: [rəˈfɛɫ nəˈðaɫ pəˈɾeɾə]; Spanish: [rafaˈel naˈðal paˈɾeɾa]) (born 3 June 1986) is a Spanish professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. As of 28 May 2012 (2012 -05-28)[update], he is ranked No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time; his success on clay has earned him the nickname "The King of Clay", and has prompted many experts to regard him as the greatest clay court player of all time.
Nadal has won ten Grand Slam singles titles, including a record six French Open titles (tied with Bjorn Borg), the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles, a record 21 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments, and also was part of the Spain Davis Cup team that won the finals in 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2011. He completed the Career Grand Slam by winning the 2010 US Open, being the seventh player in history, and the youngest in the open era, to achieve it. He is the second male player to complete the Career Golden Slam (winner of the four grand slams and the Olympic Gold medal) after only Andre Agassi.
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Raymond Floyd
Raymond Loran "Ray" Floyd (born September 4, 1942) is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.
Floyd was born at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina. He turned professional in 1961, and quickly established himself on the PGA Tour, with his first victory coming at the St. Petersburg Open Invitational in 1963. He went on to win 22 times on tour, with his final win coming in 1992 at the age of 49, making him one of the oldest players to win a PGA Tour event. He also won on the Champions Tour later that season, making him the first player to win on both tours in the same year.
Floyd's wins included four major championships: the 1969 and 1982 PGA Championships; the 1976 Masters; and the 1986 U.S. Open. He ranks among the oldest players to have won a major. In addition, he came very close to becoming the first player to have won major championships in four different decades, most notably at The Masters in 1990, where he lost in a playoff to Nick Faldo. Floyd finished 1982 ranked second in Mark McCormack's world golf rankings, behind only Tom Watson who had won two majors that season, and in 1992 he finished the year ranked 14th on the Official World Golf Rankings at the age of 50, one of the highest positions ever attained by a player of that age.
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Rebecca Adlington
Rebecca "Becky" Adlington, OBE (born 17 February 1989), is an English and British freestyle swimmer. She won two gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in the 400 m and 800 m, breaking the 19 year-old world record of Janet Evans in the 800 m final. Adlington is Britain's first Olympic swimming champion since 1988, the first British swimmer to win two Olympic gold medals since 1908 and Great Britain's most successful Olympic swimmer in 100 years.
Adlington was born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, where she attended The Brunts School. She started swimming with Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club, and was selected for the Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad (Nova Centurion) where she currently trains. She still swims in local swimming leagues for Nottingham Leander Swimming Club, taking part in the National Speedo 'B' Final in May 2010. Adlington's great uncle is former Derby County goalkeeper Terry Adlington.
Adlington represented Great Britain in the 2008 Summer Olympics, competing in the 400 m and 800 m freestyle swimming events. She was also scheduled to swim in the 4×200 m freestyle relay but was rested in the heat and the team failed to qualify for the final. In the heats of the 400 m freestyle, she broke the Commonwealth record with a time of 4:02.24. On 11 August 2008 she won an Olympic gold medal in the same event, with a time of 4:03.22, beating Katie Hoff of the United States in the last 20 m. She was the first woman to win swimming gold for Great Britain since Anita Lonsbrough in 1960. She was the first British swimmer to win more than one gold medal at a single Olympic Games since Henry Taylor won three in 1908.
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Rickie Fowler
Rick Yutaka Fowler (born December 13, 1988) is an American professional golfer. He was the number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008.
Fowler was born and raised in Murrieta, California, where he went to Murrieta Valley High School. For years he played only on a driving range and is almost entirely self-taught. During his freshman year in high school, he posted an all-time course record of 62 at his home course, SCGA, in Murrieta, California.[citation needed] In his senior year in high school, Fowler won the SW League Final with a total score of 64–69=133, and led his team to the state final in 2007. After high school he attended Oklahoma State University. He posted his first collegiate victory at the Fighting Illini Invitational hosted by the University of Illinois on October 1, 2007, by shooting a 203 (70-63-70) to win the tournament by one stroke.
In the summer of 2005 Fowler won the Western Junior and competed in the U.S. Amateur, where he was defeated by the eventual champion Richie Ramsay.
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Ricky Barnes
Richard Kyle Barnes (born February 6, 1981) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.
Barnes was born in Stockton, California. He played college golf at the University of Arizona. He attended Arizona from 2000 to 2003 and during that time was named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 2000, Pac-10 Co-Player of the Year in 2001, second-team All-American in 2000 and 2001 and first-team All-American in 2003. In 2002 he won the 102nd U.S. Amateur, defeating Hunter Mahan 2 & 1 in the final. Barnes and Mahan would share the 2003 Ben Hogan Award and would lead the United States to victory at the 2002 Eisenhower Trophy. In 2003 he was the low amateur at The Masters, where he finished 21st after outscoring his playing partner Tiger Woods by seven shots in the opening round.
Barnes turned professional in 2003 and joined the Nationwide Tour in 2004. His best finish on tour came in the 2006 Oregon Classic where he lost to Cliff Kresge in a playoff. Barnes finished in the 25th spot on the 2008 Nationwide Tour money list which earned him his PGA Tour card for 2009.
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Robert Rock
Robert Rock (born 6 April 1977) is an English professional golfer. He was born in Armitage, near Lichfield in Staffordshire. He grew up and was educated in Rugeley. He joined the European Tour as an affiliate member in 2003 and has remained a member ever since.
His breakthrough season was 2009, when he managed three second place finishes, including at the Irish Open, where he tied for first place but lost to Irish amateur Shane Lowry in a three-hole playoff. He finished the 2009 season ranked in the top thirty of the Race to Dubai.
Rock won his maiden European Tour title at the BMW Italian Open in Turin in June 2011. He won by one stroke over Gary Boyd and Thorbjørn Olesen despite a final round 62 from Olesen. He made his U.S. Open debut the following week, having qualified via a European sectional qualifying event. Because of difficulties in obtaining a visa, he only arrived in the United States at 3:30am on the Thursday morning, less than 12 hours before the start of his round. Despite this, he managed an under-par opening round of 70 and finished tied for 23rd place at 3 under par.
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Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy, MBE (born 4 May 1989) is a Northern Irish professional golfer from Holywood in County Down. He is formerly the World Number One. On 19 June 2011 he won the U.S. Open, setting a record score of 16-under-par on his way to an eight-shot victory. He has been cited as the most exciting young prospect in golf and having the potential to become one of the highest earners in sports in terms of endorsements.
McIlroy has represented Europe, Great Britain & Ireland, and Ireland as both an amateur and a professional. He had a successful amateur career, topping the World Amateur Golf Ranking for one week as a 17-year-old in 2007. Later that year he turned professional and soon established himself on the European Tour. He had his first win on the European Tour in 2009, and on the PGA Tour in 2010. He represented Europe in the 2010 Ryder Cup.
McIlroy was born in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland. He is the only child of Gerry and Rosie (née McDonald) McIlroy; he attended St. Patrick's Primary School and then Sullivan Upper School.
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Ross Fisher
Ross Daniel Fisher (born 22 November 1980) is an English professional golfer, who plays on the European Tour.
Fisher was born in Ascot, Berkshire. His home course is the famous Wentworth Golf Club, Surrey, England, location of the European Tour administrative headquarters. As a child, he attended Charters School, a state comprehensive close to Wentworth. He and his wife Joanne have a daughter Eve Rose. Fisher joined the European Tour in 2006. He earned his card by finishing in 18th on the Challenge Tour's money list in 2005. During Fisher's first season on the European Tour he won a Jaguar for a nearest to the pin contest in the 2006 Quinn Direct British Masters. In 2007 he won the KLM Open by one stroke over Joost Luiten, and subsequently finished the year ranked 43rd on the Order of Merit.
Fisher started the 2008 season with a joint-second place in the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai, beaten by Phil Mickelson in a three-way play-off that also featured Lee Westwood. In July 2008, Fisher won the European Open on the Heritage Course at The London Golf Club; the first staging of the event at the venue in Kent, England. Despite never having played the course either in competition or in practice, Fisher shot a first round 63—the lowest round thus far in his professional career—which featured a wind-assisted 413-yard drive on the 9th hole, his last of the day. Having established a first round lead, he was never subsequently headed at the top of the leaderboard, going on to win the tournament by a comfortable seven shots from Sergio García. Fisher played steadily for the rest of the season and finished sixth on the Tour's Order of Merit.
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Sam Parks, Jr.
Samuel McLaughlin Parks, Jr. (June 23, 1909 – April 7, 1997) was an American professional golfer best known for winning the 1935 U.S. Open.
Parks, who was born in Bellevue, Pennsylvania outside of Pittsburgh, used his knowledge of the nearby Oakmont Country Club to win in June 1935. Although a comparatively recent convert from college and amateur ranks and little-known nationally, Parks, the professional at the nearby South Hills Country Club, was the only player to negotiate Oakmont's furrowed bunkers and shaved greens in less than 300. After winning the U.S. Open, Parks played for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, matched against Alf Perry (the reigning British Open champion), the first time the U.S. Open champion would play the British Open Champion of the same year in the Ryder Cup Match. During that event, at the 36th hole, Parks made a 30-foot putt birdie to win the hole and tie the match so that both he the British champ remained undefeated in Ryder Cup play.
Parks played in 18 Master Tournaments, 14 U.S. Opens and 12 PGA Championships.
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Sergio García
Sergio García Fernández (born 9 January 1980) is a Spanish professional golfer who plays on both the United States PGA Tour and the European Tour. He has spent much of his career in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings (over 300 weeks between 2000 and 2009). He reached a career high ranking of two after winning the HSBC Champions tournament in November 2008.
García began playing golf at the age of three and was taught by his father, Victor, who is a club professional. He was a star player as a junior, winning his club championship at age 12. Four years later, he set a record as the youngest player to make the cut at a European Tour event, the 1995 Turespaña Open Mediterranea. This record was broken by amateur Jason Hak in November 2008 at the UBS Hong Kong Open, beating García's record by 107 days. Also in 1995, García became the youngest player to win the European Amateur. He followed that with a win in the Boys Amateur Championship in 1997. He won a professional tournament, the 1997 Catalonian Open, on the European Challenge Tour, as an amateur. In 1998 he won The Amateur Championship, and reached the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur.
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Seve Ballesteros
Severiano "Seve" Ballesteros Sota (Spanish pronunciation: [seβeˈɾjano βaʎesˈteɾos]; 9 April 1957 – 7 May 2011) was a Spanish professional golfer, a World No. 1 who was one of the sport's leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He gained attention in the golfing world in 1976, when at the age of 19 he finished second at the The Open Championship (British Open). A member of a gifted golfing family, Ballesteros won five major championships between 1979 and 1988: the Open Championship three times, and the Masters Tournament twice. He was also successful in the Ryder Cup, helping the European team to five wins both as a player and captain, and won the World Match Play Championship a record-tying five times. He is best known for his great short game, and his erratic driving of the golf ball. He is generally regarded as the greatest Spanish golfer of all time.
Because of back-related injuries, Ballesteros struggled with form during the 1990s. In spite of this, he continued to be involved in the game of golf, creating the Seve Trophy and running a golf course design business. Ballesteros eventually retired from competitive golf in 2007 because of continued poor form, and in 2008 was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. After reports that he would make a return to the spotlight at the 2010 Open Championship, he did not travel to St. Andrews following the advice of doctors.
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Ted Ray (golfer)
Edward R. G. "Ted" Ray (28 March 1877 – 26 August 1943) was a British professional golfer born on the Isle of Jersey. He won two major championships and contended in many others during the early years of the 20th century.
Ray was born on the Isle of Jersey, located in the English Channel. He grew up idolizing fellow islander Harry Vardon, seven years older than Ray, who became the world's top golfer in the early 1890s, while Ray was working as a caddy and developing his own golf skills at the same Jersey course where Vardon learned the game. Ray was a tall, heftily-built man who was known worldwide for his prodigious power off the tee and through the set, though his shots often landed in awful positions. He favoured an attacking style, and had to develop phenomenal recovery skills. Cartoonists usually depicted him with a niblick in hand, festooned with clumps of heather and saplings, with an inseparable pipe clamped between his teeth. Ray was beloved by fans for his daring play, friendly, genial manner and optimistic spirit.
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Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No. 1, he is the highest-paid professional athlete in the world, having earned an estimated US$90.5 million from winnings and endorsements in 2010.
Woods turned professional in 1996, and by April 1997 he had already won his first major, the 1997 Masters. He first reached the number one position in the world rankings in June 1997. Through the 2000s, Woods was the dominant force in golf, spending 264 weeks from August 1999 to September 2004 and 281 weeks from June 2005 to October 2010 as world number one. From December 2009 to early April 2010, Woods took leave from professional golf to focus on his marriage after he admitted infidelity. His multiple infidelities were revealed by several different women, through many worldwide media sources. This was followed by a loss of form, and his ranking gradually fell to a low of #58 in November 2011. He snapped a career-long winless streak of 107 weeks when he captured the Chevron World Challenge in December 2011. As of April 8, 2012, he is ranked #8.
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Tim Clark (golfer)
Timothy Henry Clark (born 17 December 1975) is a South African professional golfer whose biggest win to date is The Players Championship in 2010.
Clark was born in Durban, South Africa. He took up golf at the age of three and was taught to play by his father. He attended North Carolina State University in the United States, where he had a successful college golf career, winning ACC Player of the Year in 1997. During this time he won the 1997 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship to qualify for his first major, the 1998 Masters Tournament.
Clark turned professional later in 1998, and initially played on the second tier U.S. professional tour, which was then known as the Nike Tour, where he won two tournaments in 2000 to gain membership of the main PGA Tour for 2001. His 2001 campaign was cut short by a wrist injury after just three events. He made a comeback in 2002, and had the benefit of a major medical exemption which enabled him to enter enough events to comfortably regain full exemption for 2003. He captured his first PGA Tour victory at the 2010 Players Championship, becoming only the second golfer to make the Players his first Tour victory. He has had three European Tour victories. He finished sole second at the 2006 Masters Tournament and sole or tied third at the 2003 PGA Championship and the 2005 U.S. Open.
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Tom Lehman
Thomas Edward Lehman (born March 7, 1959) is an American professional golfer. His tournament wins include one major title, the 1996 Open Championship; and he is the only golfer in history to have been awarded the Player of the Year honor on all three PGA Tours: the regular PGA Tour, the Nationwide Tour and the Champions Tour.
Lehman was born in Austin, Minnesota, but Alexandria, Minnesota is credited as his official Minnesota hometown. He attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a degree in Business/Accounting and turned professional in 1982.
It took him many years to become a leading tour professional. He played on the PGA Tour with little success from 1983 to 1985, and was then obliged to play elsewhere for the following six seasons. This included time in Asia and South Africa and on the second tier Ben Hogan Tour in the United States. He regained his PGA Tour card by topping the Ben Hogan Tour's 1991 money list, and has enjoyed unbroken membership of the PGA Tour since 1992. He was named PGA Tour Player of the Year in 1996.
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Tommy Armour
Thomas Dickson Armour (24 September 1894 – 11 September 1968) was a Scottish-American professional golfer. He was nicknamed The Silver Scot.
Armour was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and educated at Fettes College and the University of Edinburgh.
During his service in World War I, Armour rose from a private to Staff Major in the Tank Corps. His conduct earned him an audience with George V. However, he lost his sight to a mustard gas explosion and surgeons had to add a metal plate to his head and left arm. During his convalescence, he regained the sight of his right eye and took to golfing.
Armour won the French Amateur tournament in 1920. He moved to the United States and met Walter Hagen, who gave him a job as secretary of the Westchester-Biltmore Club.[citation needed] He became a U.S. citizen at this time. In 1924 Armour became a professional golfer.
Armour won the 1927 U.S. Open, 1930 PGA Championship, and the 1931 Open Championship. His 1930 campaign was overshadowed by Bobby Jones' Grand Slam, and Armour seems to have been overlooked.
wn.com/Tommy_Armour -
Tommy Bolt
Thomas Henry Bolt (March 31, 1916 – August 30, 2008) was an American professional golfer.
Bolt was born in Haworth, Oklahoma. He served in the United States Army during World War II and turned professional in 1946. He worked as a caddie and club professional in Shreveport, Louisiana. He did not join the PGA Tour until he was in his thirties, but he went on to win fifteen PGA Tour titles, including one major championship, the 1958 U.S. Open.
Bolt was a member of the United States Ryder Cup teams of 1955 and 1957. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.
Bolt's fiery disposition earned him the nickname "Thunder" and "Terrible Tommy". He was known to break clubs during rounds, and his penchant for throwing clubs led to the adoption of a rule prohibiting such behavior. In his later years, he admitted that a lot of his on-course eruptions were merely showmanship and that he felt they had detracted from his playing.
Bolt died in Cherokee Village, Arkansas at the age of 92.
"He's the only player I have ever known to get an ovation from the fans on the practice tee. I've seen him playing practice rounds before a tournament and half the gallery was made up of other professionals. Somebody asked me once, Who's better? Jack Nicklaus or Ben Hogan? Well, my answer was, I saw Nicklaus watch Hogan practice. But I never saw Hogan watch Nicklaus."
wn.com/Tommy_Bolt -
Tony Jacklin
Anthony Jacklin CBE (born 7 July 1944) is an English golfer, who was the most successful British player of his generation. He was also the most successful European Ryder Cup captain ever.
Jacklin was born in the North Lincolnshire town of Scunthorpe in 1944, the son of a truck driver. He attended Henderson Avenue Primary School in the town. He turned professional in 1962.
Jacklin won two majors. In 1969, he became the first British player to win The Open Championship for 18 years. The following season he won the U.S. Open. It was the only victory by a European player in an 84-year span (1926–2009); Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell ended that streak in 2010.
Jacklin won eight events on the European Tour between its first season in 1972 and 1982. He also won tournaments in Europe prior to the European Tour era, and in the United States, South America, South Africa and Australasia. His 1968 PGA Tour win at the Jacksonville Open Invitational was the first by a European player on the U.S. Tour since the 1920s; Jacklin was the first British player since the 1940s and Henry Cotton to devote much of his effort to American Tour events.
wn.com/Tony_Jacklin -
Tony Manero
Anthony T. Manero (April 4, 1905 – October 22, 1989) was an American golfer. He won eight times on the PGA Tour including one major championship, the 1936 U.S. Open. He played on the 1937 Ryder Cup team. He was born in New York, New York and died in Greenwich, Connecticut. Manero was originally spelled Mainiero. The letter i is sometimes removed for easier spelling.[citation needed]
Major championship is shown in bold.
(this list may be incomplete)
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
wn.com/Tony_Manero -
Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh, CF (Fiji Hindi: विजय सिंह, IPA: [ˈʋɪdʒəj sɪ̃ɦ]; born 22 February 1963), nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships (The Masters in 2000 and the PGA Championship in 1998 and 2004) and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2005 (but deferred his induction until 2006). He won the FedEx Cup in 2008.
An Indo-Fijian of Sikh background, Singh was born in Lautoka, Fiji and grew up in Nadi. A resident of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, he is known for his meticulous preparation, often staying at the range hours before and after his tournament rounds working on his game.
Singh recollected to reporters about his childhood: "When we were kids we couldn't afford golf balls so we had to make do with coconuts. My father used to say, 'Little Vijay, golf balls don't fall off trees you know,' so I found some that did!" Growing up, he played snooker, cricket, football, and also the island's most popular sport, rugby. He is the son of Mohan Singh, an airplane technician who also taught golf. Growing up, he admired the swing of Tom Weiskopf, using it as an early model for his own.
wn.com/Vijay_Singh -
Walter Hagen
Walter Charles Hagen (December 21, 1892 – October 6, 1969) was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus (18) and Tiger Woods (14). He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on to win four times in total. He also won the PGA Championship a record-tying five times (1921, '24–'27), and the Western Open five times when it had near major championship status. Hagen totaled 45 PGA wins in his career, and was a six-time Ryder Cup captain.
Hagen was born in Rochester, New York, he came from a working-class family of German descent. His parents were William and Louise Hagen, his father worked as a millwright and blacksmith in Rochester's railroad-car shops. Walter was the second of William and Louise's five children, the only boy in the family.
Hagen developed his golf game at the Country Club of Rochester, beginning as a caddy, and earned money to help support his family from pre-teen age. Hagen played golf at every chance he got; caddy access to the course was limited to off-peak times, as it was elsewhere in the U.S. during that era. Hagen gradually improved his golf skill to the stage where he was an expert player by his mid-teens, and was then hired by the club to give lessons to club members and to work in the pro shop. He made his top-class professional debut at age 19 at the 1912 Canadian Open, placing 11th, a good showing. Hagen was also very skilled at baseball, primarily as a pitcher and shortstop. He canceled a 1914 tryout for the Philadelphia Phillies in order to play in a golf tournament. Later that week, Hagen was the U.S. Open Champion, and his career was changed forever.
wn.com/Walter_Hagen -
Willie Macfarlane
William "Willie" Macfarlane (29 June 1890 – 15 August 1961) (surname spelled MacFarlane by some sources, birth year given as 1889 by some sources) was a Scottish professional golfer.
Macfarlane was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. Like many British golfers of his era, he took a position as a club professional in the United States. In 1925 he won the U.S. Open at Worcester Country Club in Worcester, Massachusetts. He tied Bobby Jones over seventy-two holes, with both men shooting 291. Macfarlane had set a new U.S. Open single round low-score of 67 in the second round. The two men played an eighteen hole playoff and both of them shot 75. Macfarlane won a second eighteen hole playoff by 72 shots to 73.
Macfarlane played in the U.S. Open seventeen times, but only had one other top ten finish. He won 21 times on the PGA Tour.
Macfarlane died in Miami, Florida.
Major championship is shown in bold.
this list is probably incomplete
1 Defeated Bobby Jones in second 18-hole playoff - Macfarlane 75-72=147 (+5), Jones 75-73=148 (+6).
wn.com/Willie_Macfarlane -
World War I
World War I (WWI), which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939 (World War II), and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. It involved all the world's great powers, which were assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (based on the Triple Entente of the United Kingdom, France and Russia) and the Central Powers (originally centred around the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy; but, as Austria–Hungary had taken the offensive against the agreement, Italy did not enter into the war). These alliances both reorganised (Italy fought for the Allies), and expanded as more nations entered the war. Ultimately more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilised in one of the largest wars in history. More than 9 million combatants were killed, largely because of enormous increases in lethality of weapons, thanks to new technology, without corresponding improvements in protection or mobility. It was the sixth-deadliest conflict in world history, subsequently paving the way for various political changes such as revolutions in the nations involved.
wn.com/World_War_I -
Yao Ming
Yao Ming (born September 12, 1980) is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). At the time of his final season, he was the tallest active player in the NBA, at 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in).
Yao, who was born in Shanghai, started playing for the Shanghai Sharks as a teenager, and played on their senior team for five years in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), winning a championship in his final year. After negotiating with the CBA and the Sharks to secure his release, Yao was selected by the Houston Rockets as the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. Yao was selected to start for the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game eight times, and was named to the All-NBA Team five times. He reached the NBA Playoffs four times, and the Rockets won a first-round series in the 2009 postseason, their first playoff series victory since 1997. However, Yao missed 250 regular-season games due to foot and ankle injuries in his final six seasons.
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Rory McIlroy on Barclays, winning the PGA, Endorsements, & Tiger
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 22:42
- Updated: 11 Dec 2012
Two-time major champion Rory McIlroy, the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world, speaks to the WSJ's Lee Hawkins about Barclays, winning the PGA Championship, the growth of his brand and his role as a brand ambassador for luxury companies such as Jumeirah Luxury Hotels and Audemars Piguet. McIlRoy also speaks candidly about his newfound wealth, philanthropy, the effects of the Tiger Woods scandal, and how he hopes to grow in a path similar to greats such as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.
http://wn.com/Rory_McIlroy_on_Barclays,_winning_the_PGA,_Endorsements,_Tiger
Two-time major champion Rory McIlroy, the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world, speaks to the WSJ's Lee Hawkins about Barclays, winning the PGA Championship, the growth of his brand and his role as a brand ambassador for luxury companies such as Jumeirah Luxury Hotels and Audemars Piguet. McIlRoy also speaks candidly about his newfound wealth, philanthropy, the effects of the Tiger Woods scandal, and how he hopes to grow in a path similar to greats such as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.
Rory Mcilroy Wins 2012 PGA Championship HD
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:58
- Updated: 18 Dec 2012
World's Number 1 Golfer Rory Mcilroy Wins the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island by 8 Strokes
http://wn.com/Rory_Mcilroy_Wins_2012_PGA_Championship_HD
World's Number 1 Golfer Rory Mcilroy Wins the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island by 8 Strokes
- published: 13 Aug 2012
- views: 64717
- author: itsreloadz
Rory McIlroy Crossbar Challenge | EA Triple A
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:34
- Updated: 16 Dec 2012
Rory McIlroy takes on the EA SPORTS Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 Crossbar Challenge! Watch as Rory swaps a football for a golf ball as he successfully hits the crossbar from 150 yards with a punched two-iron. Rory was showcasing his skills at an event to promote EA SPORTS Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Buy it now at amazon.co.uk
http://wn.com/Rory_McIlroy_Crossbar_Challenge_|_EA_Triple_A
Rory McIlroy takes on the EA SPORTS Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 Crossbar Challenge! Watch as Rory swaps a football for a golf ball as he successfully hits the crossbar from 150 yards with a punched two-iron. Rory was showcasing his skills at an event to promote EA SPORTS Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Buy it now at amazon.co.uk
- published: 12 Jul 2012
- views: 137560
- author: eavision
Rory and Tiger Close Up
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:36
- Updated: 15 Dec 2012
CNN interview featuring the world's number one and number 2 golfers
http://wn.com/Rory_and_Tiger_Close_Up
CNN interview featuring the world's number one and number 2 golfers
- published: 09 Nov 2012
- views: 17533
- author: Rory McIlroy
2012 Highlights Rory McIlroy
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:07
- Updated: 18 Dec 2012
2012 was an incredible year for Rory, here are just some of the highlights
http://wn.com/2012_Highlights_Rory_McIlroy
2012 was an incredible year for Rory, here are just some of the highlights
- published: 30 Nov 2012
- views: 4668
- author: Rory McIlroy
Rory Mcilroy wins a point vs Sharapova (BNP Paribas Showdown)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:18
- Updated: 18 Dec 2012
From the BNP Paribas Showdown in Madison Square Garden, Maria Sharapova dances with a spectator first before Rory comes out to play a point against her. Twitter - twitter.com ;)
http://wn.com/Rory_Mcilroy_wins_a_point_vs_Sharapova_BNP_Paribas_Showdown
From the BNP Paribas Showdown in Madison Square Garden, Maria Sharapova dances with a spectator first before Rory comes out to play a point against her. Twitter - twitter.com ;)
- published: 06 Mar 2012
- views: 2930945
- author: JOTennisVideos
Rory Mcilroy Top Shots
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:59
- Updated: 16 Dec 2012
Rory's top shots right up till present golf rory mcilroy
http://wn.com/Rory_Mcilroy_Top_Shots
Rory's top shots right up till present golf rory mcilroy
- published: 31 May 2011
- views: 164576
- author: rorymcilroyfan5000
Rory McIlroy at Holywood Golf Club
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:39
- Updated: 18 Dec 2012
Rory McIlroy at Holywood Gold Club, 13th July 2012
http://wn.com/Rory_McIlroy_at_Holywood_Golf_Club
Rory McIlroy at Holywood Gold Club, 13th July 2012
- published: 17 Sep 2012
- views: 3126
- author: iebsoftware
Rory Mcilroy's ball gets stuck In tree!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:01
- Updated: 29 Nov 2012
Amazing footage of Rory Mcilroys' tee shot on the 3rd hole at The Ocean Course Kiawah Island, where Mcilroys' ball gets embedded in a dead tree. Even with the penalty stroke Mcilroy still makes Par! Footage from PGA Tour. My second channel: www.youtube.com
http://wn.com/Rory_Mcilroy's_ball_gets_stuck_In_tree!
Amazing footage of Rory Mcilroys' tee shot on the 3rd hole at The Ocean Course Kiawah Island, where Mcilroys' ball gets embedded in a dead tree. Even with the penalty stroke Mcilroy still makes Par! Footage from PGA Tour. My second channel: www.youtube.com
- published: 12 Aug 2012
- views: 10425
- author: MrGolferRyan
A New Number One: Rory McIlroy
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:56
- Updated: 17 Dec 2012
A 4-win season in 2012 catapulted Rory McIlroy to number one in the official World Golf Rankings as he delivered awe-inspiring performances every time he stepped inside the ropes.
http://wn.com/A_New_Number_One_Rory_McIlroy
A 4-win season in 2012 catapulted Rory McIlroy to number one in the official World Golf Rankings as he delivered awe-inspiring performances every time he stepped inside the ropes.
- published: 05 Nov 2012
- views: 4198
- author: pgatour
Rory McIlroy Feature
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:49
- Updated: 18 Dec 2012
http://wn.com/Rory_McIlroy_Feature
DP World Tour Championship 2012 preview - Rory Mcilroy swing analysis
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:18
- Updated: 18 Dec 2012
DP World Tour Championship 2012 - Glyn Meredith Golf Academy Dubai analyses Rory Mcilroy swing using V1 Golf technology from his Dubai swing studio. From the UAE Golf Online magazine.
http://wn.com/DP_World_Tour_Championship_2012_preview_Rory_Mcilroy_swing_analysis
DP World Tour Championship 2012 - Glyn Meredith Golf Academy Dubai analyses Rory Mcilroy swing using V1 Golf technology from his Dubai swing studio. From the UAE Golf Online magazine.
- published: 19 Nov 2012
- views: 2482
- author: UAEGolfCourseGuide
Rory Mcilroy Practicing
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:09
- Updated: 17 Dec 2012
Rory Mcilroy hitting on the range from short to long irons... Enjoy! Thanks for watching! Remember to "like" and comment if you enjoyed this video Slow Motion Golf Swing Video
http://wn.com/Rory_Mcilroy_Practicing
Rory Mcilroy hitting on the range from short to long irons... Enjoy! Thanks for watching! Remember to "like" and comment if you enjoyed this video Slow Motion Golf Swing Video
- published: 30 Jul 2012
- views: 55867
- author: Terry Rowles
Rory McIlroy: Out Of The Woods
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:53
- Updated: 18 Dec 2012
GOLF.com's Alan Shipnuck goes behind the scenes with World Number One golfer Rory McIlroy. Episode 5 of Sports Illustrated premieres on NBC Sports Network Thursday 12/13 at 9pm ET.
http://wn.com/Rory_McIlroy_Out_Of_The_Woods
GOLF.com's Alan Shipnuck goes behind the scenes with World Number One golfer Rory McIlroy. Episode 5 of Sports Illustrated premieres on NBC Sports Network Thursday 12/13 at 9pm ET.
- published: 13 Dec 2012
- views: 2257
- author: SportsIllustrated
Jack Nicklaus: Tiger Needed A Push
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:33
- Updated: 18 Dec 2012
Bob Harig on Jack Nicklaus' comments that Rory McIlroy's emergence as the No. 1 golfer in the world will help Tiger Woods.
http://wn.com/Jack_Nicklaus_Tiger_Needed_A_Push
Bob Harig on Jack Nicklaus' comments that Rory McIlroy's emergence as the No. 1 golfer in the world will help Tiger Woods.
- published: 15 Dec 2012
- views: 688
- author: ESPN
Tiger Woods vs. Rory McIlroy - A rivalry that looks set to dominate the headlines
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:41
- Updated: 13 Dec 2012
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy look set to dominate the back pages over the course of the next few years as they compete for major honours.
http://wn.com/Tiger_Woods_vs_Rory_McIlroy_A_rivalry_that_looks_set_to_dominate_the_headlines
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy look set to dominate the back pages over the course of the next few years as they compete for major honours.
- published: 02 Oct 2012
- views: 15608
- author: golfingworld
Rory McIlroy Beats Tiger Woods
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:03
- Updated: 11 Dec 2012
Rory McIlroy beat Tigers Woods in a one-on-one exhibition match in China.
http://wn.com/Rory_McIlroy_Beats_Tiger_Woods
Rory McIlroy beat Tigers Woods in a one-on-one exhibition match in China.
- published: 29 Oct 2012
- views: 12922
- author: ESPN
Rory McIlroy - US PGA Win
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:05
- Updated: 13 Dec 2012
A video compilation (courtesy of the US PGA) showing Rory's memorable final round in the 94th US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. For more, see www.RoryMcIlroy.com
http://wn.com/Rory_McIlroy_US_PGA_Win
A video compilation (courtesy of the US PGA) showing Rory's memorable final round in the 94th US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. For more, see www.RoryMcIlroy.com
- published: 20 Aug 2012
- views: 17354
- author: Rory McIlroy
Rory Mcilroy Iron vs. Driver
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:21
- Updated: 05 Dec 2012
zachallengolf.com Top 25 Golf Instructor Zach Allen. An analysis showing the differences between a wedge swing and a driver swing. Using Rory Mcilroy as the model we discuss how to maximize your efficiency when using different clubs.
http://wn.com/Rory_Mcilroy_Iron_vs_Driver
zachallengolf.com Top 25 Golf Instructor Zach Allen. An analysis showing the differences between a wedge swing and a driver swing. Using Rory Mcilroy as the model we discuss how to maximize your efficiency when using different clubs.
- published: 17 Dec 2011
- views: 134340
- author: ZachAllenGolf
Profile: Rory McIlroy
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:18
- Updated: 18 Dec 2012
The phenom from Northern Ireland seemingly has it all: charisma, charm, and a game that is out of this world.
http://wn.com/Profile_Rory_McIlroy
The phenom from Northern Ireland seemingly has it all: charisma, charm, and a game that is out of this world.
- published: 22 May 2012
- views: 27873
- author: pgatour
2012 Honda Classic Final Round
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 123:24
- Updated: 17 Dec 2012
http://wn.com/2012_Honda_Classic_Final_Round
Rory McIlroy - Course record 61 at Royal Portrush
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:46
- Updated: 26 Jun 2012
Rory talking about his course record at Royal Portrush. Aged only 16 at the time, Rory reflects on his memorable 61 strokes on the 12th of July 2005!
http://wn.com/Rory_McIlroy_Course_record_61_at_Royal_Portrush
Rory talking about his course record at Royal Portrush. Aged only 16 at the time, Rory reflects on his memorable 61 strokes on the 12th of July 2005!
- published: 26 Jun 2012
- views: 10664
- author: Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy Drives a Tennis Ball through the Yale Bowl Tunnel- New Haven Open
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:48
- Updated: 15 Dec 2012
Professional golfer Rory Mcilroy drives tennis balls to see if he can land one in the tunnel at the Yale Bowl during the New Haven Open. Can he do it? #nho12 www.newhavenopen.com
http://wn.com/Rory_McIlroy_Drives_a_Tennis_Ball_through_the_Yale_Bowl_Tunnel_New_Haven_Open
Professional golfer Rory Mcilroy drives tennis balls to see if he can land one in the tunnel at the Yale Bowl during the New Haven Open. Can he do it? #nho12 www.newhavenopen.com
- published: 20 Aug 2012
- views: 197992
- author: NewHavenOpenTennis
photo: AP / Guang Niu, Pool
16 Dec 2012
Retired Col. Gen. Viktor Yesin yesterday wrapped up a visit to the United States during which he met with officials at the Pentagon, State Department as well as members of Congress warning about underestimating China’s tactical nuclear weapons buildup ... Yesin warns that U.S. and Western arms specialists are dramatically underestimating China’s nuclear arsenal ... Somewhere between the higher and lower estimates is no doubt the truth ... Mr ... Mr ... ....(size: 4.0Kb)
photo: AP / Jason DeCrow
16 Dec 2012
NEWTOWN, Conn. — The gunman in the Connecticut shooting rampage committed suicide as first responders closed in, the governor said Sunday, raising the specter that Adam Lanza had planned an even more gruesome massacre and was stopped short. Lanza blasted his way into the building and used a high-power rifle to kill 20 children and six adults, including the principal who tried to stop him, authorities said ... Among the questions ... H ... The Rev....(size: 8.8Kb)
photo: AP / Charles Krupa
18 Dec 2012
Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling. "Most people reason dramatically, not quantitatively." -Oliver Wendell Holmes. On the same day that a 20-year-old, described as brilliant but remote, walked into an elementary school in Connecticut and massacred 26 children and adults, the school where I teach went on "lock-down." Four students with a handgun were arrested ... That morning before school, he had posted on Twitter and Facebook....(size: 14.0Kb)
photo: AP / Khalil Hamra
16 Dec 2012
Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling. "Fundamentalism is good for protest, good for revolution, and good for war, but not so good for development.". After a century of being persecuted and driven underground, mainly for their vibrant nationalism and their anti-imperialist and pro-Palestinian views, Egypt's Islamist Muslim Brotherhood has finally taken center-state ... Such actions will have to be avoided....(size: 6.9Kb)
photo: AP / Jason DeCrow
18 Dec 2012
An increasing number of US congressmen have called for a national dialogue about measures to curb gun violence following the shooting last week at a primary school in Connecticut that killed 26 people, including 20 children and six adults. White House officials have said that President Barack Obama would make preventing gun-related violence a priority in his second term in office and stricter laws would be part of the effort. ... ....(size: 19.2Kb)
RTE
19 Dec 2012
Rory McIlroy has admitted he was never as scared as when he nearly missed his tee-time on the final day of the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah ... In a wide ranging in-depth interview McIlroy reflects on ... Tune into the RTÉ Sports Awards 2012 on Sunday 23 December at 9.30pm on RTÉ One for more from Greg Allen’s interview with Rory McIlroy....(size: 2.0Kb)
The Times of India
19 Dec 2012
Rory McIlroy's dominance on both sides of the Atlantic and the clearest hint yet at the exciting potential in China were the biggest storylines in what may prove to be a truly transformational golfing year in 2012 ... Dubbed 'Boy Wonder' in his homeland for the past decade, McIlroy fully justified his other nickname of 'the Celtic Tiger' as he ended the year being showered with virtually every accolade available to him....(size: 6.3Kb)
Golf 365
19 Dec 2012
Tiger Woods insists it's far too early to be talking up any kind of rivalry between himself and Rory McIlroy. McIlroy now holds the ... "Rory McIlroy had a wonderful year, and my hat is off to him," Woods wrote on his official blog....(size: 1.2Kb)
The Himalayan
19 Dec 2012
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland watches his shot from the 18th tee during the final round of the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai November 25, 2012 ... Rory McIlroy's dominance on both sides of the Atlantic and the clearest hint yet at the exciting potential in China were the biggest storylines in what may prove to be a truly transformational golfing year in 2012....(size: 7.5Kb)
Irish Times
19 Dec 2012
McIlroy named as European Tour golfer of the year ... GOLF. World number one Rory McIlroy was yesterday named the European Tour golfer of the year. McIlroy succeeds Luke Donald as winner of the coveted award, having also replicated the Englishman’s previously unprecedented achievement of winning both the Race to Dubai and US PGA Tour money list in the same season....(size: 6.4Kb)
Golf Channel
19 Dec 2012
The PGA Tour’s season-opening event in Hawaii may traditionally struggle to attract many of the top international players – Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald won’t make the trip in January, and neither will ......(size: 1.2Kb)
The State
19 Dec 2012
(S.C. ties in bold). MASTERS CHAMPIONS. Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, Phil Mickelson, Angel Cabrera, Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson, Tiger Woods, Mike Weir, Vijay Singh, Jose Maria Olazabal, Mark O’Meara, Ben Crenshaw, Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle, Larry Mize, Craig Stadler, Tom Watson. U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONS (five years). Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Lucas Glover. Video from around the world ... ....(size: 2.3Kb)
San Francisco Chronicle
19 Dec 2012
Jupiter resident and neighbor Charl Schwartzel hits it big on The European Tour after much practice at The Bear's Club. JUPITER, Fla. (PRWEB) December 18, 2012 ... Schwartzel rolled off the course 12 shots ahead with a tournament total of 24 under par and a four-day score of 264. According to European Tour officials, the score is the lowest on record at Leopard Creek Country Club ... Among them. Ernie Els, Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy....(size: 2.7Kb)
The Inquisitr
19 Dec 2012
Posted. December 18, 2012. Bradley Cooper is often recognised as one of the most attractive men on the planet, but when appearing on the Ellen DeGeneres show he revealed that he not only has a third nipple, but he possesses a fourth and fifth one as well ... I have a third nipple – is that not weird? It’s disgusting.” ... It’s so sick ... Category. Entertainment ... Rory McIlroy Hit With Lawsuit From Oakley Over Nike Contract....(size: 6.8Kb)
The Inquisitr
19 Dec 2012
Posted. December 18, 2012. After scores of angry users complained about changes to the photo sharing app’s terms of service, Instagram will be updating its privacy policy to clarify some misleading language, according to USA Today ... That change would have even applied to users under the age of 18 ... Co-founder Kevin Systrom said a newer update would take effect in 30 days ... Rory McIlroy Hit With Lawsuit From Oakley Over Nike Contract....(size: 7.1Kb)
The Inquisitr
19 Dec 2012
Posted. December 18, 2012. Instragram photos featuring various girls with the caption “sluts” has caused a protest to swell in Gothenburg, Sweden. According to Swedish reporting website The Local protesters were “throwing bottles and stones at the police and attacking passers-by and people driving past.” ... Category. Social Media. Tags ... Posted. December 18, 2012 ... Rory McIlroy Hit With Lawsuit From Oakley Over Nike Contract....(size: 6.9Kb)
The Inquisitr
19 Dec 2012
Posted. December 18, 2012. The woman pictured in anguish above is Carlee Soto, the sister of Sandy Hook Elementary massacre hero Vicki Soto. Though the image above has become iconic nationwide since the Newtown, Connecticut shooting, Carlee Soto says that it is a painful reminder of the moment she learned that her sister had been killed ... “It kills.” ... Category. News. Tags ... Posted ... Rory McIlroy Hit With Lawsuit From Oakley Over Nike Contract....(size: 6.8Kb)
The Inquisitr
19 Dec 2012
Posted. December 18, 2012. A new study conducted by the American Cancer Society found that drinking coffee lowers the risk of developing oral cancer. According to the researchers, drinking one cup of coffee a day over several years dramatically lowered the risk of dying from oral cancer ... They surveyed 968,432 cancer-free men and women over 26 years ... Study author Janet S ... Tags ... Rory McIlroy Hit With Lawsuit From Oakley Over Nike Contract....(size: 6.9Kb)
| Rory McIlroy MBE | |
|---|---|
 McIlroy in May 2011 |
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Rory McIlroy |
| Nickname | Rors |
| Born | (1989-05-04) 4 May 1989 (age 23) Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] |
| Weight | 73 kg (160 lb; 11.5 st)[1] |
| Nationality |  Northern Ireland |
| Residence | Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland[1] |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 2007 |
| Current tour(s) | European Tour PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 6 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 3 |
| European Tour | 3 |
| Other | 1 |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 1) |
|
| Masters Tournament | T15: 2011 |
| U.S. Open | Won: 2011 |
| The Open Championship | T3: 2010 |
| PGA Championship | T3: 2009, 2010 |
Rory McIlroy, MBE (born 4 May 1989) is a Northern Irish professional golfer from Holywood in County Down.[2] He is formerly the World Number One. On 19 June 2011 he won the U.S. Open, setting a record score of 16-under-par on his way to an eight-shot victory. He has been cited as the most exciting young prospect in golf and having the potential to become one of the highest earners in sports in terms of endorsements.[3][4][5]
McIlroy has represented Europe, Great Britain & Ireland, and Ireland as both an amateur and a professional. He had a successful amateur career, topping the World Amateur Golf Ranking for one week as a 17-year-old in 2007. Later that year he turned professional and soon established himself on the European Tour. He had his first win on the European Tour in 2009, and on the PGA Tour in 2010. He represented Europe in the 2010 Ryder Cup.
Early life, family, and early golf development[link]
McIlroy was born in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland. He is the only child of Gerry and Rosie (née McDonald) McIlroy; he attended St. Patrick's Primary School[6] and then Sullivan Upper School.[7]
He was introduced to golf at an exceptionally young age by his father, who coached him from at least the age of 18 months.[3] Gerry McIlroy is a fine golfer himself, who once played at a scratch handicap level.[8] Young Rory gave early evidence of his golf potential by hitting a 40-yard drive at the age of two years.[9] Rory was very keen for the sport from the start, and asked his father virtually every day to take him to the golf course. Family lore relates that Rory received a new golf club as a present, being shown the correct grip by his father, then taking the club to bed with him that night, with his hands holding the club properly. A video on golf technique produced by champion Nick Faldo was his early favourite.[10]
Gerry McIlroy held down several jobs to earn additional income for his son's golf development. Rory's mother worked extra shifts at the local 3M plant.[11] His first significant international victory came in the World Championship for the 9–10 age group bracket at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami, Florida.[3][12] Rory McIlroy learned his early golf at the Holywood Golf Club, which he still retains as his home course.[13] He became the youngest club member at age seven.[14] Rory started his early training with Michael Bannon, previously the Golf Professional of Holywood Golf Club, who is also his current coach and dedicated mentor.[11]
Amateur career[link]
McIlroy at age 15 was a member of Europe's winning 2004 Junior Ryder Cup team; the event was held in Ohio.[15] In 2005 he became the youngest-ever winner of both the West of Ireland Championship and the Irish Close Championship.[16] He retained the West of Ireland Championship in 2006 and followed that up with back-to-back wins at the Irish Close Championship.[17] In August 2006, he won the European Amateur at Biella Golf Club, near Milan, Italy with the score of 274.[18]
In late 2004, at age 15, he signed a letter of intent to play collegiate golf at East Tennessee State University, but after his wins in 2005, he decided to forgo the golf scholarship and continue to play amateur golf in Europe.[19] McIlroy shot an opening round of 3-under-par 68 at the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie, his first major championship entry. He shot +5 overall and was the highest finishing amateur, winning the silver medal.[20]
In July 2005, at age 16, McIlroy shot a new competitive course record score of 61 on the Dunluce links of Royal Portrush Golf Club.[21] In October 2006, McIlroy represented Ireland in the Eisenhower Trophy, which is the Amateur World Team Championship. On 6 February 2007, he became the second man to top the World Amateur Golf Ranking, though he lost the top spot after just one week.[22]
McIlroy was part of the Great Britain & Ireland team at the 2007 Walker Cup, held at the Royal County Down Golf Club.[23] On the first day of the event he was paired with Jonathan Caldwell for morning foursomes, and the match was halved. In the afternoon he faced Billy Horschel in singles, but Horschel won 1 up. On the second day McIlroy and Caldwell lost in morning foursomes by the score of 2 & 1. In the afternoon he faced Horschel in singles again, and this time he won by the score of 1 up. McIlroy's overall record was (1–2–1) in Win-Loss-Tie format. The United States came out victorious by a score of 12½ to 11½.[24] He made his first appearance in a European Tour event a few days after turning 16, when he took part in the 2005 British Masters. He made the cut on the European Tour for the first time as a 17-year-old at the 2007 Dubai Desert Classic, where he had to forego prize money of over €7,600 due to his amateur status.[25]
Professional career[link]
2007[link]
McIlroy turned professional on 19 September 2007, the day before the Quinn Direct British Masters. He signed with International Sports Management.[26] At the Quinn Direct British Masters, McIlroy shot 290 (+2), which put him in a tie for 42nd place.[27] He finished in 3rd place at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October. He became the youngest Affiliate Member in the history of The European Tour to earn a tour card.[28] The next week, he secured his card for 2008 by finishing in a tie for 4th place at the Open de Madrid Valle Romano.[29] On the 2007 European Tour season, he earned €277,255 and finished in 95th place on the Order of Merit list. He was the highest ranked associate member.[30]
2008[link]
Before his season started, Tiger Woods invited McIlroy to play in the 2007 Target World Challenge, held in December. McIlroy declined the invitation, preferring to play the European Open.[31]
McIlroy started his 2008 European Tour season at the UBS Hong Kong Open. He did not make the one-under cut.[32] He finished in a tie for 15th at the MasterCard Masters in Australia.[citation needed] He entered the top 200 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time on 27 January 2008.[33]
On 7 September 2008, McIlroy took a four-shot lead into the final round of the Omega European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland, but finished in a tie for first place with Frenchman Jean-François Lucquin after a play-off.[34] He finished the 2008 season ranked 36th on the European Tour Order of Merit.[35]
2009[link]
After finishing second in the UBS Hong Kong Open in November 2008,[36] McIlroy attained his highest world ranking position of 50.[37] He finished the 2008 calendar year at 39th in the world rankings after finishing joint 3rd in the South African Open.[38] This earned him an invitation to the 2009 Masters Tournament. His first professional win came at age 19 when he won the Dubai Desert Classic on 1 February 2009, this win took him to 16th in the world rankings.[39]
In the 2009 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, McIlroy reached the quarterfinals. In the first round he defeated Louis Oosthuizen 2 & 1, in the second round he beat Hunter Mahan 1-up, and in the third round he beat Tim Clark, 4 & 3. He lost to Geoff Ogilvy, who won the tournament, in the quarterfinals 2 & 1.[40] McIlroy continued to play on the PGA Tour until May. He finished tied for 13th at the Honda Classic, tied for 20th at the WGC-CA Championship and tied for 19th at the Shell Houston Open.[41]
In April 2009, McIlroy appeared at The Masters in his first major tournament as a professional and his first Masters Tournament. He finished the tournament tied for 20th place, two shots under par for the tournament. Of the players to make the cut, McIlroy achieved the third highest average driving distance, beaten only by Dustin Johnson and Andrés Romero.[42] McIlroy played in two more events on the PGA Tour after the Masters including his first appearance at The Players Championship where he was cut.[41]
McIlroy then returned to Europe and recorded two top 25 finishes leading up to his first U.S. Open. He finished fifth at the BMW PGA Championship and 12th at the European Open.[43] McIlroy played in his second major as a professional at the 2009 U.S. Open. His final round of 68 (−2) helped him finish in a tie for 10th, his first top ten finish in a major. The following week, McIlroy finished in 15th at the BMW International Open.[43] McIlroy played in his first Open Championship as a professional in July and finished T-47.[41] He finished T-3 at the 2009 PGA Championship.[41]
McIlroy finished the 2009 season ranked second on the Race to Dubai, behind Lee Westwood, and in November he entered the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time.[44] McIlroy finished 2009 ranked 9th in the world.[45] In November 2009, McIlroy announced that he would join the American-based PGA Tour for the 2010 season.[46]
McIlroy accepted an invitation from Gary Player to participate in the 2009 Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City, South Africa in December, but withdrew after feeling unwell.[47]
2010[link]
McIlroy finished 3rd at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. McIlroy failed to defend his title at the 2010 Dubai Desert Classic after shooting a round of final-round 73 to finish in a tie for fifth place.[48]
In the 2010 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, McIlroy beat Kevin Na 1-up in the first round and then lost on a playoff hole to Oliver Wilson. After the Accenture Match Play Championship, McIlroy took time off from golf due to a sore back.[49] After a two-week break McIlroy returned in the 2010 Honda Classic and finished in a tie for 40th.[41]
On 2 May, McIlroy recorded his first PGA Tour win after shooting 62 in the final round of the Quail Hollow Championship. The round set a new course record, and concluded with six consecutive scores of three.[50] He became the first player since Tiger Woods to win a PGA Tour event prior to his 21st birthday.[51] The win earned him a two-year Tour exemption.[52] On 2 June, McIlroy played at the Memorial Skins Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.[53] McIlroy finished T10 at the Memorial Tournament.[54]
On 15 July 2010, McIlroy confirmed his status as a favourite for the Open title on the Old Course at St Andrews by shooting a 9-under-par 63 on the opening day, the lowest-ever first round score in the 150-year history of the Open Championship, and tying the course record.[55] He missed a putt on the 17th, "The Road Hole", that would have given him the outright record.[56] His tied third finish in the 2010 Open Championship sent him to a career high world ranking of seventh.[57]
McIlroy missed out on a chance to win the 2010 PGA Championship when he three-putted the 15th green to fall out of a tie for the lead.[29] His final-hole birdie putt narrowly missed the hole to leave him a shot out of the playoff between Bubba Watson and eventual winner Martin Kaymer. McIlroy finished tied for third.[29] On 4 October 2010, McIlroy won a crucial half-point to help Europe regain the Ryder Cup.[30] Following the Ryder Cup, he announced in November that he would return to play full-time on the European Tour, although he also stated that he would continue to play 11 or 12 tournaments in the U.S. per year. He attributed the decision to having closer friends on the European Tour, his part in the Ryder Cup victory, and wanting to be nearer his girlfriend and family.[58]
McIlroy later stated that he regretted his 2010 decision to give up his PGA Tour card, and his skipping the 2010 Players Championship at Sawgrass. McIlroy's manager Chubby Chandler's aversion to the PGA Tour was cited by McIlroy as one of the main reasons for their later professional split.[59]
2011[link]
Masters[link]
On 7 April, McIlroy shot a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 in the first round of the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia to take the lead after the first day of the four-day competition.[60] He is the youngest player to date to lead the Masters at the close of the first day.[61] On Friday, he shot 69 to lead by two strokes over Jason Day with a 10-under-par score. On Saturday, he shot 70 to finish at 12-under-par, four strokes ahead of four other challengers. However, on the fourth and final day, he shot the worst round in history by any professional golfer leading after the third round of the Masters.[62] McIlroy scored one-over-par 37 on the first nine, and still had the lead, but shot a round of 80, finishing T15 at 4-under for the tournament.[41]
McIlroy failed to make the cut in his title defence at Quail Hollow in early May, was well off the pace at the BMW PGA Championship.[41] He held the 18 hole lead at the Memorial Tournament but finished in 5th place.[41]
2011 U.S. Open win[link]
McIlroy won the U.S. Open held at Congressional in Bethesda, Maryland on 19 June winning by eight shots over Jason Day. McIlroy set several records in his victory, most notably, his 72-hole aggregate score of 268 (16-under) was a new U.S. Open record. The 268 aggregate beat the previous record of 272 held by Jack Nicklaus (Baltusrol, 1980), Lee Janzen (Baltusrol, 1993), Tiger Woods (Pebble Beach, 2000), and Jim Furyk (Olympia Fields, 2003).[63] The 16-under in relation to par beat Tiger Woods' 12 under at Pebble Beach Golf Links in 2000.[5][64][65] He became the youngest winner since Bobby Jones in 1923. The victory lifted McIlroy's position in the Official World Golf Ranking to a then career high of number four.[66]
In preparation for the US Open, McIlroy practised at Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey, rather than at Congressional, but did play two practice rounds at Congressional about a week before the start of the Open, after returning from a two-day trip to Haiti as an ambassador for UNICEF.[67][68]
On 17 June during the second round, McIlroy became the first player in the history of the tournament to amass a score of 13-under-par at any point in the tournament. He achieved the feat by making a birdie at the 17th hole in the second round. Despite a double bogey on the final hole, his two-day total of 131 (65–66, 11-under par) set a record as the lowest 36-hole total in U.S. Open history.[69] The score was one better than Ricky Barnes' 132 in 2009. He was also the fastest golfer to reach double digits under par in the U.S. Open, reaching 10 under par in 26 holes.[70]
On 18 June, during the U.S. Open's third round, he became the first player to reach 14-under par at the tournament by making a birdie at the 15th hole, on his way to a 54-hole U.S. Open record of 199.[71] In doing so, he also built an eight-shot lead going into the final round. A final round of 69 allowed him to claim his first major championship setting the 72-hole record.[72]
Rest of 2011[link]
McIlroy took a month off from competitive golf.[73] At The Open Championship he struggled in tough weather over a difficult layout at Royal St George's Golf Club, failing to contend with the conditions.[74] He was again a non-factor at the PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club after injuring his wrist on the 3rd hole of the first round after attempting to hit a ball behind a tree root.[75] McIlroy went on to win the Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters in a playoff against Anthony Kim.[76] In November, he finished tied for 4th at the WGC-HSBC Champions to move to a then career high of number two in the Official World Golf Ranking. In December 2011, he won the UBS Hong Kong Open by 2 shots.[77]
2012[link]
McIlroy's first tournament of the year was at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship during the Dubai swing of the European Tour at the end of January. The tournament was in the spotlight due to its high profile field including former and current World Number 1 Tiger Woods and Luke Donald respectively, and World Number 2 Lee Westwood. McIlroy also played alongside Woods and Donald in the marquee group during the first two days. McIlroy shot rounds of 67-72-68 to start round 4 in joint 3rd place behind joint leaders Robert Rock and Tiger Woods. He shot a 3-under-par 69 on Sunday to finish lone second, one shot behind winner Robert Rock. McIlroy continued the Dubai swing at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic where he finished tied 5th on 14-under-par, four shots behind winner Rafael Cabrera-Bello. He continued to play well at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona where he won matches against George Coetzee, Anders Hanson, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Bae Sang-moon and Lee Westwood before losing to Hunter Mahan in the final. After 10 holes in the final match, McIlroy was 4 down to Mahan, but cut the deficit to 2 down through 16 holes. The 17th hole was halved with pars, securing the win for Mahan. There was anticipation surrounding the semi-final match between McIlroy and Westwood, as the winner would become the number one golfer in the world if they also won the final. McIlroy's runner-up finish moved him up to number two in the world while also putting him at the top of the Race to Dubai leaderboard.
Two weeks later, he lost the number one spot to Luke Donald but regained the top spot on 15 April. After being number one for two weeks, he lost the spot to Donald again on 29 April.
The following week, McIlroy continued good form and won the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and with it claimed the Number 1 spot in the world rankings.[78] He started the fourth round in first place at 11-under-par after rounds of 66-67-66, ahead of a chasing pack including Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood and Keegan Bradley. McIlroy shot a final round of 69 to claim his third PGA Tour title and finished two shots ahead of Tiger Woods and Tom Gillis. McIlroy became the second youngest World Number 1 and moved up to fourth place in the FedEx Cup standings.[79] McIlroy played the following week at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami, Florida. His recent good form began to dwindle slightly on Thursday, when he shot a 1-over par 73. However, he shot 69 and 65 the next two days to begin the fourth round in tied 8th place. Going into the back 9 on Sunday, he had a chance of winning his second title of 2012 in as many weeks due to the leaders faltering. However two late bogeys halted his chance and he settled for 3rd place, two shots behind winner Justin Rose. McIlroy lost his number one ranking on 18 March to Luke Donald after Donald won the Transitions Championship. McIlroy was one stroke off of the lead going into the weekend at The Masters but struggled in his last two rounds and finished in a tie for 40th. He regained the top spot in the world rankings on 15 April but lost it to Donald again on 29 April. On 6 May, McIlroy was in contention at the Wells Fargo Championship and went to a playoff with Rickie Fowler and D. A. Points. Fowler won the tournament on the first playoff hole with a birdie. The runner-up finish put McIlroy back at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking.[80]
Technique, additional mentors and coaches[link]
McIlroy employs the interlocking grip on full shots; this same somewhat rare method is used by Tiger Woods, the dominant star golfer of McIlroy's youthful years. Previous great champions who have used this grip included Jack Nicklaus, Tom Kite, John Daly, Gene Sarazen, Francis Ouimet, and Willie Anderson.
Darren Clarke, the veteran Northern Irish Ryder Cup player and winner of pro events around the world, met McIlroy when he was 12 years old, and has been a mentor to him since that time. Nick Faldo, six-time major winner, welcomed young McIlroy into his youth golf tournament series from his early teen years.[81] Graeme McDowell, the Northern Irish Ryder Cup player and 2010 U.S. Open champion who is ten years older, has helped and mentored McIlroy from his early professional years. McDowell frequently plays practice rounds at Tour events with McIlroy, and has seen his talents develop quickly. The two are close friends. McIlroy has recently obtained putting assistance and instruction from Dave Stockton, a retired PGA Tour star who won two major championships. Stockton is a renowned expert on putting who coaches several Tour players, and has written a well-received book on his techniques. Retired superstar Jack Nicklaus met young McIlroy when he was starting to play the U.S. Tour in 2009, and extended his friendship along with an early invitation to his Memorial Tournament, one of the Tour's most prestigious events. Nicklaus and McIlroy get together for lunch whenever possible, and Nicklaus reached out to McIlroy after his collapse in the 2011 Masters with some friendly advice on how to close out tournaments.[11]
McIlroy was managed by Englishman Andrew "Chubby" Chandler, a former European Tour player who founded International Sports Management. The pair split in October 2011,[82] with McIlroy joining Dublin-based Horizon Sports Management.[83][84]
Controversy[link]
On 17 August 2010, McIlroy answered a media question regarding Tiger Woods' potential of getting a captain's pick in the Ryder Cup (despite his poor play at the time) by saying that any member of the European Team would "fancy his chances against him".[85]
In May 2011, McIlroy was criticised for skipping The Players Championship. The skip was controversial because 48 of the top 50 in the world participated in it, the other golfer skipping being fellow European Lee Westwood.[86]
On 17 July 2011, following a poor showing over the weekend in the 2011 Open Championship, McIlroy told the media that he was "not a fan of golf tournaments that are predicted so much by the weather,", and saying he would rather "wait for a year when the weather is nice" instead of tuning his game to prepare for the Open Championship. He also added that he would "rather play when it's 80 degrees and sunny and not much wind".[87]
On 28 July 2011, after being criticised on air by commentator Jay Townsend about McIlroy's questionable course management skills during the first round of the Irish Open, McIlroy wrote on Twitter telling Townsend to "shut up" and saying Townsend is a "failed golfer" and that "his opinion meant nothing". Later, McIlroy stood by his comments and stated that his comments were made in defence of his caddie J. P. Fitzgerald whom Townsend had been blaming for McIlroy's course management since 2008.[88]
Personal life[link]
McIlroy self-identifies as both British and Irish,[89] and carries a British passport.[90] When in Northern Ireland, he lives near the town of Carryduff in County Down, about 20 minutes from Belfast. The land around his house includes a custom-made practice facility, as well as a scaled-down football pitch.[91]
He is an Ambassador for UNICEF Ireland[92] and made his first visit to Haiti with UNICEF in June 2011.[93][94]
His great uncle Joe McIlroy was murdered by the Ulster Volunteer Force at his east Belfast home in November 1972.[6][95] As of 2011 he has been in a relationship with Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki.[96]
McIlroys main sporting passion outside of Golf is for the Ulster Rugby Team. He often interrupts his busy golfing schedule to attend matches at Ravenhill, Belfast.[97][98]
McIlroy is also a Manchester United football supporter, admitting in an interview with the club website that "they create good football when they needed to down the years".[99]
McIlroy was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to sport.[100][101]
Amateur wins (5)[link]
- 2005 West of Ireland Championship, Irish Close Championship
- 2006 West of Ireland Championship, Irish Close Championship, European Amateur Championship
Professional wins (6)[link]
PGA Tour wins (3)[link]
|
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 May 2010 | Quail Hollow Championship | 72-73-66-62=273 | –15 | 4 strokes |  Phil Mickelson |
| 2 | 19 June 2011 | U.S. Open | 65-66-68-69=268 | –16 | 8 strokes |  Jason Day |
| 3 | 4 Mar 2012 | The Honda Classic | 66-67-66-69=268 | –12 | 2 strokes | Tiger Woods, Tom Gillis |
PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012 | Wells Fargo Championship | Rickie Fowler, D. A. Points |
Fowler won with birdie on first extra hole |
European Tour wins (3)[link]
|
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Feb 2009 | Dubai Desert Classic | 64-68-67-70=269 | –19 | 1 stroke |  Justin Rose |
| 2 | 19 June 2011 | U.S. Open | 65-66-68-69=268 | –16 | 8 strokes | Jason Day |
| 3 | 4 Dec 2011 | UBS Hong Kong Open (co-sanctioned with Asian Tour) |
64-69-70-65=268 | –12 | 2 strokes |  Grégory Havret |
Other wins (1)[link]
- 2011 Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters (Not sanctioned by any major tour)
Professional career summary[link]
European Tour[link]
| Season | Starts | Cuts made |
Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top 10 |
Top 25 |
Earnings (€) |
Money list rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 277,255 | 95 |
| 2008 | 27 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 696,335 | 36 |
| 2009 | 25 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 18 | 3,610,020 | 2 |
| 2010 | 16 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 1,821,050 | 13 |
| 2011 | 19 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 17 | 4,002,168 | 2 |
| 2012 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1,348,517 | 1 |
| Career | 96 | 82 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 47 | 62 | 11,755,346 | 20[102] |
- As of 6 May 2012.[103]
PGA Tour[link]
| Season | Starts | Cuts made |
Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top 10 |
Top 25 |
Earnings ($) |
Money list rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | (amateur) | n/a^ |
| 2009 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 849,719 | n/a^ |
| 2010 | 16 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 2,554,280 | 26 |
| 2011 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 1,905,609 | n/a^ |
| 2012 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2,996,000 | 3 |
| Career | 43 | 37 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 24 | 8,305,608 | 152[104] |
- ^ McIlroy was not a member of the PGA Tour in 2007, 2009 or 2011 so he was not included on the money list.
- As of 6 May 2012.[105]
- Note that there is double counting of money earned (and wins) in the majors and World Golf Championships since they are official events on both tours.
Major championships[link]
Wins (1)[link]
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | U.S. Open | 8 shot lead | 65-66-68-69=268 | –16 | 8 strokes | Jason Day |
Results timeline[link]
| Tournament | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | T20 | CUT | T15 | T40 |
| U.S. Open | DNP | DNP | T10 | CUT | 1 | |
| The Open Championship | T42 LA | DNP | T47 | T3 | T25 | |
| PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | T3 | T3 | T64 |
LA = Low Amateur
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Summary[link]
- Tournaments played: 14
- Wins: 1
- 2nd: 0
- 3rd: 3
- Top 10s: 5
- Top 25s: 8
- Missed cuts: 2
- Most consecutive cuts made: 7
Results in World Golf Championship events[link]
| Tournament | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship | QF | R32 | R32 | 2 |
| Cadillac Championship | T20 | T65 | T10 | 3 |
| Bridgestone Invitational | T68 | T9 | T6 | |
| HSBC Champions | 4 | 5 | T4 |
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Team appearances[link]
Amateur
- Junior Ryder Cup (representing Europe): 2004 (winners)
- Eisenhower Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 2006
- European Amateur Team Championship (representing Ireland): 2007 (winners)
- Walker Cup (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 2007
Professional
- Ryder Cup (representing Europe): 2010 (winners)
- Seve Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 2009 (winners)
- World Cup (representing Ireland): 2009, 2011
Equipment[link]
- Driver – Titleist 910D2, 8.5 degree, Rombax 7V05 X Flex
- Fairway woods – Titleist 910f 15 degree project X, Titleist 910f 19 degree project X
- Irons – Titleist MB, 3–9 Iron, Project X 7.0 shafts
- Wedges – Titleist Bob Vokey, 48, 54, 60 degree, Project X 7.0 shafts
- Putter – Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport GSS (prototype)33"
- Ball – Titleist ProV1x
- Bag – Titleist SM Staff Bag, 2012 edition
References[link]
- ^ a b c Rory McIlroy – European Tour profile
- ^ "Northern Ireland hails Rory McIlroy as its 'Celtic Tiger,' and latest golf hero". PGA.com. Associated Press. http://www.pga.com/news/pga-tour/northern-ireland-hails-rory-mcilroy-its-celtic-tiger-and-latest-golf-hero. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ a b c Parsons, Chris (20 June 2011). "Thanks Dad: The best Father's Day present ever as golf's new superstar dedicates stunning U.S. Open victory to his parents". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2005686/US-Open-2011-winner-Rory-McIlroy-dedicates-victory-parents-Fathers-Day.html. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy Tipped For Golfing Riches". Sky News. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Video-Golf-Riches---Rory-McIlroy-Wins-US-Open-Championship-22-Year-Old-Youngest-Winner-Since-1923/Article/200908316015008?lpos=UK_News_Top_Stories_Header_1&lid=ARTICLE_16015008_Video%3A_Golf_Riches_-_Rory_McIlroy_Wins_US_Open_Championship%2C_22-Year-Old_Youngest_Winner_Since_1923. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ a b "Expectations grow as McIlroy tries to add majors". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 20 June 2011. http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Expectations-grow-as-McIlroy-tries-to-add-majors-1432023.php. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ a b Breen, Suzanne (26 June 2011). "And the real winner is...peace: How Belfast superstar Rory Mcllroy refused to let himself be defined by his family's religion". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2008242/Rory-Mcllroy-How-Belfast-superstar-refused-let-defined-familys-religion.html. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- ^ Elliott, Bill (22 July 2007). "As Woods slips, the steel of Europe is revealed". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2007/jul/21/aswoodsslipsthesteelofeu. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ^ NBC Sports television broadcast of 2011 U.S. Open, 19 June 2011
- ^ Lamport-Stokes, Mark (21 June 2011). "Celtic Tiger has golf by the tail". Reuters.
- ^ golfdigest.com, "How Rory McIlroy won the U.S. Open", 20 June 2011
- ^ a b c NBC Sports television broadcast of 2011 U.S. Open, 18–19 June 2011
- ^ NBC Sports coverage of 2011 U.S. Open, 19 June 2011
- ^ "Welcome to Holywood Golf Club". http://www.holywoodgolfclub.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ The Golf Channel, Morning Drive show, 21 June 2011
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- ^ "Golf: Rory McIlroy wins the Irish Close". Indigo.ie. http://indigo.ie/~kands/kands/html/rorclo.html. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ Ryan, Eoin (6 May 2011). "Cutler and Dunbar lead Irish Close Championship field". Teetotal.ie. http://www.teetotal.ie/2011/05/06/cutler-and-dunbar-lead-irish-close-championship-field. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ International European Championship Amateur 2006, Golf Club BIELLA 23–24–25–26 August 2006 PDF file from EGA-Golf web site
- ^ Wolken, Dan (19 June 2011). "Prized Recruit: College golf coach reflects on the one who got away". The Daily. http://www.thedaily.com/page/2011/06/19/061911-sports-wolken-1-3. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
- ^ "The 2007 Open Championship News". PGA.com. http://www.pga.com/openchampionship/2007/news/mcilroy072207.html. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ "Golfing sensation sets new record". BBC News. 13 July 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4679995.stm. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ^ "The R&A – The World Amateur Golf Ranking Homepage – Men's and Women's golf rankings". wagr.randa.org. http://wagr.randa.org/default.sps?pagegid=%7B06E33FA7%2DE1B5%2D4B0D%2DAE14%2D292B34A25086%7D&newsid=401145&siteid=&pageno=&newscategory=12864&frommonth=12&fromyear=2006&tomonth=2&toyear=2007. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ "Official Website Of The 2007 Walker Cup Match". WalkerCup.org. http://www.walkercup.org/2007/news/gbiprofiles.html. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ "The R&A". Walker Cup. http://www.thewalkercup.org/scores.sps?pageid=253. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy, News, Stats, Biography & Tournament Info – Imagine Golf". Imaginegolfclub.com. http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/golfers/rory-mcilroy-8016.htm. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy splits from agent". Golfinternationalmag.com. 27 January 2010. http://www.golfinternationalmag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3053:rory-mcilroy-splits-from-agent-&catid=1:news&Itemid=3. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ Rory McIlroy – European Tour – 2007 results
- ^ "The 2011 PGA Championship – Profiles". PGA.com. 11 August 2011. http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2011/scoring/profiles/index.cfm?id=28237. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ a b c Rory McIlroy Biography
- ^ a b "Rory McIlroy Highs and Lows". Sporting Life. http://www.sportinglife.com/golf/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=golf/11/08/12/GOLF_McIlroy_Highs__Lows.html&BID=585. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "McIlroy says no to Tiger, he's too busy!" 15 November 2007, Belfast Telegraph
- ^ "McDowell in contention after 66". BBC News. 16 November 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/7097937.stm. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ^ "Official World Golf Ranking – Week 4 – 27 January 2008" (PDF). http://dps.endavadigital.net/owgr/doc/content/archive/2008/owgr04f2008.pdf. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Crans-Montana – 1–4 September 2011". Omega European Masters. http://www.omegaeuropeanmasters.com/en/competition/result.php?round=4. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ "McILROY HAILS INCREDIBLE WEEK" Sporting Life.com
- ^ "Official World Golf Ranking – Week 47 results – 23 November 2008" (PDF). http://dps.endavadigital.net/owgr/doc/content/archive/2008/Week47/owgr47w2008.pdf. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
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- ^ "Official World Golf Ranking – Week 52, 31 December 2008" (PDF). http://dps.endavadigital.net/owgr/doc/content/archive/2008/owgr52f2008.pdf. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ TWI Interactive. "Official World Golf Ranking – News – Full Story". Owgr.com. http://www.owgr.com/NEWS/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=6626319&itype=421. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ "World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship – Rory McIlroy Scorecard". Pgatour.com. 28 February 2011. http://www.pgatour.com/players/02/82/37/scorecards/2009/r470.html. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h http://www.pgatour.com/players/r/?/02/82/37/results
- ^ "Driving Distance Leaders – 2011 Masters Tournament". Masters.com. http://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/stats/drives_avg.html. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ a b [1]
- ^ TWI Interactive. "Week 47 – Lee Westwood Wins The Dubai World Championship, The Race To Dubai And Moves To World Number Four, One Of Six Europeans In The World Top10". Owgr.com. http://www.owgr.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=6643277&itype=&iCategoryID=0. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Official World Golf Ranking – Week 52, 31 December 2009" (PDF). http://dps.endavadigital.net/owgr/doc/content/archive/2009/owgr52f2009.pdf. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ Reason, Mark (18 November 2009). "Rory McIlroy's self motivating qualities makes him favourite for the Race to Dubai". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/europeantour/6599443/Rory-McIlroys-self-motivating-qualities-makes-him-favourite-for-the-Race-to-Dubai.html. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
- ^ "McIlroy pulls out of NGC". Sport24.co.za. http://www.sport24.co.za/Golf/NedbankChallenge/McIlroy-pulls-out-of-NGC-20091205. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy – Tiger-esque Performer, Extraordinary Player Leading US Open Golf 2011 | The Sports Herald". Thesportsherald.com. 19 June 2011. http://www.thesportsherald.com/2011/rory-mcilroy-tiger-esque-performer-extraordinary-player-leading-us-open-golf-2011.html. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "BBC Sport – Golf – NI golfer Rory McIlroy set for back injury scan". BBC News. 8 February 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/8504068.stm. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Quail Hollow Championship – Notebook: Round 4". Pgatour.com. 2 May 2010. http://www.pgatour.com/2010/tournaments/r480/05/02/final-notebook-quailhollow/index.html. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy breaks record to win maiden PGA Tour title". BBC Sport. 2 May 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/8657581.stm. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
- ^ "PGA Tour – All-Exempt Tour Priority Rankings". Pgatour.com. http://www.pgatour.com/r/player_exemptions/index.html. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Chris Riley, Rory McIlroy grab first-round lead at Memorial". USA Today. 2 June 2011. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/pga/2011-06-02-the-memorial-tournament_N.htm. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "The Memorial Golf Leaderboard is headed by Rory McIlroy and Chris Riley". Golfblogger.co.uk. 2 June 2011. http://www.golfblogger.co.uk/post/the-memorial-golf-leaderboard-is-headed-by-rory-mcilroy-and-chris-riley-1f5. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ Rainbird, Miranda (11 April 2011). "Phil and Tiger: The Rivalry: Rory McIlroy – biggest collapse ever". Philandtiger.blogspot.com. http://philandtiger.blogspot.com/2011/04/rory-mcilroy-biggest-collapse-ever.html. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Ladbrokes – The Open". Ladbrokes.teamtalk.com. http://ladbrokes.teamtalk.com/ladbrokes/golf/story/0,23708,21652_7018481,00.html. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy – eNotes.com Reference". Enotes.com. http://www.enotes.com/topic/Rory_McIlroy. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy to focus on European Tour rather than PGA". BBC Sport. 9 November 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/9169185.stm. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy: Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler led me down the wrong path". The Guardian. 1 April 2012. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/apr/01/rory-mcilroy-chubby-chandler. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ The Masters (7 April 2011). "The Masters 2011: Rory McIlroy leads after magnificent opening round of 65 at Augusta". London: Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/mastersaugusta/8436252/The-Masters-2011-Rory-McIlroy-leads-after-magnificent-opening-round-of-65-at-Augusta.html. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy Wins U.S. Open to Become Youngest Champion in Nearly a Century – ABC News". USA: ABC. 20 June 2011. http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/rory-mcilroy-wins-us-open-youngest-champion-century/story?id=13888448. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ Lawrenson, Derek (11 April 2011). "McIlroy's Masters dream ends in tears as three holes from hell hand Schwartzel the Green Jacket". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-1375545/Rory-chokes-Charl-Schwartzel-clinches-Masters-thrilling-final-day-Augusta.html.
- ^ "U.S. Open records set by champion McIlroy" 20 June 2011, Yahoo Sports, Accessed 4 July 2011
- ^ Garside, Kevin (20 June 2011). "Rory McIlroy illuminates Congressional with record-breaking performance". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/usopen/8585393/US-Open-2011-Rory-McIlroy-illuminates-Congressional-with-record-breaking-performance.html. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy wows American press with US Open triumph". The Guardian (London). 20 June 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jun/20/rory-mcilroy-american-press-us-open. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ "Week 25 – Rory McIlroy Wins The US Open In Record Breaking Style And Climbs To World Number 4". 20 June 2011. http://www.owgr.com/NEWS/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=6653901&itype=421. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy warms up for U.S. Open at Pine Valley – Press Tent". Blogs.golf.com. 12 June 2011. http://blogs.golf.com/presstent/2011/06/rory-mcilroy-warms-up-for-us-open-at-pine-valley.html. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ NBC Sports broadcast of 2011 U.S. Open, 18–19 June 2011
- ^ Scrivener, Peter (17 June 2011). "US Open second round at Congressional as it happened". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/9515522.stm. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ "Capital Offense: McIlroy (11 Under) Running Away From Field At Midway Point". USOpen.com. http://www.usopen.com/en_US/index.html#!/usopen_today/news/201106171308342491334. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ Murray, Scott (18 June 2011). "US Open 2011: day three – as it happened". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jun/18/us-open-day-three-live. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ "US Open 2011: Remarkable Rory McIlroy wins by eight shots" 20 June 2011, The Guardian, Accessed 4 July 2011
- ^ Bensch, Bob (7 July 2011). "Rory McIlroy Says He Needed to Take Break After Record U.S. Open Victory". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-07/rory-mcilroy-says-he-needed-to-take-break-after-record-u-s-open-victory.html. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy struggles to a 74, tries to keep his hopes up". USA Today. 16 July 2011. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/pga/2011-07-16-british-open-rory-mcilroy_n.htm. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "After the PGA Championship, he has finished in the top three of his next four events worldwide. [http://www.owgr.com/players/bio.sps?ID=10091&name=Rory&Rank=3&TotalPts=379.9619 Official World Golf Ranking for Rory McIlroy". Livereport.pga.com. http://livereport.pga.com/2011/08/11/mcilroy-to-receive-mri-on-wrist. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Shanghai Masters Golf Tournament 2011 Final Round". realsportingnews.com. 30 October 2011. http://realsportingnews.com/shanghai-masters-golf-tournament-2011-final-round/824. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
- ^ "Randhawa finishes 29th at Hong Kong Open", 4 December 2011, Times of India
- ^ "Rory McIlroy becomes world number one after Honda win". BBC. 4 March 2012. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17254076. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy eager to retain world number one ranking". BBC Sport. 5 March 2012. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17255184. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy is world No. 1 again despite play-off loss to Rickie Fowler". The Guardian. 6 May 2012. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/may/07/rory-mcilroy-world-no1-rickie-fowler?newsfeed=true. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ^ Connell Barrett, Golf Magazine, August 2009
- ^ "US Open champion McIlroy splits with ISM after four years in Chubby's stable" 21 October 2011, Daily Mail
- ^ "Rory McIlroy splits with manager Andrew Chandler" 21 October 2011, BBC News
- ^ "Horizon Sports Management". Horizonsports.ie. http://www.horizonsports.ie. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy Does Not Fear Tiger Woods" 17 August 2010, Sports Grid
- ^ "Mickelson rounds on Westwood and McIlroy as British pair skip US flagship event" 11 May 2011, Daily Mail
- ^ "Rory McIlroy not a fan of playing in poor weather" 17 July 2011, The Washington Post
- ^ "Rory McIlroy To Commentator Jay Townsend: 'Shut Up,' 'Your Opinion Means Nothing'" 28 July 2011, The Huffington Post
- ^ What they said: Rory McIlroy PGA Tour
- ^ Stanage, Niall (10 July 2011). "Northern Ireland's McIlroy Transcends Boundaries". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/11/sports/golf/northern-irelands-mcilroy-transcends-boundaries.html?pagewanted=all.
- ^ Sneak Preview of McIlroy Home BBC Video.
- ^ "Latest News | UNICEF Ireland". Unicef.ie. http://www.unicef.ie/NewsMedia/Golf-Star-Rory-McIlroy-appointed-UNICEF-Ireland-Ambassador-72-183.aspx. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ "Rory McIlroy’s journey to Haiti puts Masters and golf in perspective". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/othersports/golf/mcilroys-journey-to-haiti-puts-masters-and-golf-in-perspective/2011/06/14/AGhkJ6UH_story.html. Retrieved 20 June 2011. [dead link]
- ^ "Rory McIlroy's trip makes heartfelt impact – U.S. Open". ESPN. 14 June 2011. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&page=wojciechowski/110614&sportCat=golf. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ "Police to re-examine evidence in sectarian murder of Rory McIlroy's uncle". Irishcentral.com. http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Police-to-re-examine-evidence-in-sectarian-murder-of-Rory-McIlroys-uncle-124586274.html. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
- ^ "McIlroy says arm fine, confirms dating Wozniacki". pgatour.com. 25 August 2011. http://www.pgatour.com/2011/r/08/25/mcilroy-wozniacki.ap/index.html. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17794940
- ^ http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ulster-deny-mcilroy-is-bankrolling-provinces-big-earners-2630281.html
- ^ Beck, Alan (20 June 2011). "Rory McIlroy passionate about Manchester United". Official Manchester United website. http://www.manutd.com/en/Fanzone/News-And-Blogs/2011/Jun/rory-mcilroy-interview.aspx. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 60009. p. 19. 31 December 2011.
- ^ "OBE for Darren Clarke and MBE for Rory McIlroy in New Year Honours list". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/16364899.stm. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- ^ "Career Money List". European Tour. http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/stats/career/index.html. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
- ^ Rory Mcilroy. "Rory McIlroy – European Tour – Career Record Details". European Tour. http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/players/playerid=34024/record/index.html. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
- ^ "Career Money Leaders". PGA Tour. http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?110. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ^ Rory Mcilroy. "Rory McIlroy Results". PGA Tour. http://www.pgatour.com/golfers/028237/rory-mcilroy/season/#uber. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
External links[link]
- Official website
- Rory McIlroy at the European Tour official site
- Rory McIlroy at the PGA Tour official site
- Rory McIlroy at the Official World Golf Ranking official site
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Graeme McDowell |
RTÉ Sports Person of the Year 2011 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
|
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | McIlroy, Rory |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | Professional golfer |
| Date of birth | 4 May 1989 |
| Place of birth | Holywood, Northern Ireland |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Rory_McIlroy
Related pages:
http://fr.wn.com/Rory McIlroy
http://nl.wn.com/Rory McIlroy
http://de.wn.com/Rory McIlroy
http://it.wn.com/Rory McIlroy
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_McIlroy
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
For this golfer's detailed statistics, records, and other achievements, see List of career achievements by Jack Nicklaus.
| Jack Nicklaus | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Jack William Nicklaus |
| Nickname | The Golden Bear |
| Born | (1940-01-21) January 21, 1940 (age 72) Upper Arlington, Ohio, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Nationality | United States |
| Residence | North Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Spouse | Barbara Nicklaus |
| Children | Jack (1961), Steven (1963), Nancy (1965), Gary (1969), Michael (1973) |
| Career | |
| College | Ohio State University |
| Turned professional | 1961 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 115 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 73 (2nd all time) |
| Champions Tour | 10 |
| Other | 22 (regular) 11 (other) |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 18) |
|
| Masters Tournament | Won: 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986 |
| U.S. Open | Won: 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980 |
| The Open Championship | Won: 1966, 1970, 1978 |
| PGA Championship | Won: 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980, |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1974 (member page) |
| PGA Tour leading money winner |
1964, 1965, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976 |
| PGA Player of the Year | 1967, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976 |
| Bob Jones Award | 1975 |
| Payne Stewart Award | 2000 |
| PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award |
2008 |
| (For a full list of awards, see here) | |
Jack William Nicklaus (born January 21, 1940), nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. By winning a total of 18 career major championships while producing 19 second place and 9 third place finishes in major events on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years, he is widely regarded as the most accomplished professional golfer of all time.[1] Nicklaus did not play that many tournaments because he wanted to focus on the Majors, but is still second on the PGA-tournament winning list, with 73 victories.
After winning two U.S. Amateurs in 1959 and 1961, and challenging for the 1960 U.S. Open, Nicklaus turned professional toward the end of 1961. The 1962 U.S. Open was both Nicklaus' first major championship victory and his first professional win. This win over Arnold Palmer began the on-course rivalry between the two. In 1966, Nicklaus won the Masters Tournament for the second year in a row, becoming the first golfer to achieve this, and also won The Open Championship, completing his career slam of major championships. At age 26, he became the youngest to do so at the time. In 1968 and 1969, Nicklaus did not win a major tournament. He then won another Open Championship in 1970.
Between 1971 and 1980, he would win a further nine major championships, overtake Bobby Jones' record of 13 majors, and become the first player to complete double and triple career slams of golf's four professional major championships. At the age of 46, Nicklaus claimed his 18th and final major championship at the 1986 Masters Tournament, becoming that championship's oldest winner. Nicklaus joined the Senior PGA Tour (now known as the Champions Tour) in January 1990, when he became eligible, and by April 1996 had won 10 of the tour's tournaments, including eight of that tour's major championships, despite playing a very limited schedule. He continued to play at least some of the four regular Tour majors until 2005, when he made his final appearances at The Open Championship and the Masters Tournament.
Nicklaus has also taken part in various off-course activities, including golf course design, charity work and book writing. Nicklaus also runs his own tournament on the PGA Tour, the Memorial Tournament. His golf course design company is one of the largest in the world. Nicklaus' books vary from instructional to autobiographical, with his Golf My Way considered one of the best instructional golf books of all time; the video of the same name is the best-selling golf instructional to date.
Contents
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Amateur and college golf career[link]
Nicklaus was born in the Columbus, Ohio suburb of Upper Arlington, Ohio and is of German descent, the son of pharmacist Charlie Nicklaus (who ran several sites named Nicklaus Drug Store) and his wife Helen. Charlie was a skilled all-round athlete, who had played college football for The Ohio State University Buckeyes, and had gone on to play semi-professional football under an assumed name for the Portsmouth Spartans (which later became the NFL's Detroit Lions). Charlie had also been a scratch golfer and local tennis champion in his youth.[2] Jack was raised in Upper Arlington, and attended Upper Arlington High School, whose nickname and mascot are called the Golden Bears. Jack was an honorable mention All-Ohio selection in basketball as a shooting guard his senior year, and received some recruiting interest from college basketball programs, including Ohio State. Jack also competed successfully during his youth in football, baseball, tennis, and track and field.[3][4]
Jack Nicklaus took up golf at the age of ten, scoring a 51 at Scioto Country Club for his first nine holes ever played. Charlie Nicklaus had joined Scioto that same year, returning to golf to help heal a volleyball injury. Jack was coached at Scioto by club pro Jack Grout, a Texas-developed contemporary of golf greats Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan; Grout had played quite successfully on the PGA Tour, and would become Nicklaus's lifelong golf instructor.[3] Nicklaus overcame a mild case of polio as a 13-year-old.[5]
Nicklaus won the first of five straight[6] Ohio State Junior titles at the age of 12. At 13, he broke 70 at Scioto Country Club for the first time, and became that year's youngest qualifier into the U.S. Junior Amateur, where he survived three match-play rounds. He had earned a handicap of +3 at age 13, the lowest in the Columbus area.[3][7] Nicklaus won the Tri-State High School Championship (Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana) at the age of 14 with a round of 68, and also recorded his first hole-in-one in tournament play the same year. At 15, Nicklaus shot a 66 at Scioto Country Club, which was the amateur course record, and qualified for his first U.S. Amateur. He won the Ohio Open in 1956 at age 16, highlighted by a phenomenal third round of 64, competing against professionals. In all, Nicklaus won 27 events in the Ohio area from age 10 to age 17.
In 1957, Nicklaus won the U.S. National Jaycees Championship, having lost the previous year in a playoff. Nicklaus also competed in his first of 44 consecutive U.S. Opens that year, but missed the cut. In 1958 at age 18, he competed in his first PGA Tour event, the Rubber City Open, at Akron, Ohio, tying for 12th place after being just one out of the lead at the 36-hole mark,[8] and made the cut in the U.S. Open, tying for 41st place. Nicklaus also won two Trans-Mississippi Amateurs – in 1958 at Prairie Dunes Country Club and 1959 at Woodhill Country Club, with final match victories of 9 & 8 and 3 & 2, respectively. Also in 1959, Nicklaus won the North and South Amateur at Pinehurst, North Carolina and competed in three additional PGA Tour events, with his best finish being another 12th place showing at the Buick Open.
While attending Ohio State University, he won the U.S. Amateur twice (1959, 1961), and an NCAA Championship (1961). In the 1959 U.S. Amateur, Nicklaus defeated two-time winner and defending champion Charles Coe in the final 36-hole match 1-up, with a birdie on the final hole. This was significant not only because of Coe's proven ability as a player, but also because Nicklaus became the then-youngest champion in the modern era, second only to Robert A. Gardner, who won in 1909. In 1961, Nicklaus became the first player to win the individual title at the NCAA Championship and the U.S. Amateur in the same year. He was followed by Phil Mickelson (1990), Tiger Woods (1996), and Ryan Moore (2004). Nicklaus also won the NCAA Big Ten Conference Championship that year with a 72-hole aggregate of 283, while earlier claiming the Western Amateur in New Orleans. In his second and last U.S. Amateur win in 1961, Nicklaus convincingly defeated Dudley Wysong 8 & 6 at Pebble Beach in the 36-hole championship match. For the week, Nicklaus was 20 strokes under par, including 34 birdies and two eagles.
At the 1960 U.S. Open, Nicklaus shot a two-under par 282, finishing second by two strokes to Arnold Palmer, who won the tournament with a final round charge of six-under-par 65. This score remains the lowest ever by an amateur in the U.S. Open. Nicklaus played the final 36 holes with Ben Hogan, who later remarked he had just played 36 holes with a kid who should have won by 10 shots. During the final 36 holes, Nicklaus was two-under-par, and never shot a single round above par during the entire tournament, the only entrant to do so. Nicklaus had led by two shots with six holes to play. In 1960, Nicklaus also tied for 13th in the Masters Tournament. He tied for fourth in the 1961 U.S. Open, three shots behind champion Gene Littler, having played the final 54 holes one under par. Each of these three major championship finishes designated Nicklaus as Low Amateur. However, Nicklaus' one-under-par 287 tied for seventh in the 1961 Masters Tournament, and was second that year only to Charles Coe's low amateur placing, when he tied for second with Arnold Palmer at seven-under par 281, one shot behind champion Gary Player.
Nicklaus represented the United States against Great Britain and Ireland on winning Walker Cup teams in both 1959 and 1961, decisively winning both of his matches in each contest. On the 1959 trip to Britain, he also made his only attempt at the British Amateur, the world's oldest international amateur event, at Royal St George's Golf Club, reaching the quarterfinal round (top 8).[9] He was also a member of the victorious 1960 U.S. Eisenhower Trophy team, winning the unofficial individual title by 13 shots over teammate Deane Beman with a four-round score of 269, a record which still stands; this score was 18 shots lower than Ben Hogan's earlier U.S. Open aggregate of 287 at the same site (which had, however, been scored under much tougher conditions).[3][10] Nicklaus was named the world's top amateur golfer by Golf Digest magazine for three straight years, 1959–1961.
College studies[link]
Nicklaus attended Ohio State from 1957 to 1961. He majored in pre-pharmacy his first three years, with good grades, and intended to follow his father into that profession after graduation. As his golf achievements mounted, Nicklaus changed his mind on his career path, switching programs to study insurance, as he planned at that stage to remain a career amateur in golf, and to make his living by selling insurance. For a time he worked in the insurance field while also attending college. However, after having married Barbara Bash in July 1960, and with their first child (Jack Jr.) born in September 1961, Nicklaus then decided to become a professional golfer in late 1961, to best support his family. He wound up a few course hours short of graduating from college. Ohio State granted him an honorary doctorate in 1972.[11]
PGA Tour career[link]
Professional breakthrough 1962–63[link]
Nicklaus began his professional career on the PGA Tour in 1962. While Nicklaus officially turned professional in late 1961, he debated heavily the idea of remaining an amateur in order to further emulate his idol, Bobby Jones. However, Nicklaus realized in order to be regarded the best, he would have to compete against the best and in greater frequency. Shortly after turning professional, Nicklaus' future agent, Mark McCormack was interviewed by Melbourne Age writer, Don Lawrence who inquired about the American golf scene. When McCormack described Nicklaus, Lawrence referred to the "large, strong, and blond" player as "the Golden Bear," a nickname that would become synonymous with Nicklaus throughout his professional life. However, another possible origination of the name derives from the high school that Nicklaus attended in Upper Arlington, Ohio, which uses the mascot the Golden Bears for its sports teams. As mentioned above, Nicklaus played on several Golden Bear athletic teams, including captaining its 1956 state-champion golf squad, suggesting that McCormack may have adopted the name through Nicklaus' high school affiliation. Regardless, by 1963, the nickname had stuck.
His first professional win came in his 17th start, defeating the heavily-favored Arnold Palmer in a Sunday playoff at Oakmont for the 1962 U.S. Open. While the galleries were more than vocal in their support for Palmer, who had grown up in the area, Nicklaus won the playoff by three shots (71 to 74). In 90 holes, Nicklaus had only one three-putt green. The U.S. Open victory made Nicklaus the reigning U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur champion. In addition, at age 22, Nicklaus was the youngest U.S. Open champion since Bobby Jones won at age 21 in 1923, and he has remained the youngest winner since. The U.S. Open win placed Nicklaus on the cover of Time magazine. This was also the beginning of the Nicklaus-Palmer rivalry, which attracted viewers to the new technology of television.[12]
By the end of the year Nicklaus had picked up two more wins, those being the Seattle Open and the Portland Open back-to-back. In addition, he tied for third in his first attempt at the PGA Championship. Nicklaus completed 1962 with over $60,000 in prize-money, made 26 of 26 cuts with 16 top-10 finishes, placed third on the PGA Tour money list, and was named Rookie of the Year. He also won the inaugural staging of the World Series of Golf, a select-field event for the year's major champions, and collected another $50,000 (unofficial money) for that win.[6]
In 1963 Nicklaus won two of the four major championships—the Masters and the PGA Championship. These victories made him the then-youngest winner of the Masters and third-youngest winner of the PGA Championship, and each win came in just his second year as a professional. Earlier in 1963, Nicklaus injured his left hip playing an approach shot from the rough—an injury that would manifest itself years later. Ironically, Nicklaus credits this injury with assisting him in altering his swing heading into the 1963 Masters, thus allowing him to play a draw more easily. Along with three other wins including the Tournament of Champions, he placed second to Arnold Palmer on the PGA Tour money list with just over $100,000.[6] He also teamed with Palmer to win the Canada Cup (now the World Cup of Golf) in France, representing the United States (this event was shortened to 63 holes due to heavy fog). Nicklaus also finished as low individual scorer for that event.
Business success[link]
Nicklaus's rise to fame so soon after turning professional brought him significant endorsement income off the golf course. These business opportunities were facilitated by Mark McCormack, who also managed Palmer and Gary Player. Golf was growing rapidly in popularity and media coverage during the early 1960s, led by the performances of these three star players, with Palmer's charging style and personal popularity making him the world's most marketable sports figure. This association was the start of the agency which became known as International Management Group, and IMG, after building a base in golf management, eventually expanded into other sports. The Palmer-Nicklaus-Player association developed into the so-called "Big Three" of Golf. McCormack set up a series of televised golf matches around the world amongst the three stars, known as Big Three Golf, in the early 1960s. Nicklaus left IMG in the early 1970s, to set up his own management agency, Golden Bear Inc.[13]
1964–67: continued excellence[link]
Despite winning no majors in 1964 (he had three runner-up finishes), Nicklaus led the PGA Tour money list for the first time in his career by a slim margin of $81.13 over Palmer. At The Open Championship at St Andrews, Nicklaus set a new record for the lowest score in the final 36 holes with 66–68 in high winds (the first time in the championship's history that 70 had been broken in each of the last two rounds). This was not enough, however, to win the event; Nicklaus placed second to Tony Lema.[6] Nicklaus also set a record for the lowest final round score in the PGA Championship with a 64 (since broken by Brad Faxon in 1995 with a 63), but fell three shots short of champion Bobby Nichols and his record-setting 271 score. In 31 official worldwide events in 1964, Nicklaus achieved six victories, seven runners-up, placed in the top-five 21 times, the top-10 21 times, and had only one missed cut. Nicklaus and Palmer also defended their team title at the World Cup in Hawaii, with Nicklaus again finishing as low individual scorer.
Nicklaus won the Masters in 1965 and 1966, becoming the first consecutive winner of this event, and the youngest two-time and three-time winner. He broke Ben Hogan's 72-hole scoring record of 274 from 1953 by compiling a new aggregate of 271 in the 1965 Masters Tournament, which while tied by Raymond Floyd in 1976, lasted until Tiger Woods shot 270 in 1997; Woods's score of 270 was achieved with significantly improved golf equipment on essentially the same-length golf course over which Nicklaus and Floyd scored 271. During this 1965 tournament, Nicklaus hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, and had 123 putts, inclusive of just one three-putt green. This was good enough to win by nine shots over Arnold Palmer and Gary Player; this margin of victory was a record at the time, and it lasted until Woods won by 12 shots in 1997. The week's performance was highlighted by a third-round 64 that consisted of eight birdies and no bogeys. It was of this round that Nicklaus said, "I had never before and have never since played quite as fine a complete round of golf in a major championship as I did in the third round of the 1965 Masters". This round tied Lloyd Mangrum's record set in 1940 at Augusta National and remained in place until Nick Price shot 63 during the third round in 1986. It was at this time that Bobby Jones stated Nicklaus played a game with which he was unfamiliar; Jones called Nicklaus' result "the greatest performance in all of golfing history." After Nicklaus' record in 1965, some minor changes were made to Augusta National to toughen the course. Between these modifications and the difficult 1966 weather, Nicklaus successfully defended his title with an even par aggregate of 288, 17 shots higher. He won in an 18-hole playoff over Gay Brewer and Tommy Jacobs by shooting a two-under-par 70. Nicklaus led the PGA Tour money list again in 1965 by a healthy margin over Tony Lema. Nicklaus and Lema formed the U.S. team for the World Cup, held in Madrid, Spain,[3] but could not defend the title, as South Africa won. In all, Nicklaus competed in 28 official worldwide events in 1965, accumulating five victories, seven runners-up, 19 top-five finishes, 23 top-10 finishes, and zero missed cuts.
In 1966, Nicklaus also won The Open Championship at Muirfield in Scotland under difficult weather conditions, using his driver just 17 times, because of very heavy rough. This was the only major he had failed to win up to that point. This win made him the youngest player, age 26 (his fifth year on Tour), and the only one after Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, and Gary Player (until Tiger Woods at age 24 in 2000, also during his fifth year on Tour) to win all four major championships, now known as the Career Slam. Nicklaus eventually accomplished the double career slam in 1971 and the triple career slam in 1978, winning all four majors two and three times, respectively. Nicklaus was part of another title for the U.S. in the World Cup in Japan. Nicklaus concluded 1966 playing 22 official worldwide events, with four victories, four runners-up, 14 top-five finishes, 16 top-10 finishes, and zero missed cuts.
The following year, he won his second U.S. Open title at Baltusrol, breaking Hogan's 72-hole record by one shot with a 275.[6] During the four rounds, Nicklaus hit 61 of 72 greens in regulation. Nicklaus finished this record win with a dramatic 238-yard 1-iron shot, uphill into a breeze and light rain, to the 72nd green (an approximate 260-yard equivalent) and holing a 22-foot (6.7 m) birdie putt to close out a final nine of 30 and final round of 65 to beat Arnold Palmer by four shots. Nicklaus and Palmer were the only two players to break par for the week. He also finished runner up in The Open Championship and third in the PGA Championship, one shot out of a playoff between Don January and Don Massengale. For a third time, Nicklaus led the PGA Tour money list for 1967. Later that year, Nicklaus and Palmer teamed up for a 13-shot wire-to-wire World Cup victory in Mexico City. Nicklaus competed in 24 official worldwide events in 1967, with five victories, four runners-up, 14 top-five finishes, 16 top-10 finishes, and one missed cut.
Career downturn (1968–1970)[link]
After Nicklaus won the 1967 U.S. Open, he did not win another major championship until the 1970 Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews. Moreover, his highest finish on the Tour money list for the years 1968–70 was second; his lowest was fourth, his worst ranking on the list since turning professional. However, it should be noted that his fourth-place ranking in 1970 would have been elevated to second if The Open Championship winnings were included during that period in the official PGA Tour money list, as they are today. Nicklaus finished runner-up in both the 1968 U.S. Open (to new rival Lee Trevino) and the 1968 Open Championship (to old rival Gary Player).
Nicklaus did not make his inaugural appearance in the Ryder Cup until 1969 at age 29; eligibility rules at the time required a minimum five-year PGA Tour membership before points could be counted for team qualification; rules have been relaxed significantly since.[14] In the 1969 Ryder Cup, the entire competition came down to the anchor singles match between Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin. At the par 5 17th hole with Nicklaus leading by the score of 1 up, Jacklin made a 35-foot eagle putt to square the match. With the entire competition outcome riding on this match, Nicklaus made a five-foot par putt on the last hole before controversially conceding Jacklin's par putt, ensuring that this game, and the overall match, ended in a tie.[15] Afterwards United States team Captain Sam Snead said "This is the greatest golf match you have ever seen in England".[16]
During this period, Nicklaus also let his physical condition decline somewhat, putting on excess weight, which affected his stamina. He significantly improved his condition in the fall of 1969 by losing 25 pounds in one month, and his game started to return to top form.[17] In February 1970, Nicklaus' father, Charlie Nicklaus, died. Soon after this Nicklaus won the 1970 Open Championship under difficult scoring conditions where the wind howled up to 56 MPH, defeating fellow American Doug Sanders in an 18-hole playoff round in emotional fashion. On the 18th hole of the playoff, Nicklaus drove about 380 yards, through the par-4 green with a three-wood, and was forced to pitch back to the hole. His eagle pitch finished approximately eight feet short of the hole. Nicklaus threw his putter into the air after sinking the winning putt, as he was thrilled to have won the Open at the home of golf, St Andrews.[18] He describes this period in his life:
"I was playing good golf, but it really wasn't that big a deal to me one way or the other. And then my father passed away and I sort of realized that he had certainly lived his life through my golf game. I really hadn't probably given him the best of that. So I sort of got myself back to work. So '70 was an emotional one for me from that standpoint. ... It was a big boost."[19]
Nicklaus also went on to capture the Piccadilly World Match Play Championship in 1970 with a 2 & 1 win over Lee Trevino in the championship match. In all for the year, Nicklaus competed in 23 official worldwide events, won four, placed in the top five 10 times, and the top 10 in 14.
Although Nicklaus' performance had declined somewhat during this period, he was still ranked as the #1 player in the world, for ten straight years, beginning in 1968, on the McCormack's World Golf Rankings, which were introduced that year by sports agent Mark McCormack. These rankings, the first attempt to take into account results from professional tours around the world, were not official during that era, but they eventually evolved into the current Official World Golf Ranking, starting in 1986.
Resurgence[link]
With a two-shot win at the 1971 PGA Championship in February over Billy Casper, Nicklaus became the first golfer to win all four majors twice in a career.[6] In this championship, Nicklaus was the only player to break 70 consecutively in the first two rounds under windy conditions and finished at seven-under par 281. Nicklaus finished second twice and fifth in the remaining three major championships for the year. While he finished tied for second in the Masters with Johnny Miller, Nicklaus made a big enough impression on a young Nick Faldo (watching on TV in England) in order for Faldo to take up the game seriously. By the end of the year, he had won four additional PGA tournaments including the Tournament of Champions by eight shots and the National Team Championship with Arnold Palmer by six shots. With $244,490 in official PGA Tour earnings, Nicklaus established a new single season money record during the year. Nicklaus also claimed his third World Cup individual title in 1971, with help from a 63 in the third round. He also won the team competition with partner Lee Trevino by 12 shots. The year 1971 brought Nicklaus a victory in the Australian Dunlop International as well, punctuated by a course record 62 (his career low score in competition; one of three) in the second round. For the record, Nicklaus played in 23 official worldwide events in 1971, won eight, had 17 top-five finishes, 20 top-10 finishes, and compiled a 5–1–0 record in that year's Ryder Cup competition.
Nicklaus won the first two major championships of 1972 by three shots each in wire-to-wire fashion. He won the Masters and the U.S. Open, creating talk of a calendar-year Grand Slam. Nicklaus opened with a four-under par 68 at Augusta National and never looked back. He was the only player under par for the week as he and the field battled difficult scoring conditions. In the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach again under severe scoring conditions, Nicklaus struck a one-iron on the 218-yard par-three 17th hole during the final round into a stiff, gusty ocean breeze that hit the flagstick and ended up three inches from the cup. The U.S. Open was Nicklaus' 13th career major and tied him with Bobby Jones for career majors (although a different group of tournaments had been considered majors in Jones's time). This victory was also Nicklaus' 11th professional major, tying him with Walter Hagen, and made him the first player to win the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open championships on the same golf course. He won a total of seven tournaments during the year, and was runner-up in a further three PGA Tour events. Nicklaus did not win the Grand Slam in 1972, however, as Lee Trevino repeated as the Open Championship winner (Nicklaus finished second, one shot behind), and Gary Player prevailed in the PGA Championship. He closed out this remarkable year with a second of three consecutive Walt Disney World Golf Classic victories by shooting a 21-under par 267 to win by nine shots. Nicklaus concluded 1972 by competing in 20 official worldwide events winning seven, placing second in four, and compiling 15 top-10 finishes.
Jones' record of majors was soon broken when Nicklaus won the PGA Championship in August 1973 by four shots over Bruce Crampton for his 12th professional major (surpassing Hagen's mark of 11) and 14th overall when using the old-style configuration of Jones' day. In that year he won another six tournaments. When he won the 1973 Ohio King's Island Open, he became the first PGA Tour player to win a Tour event over a course which he designed himself. The PGA Player of the Year was awarded to Nicklaus for the third time, and the second year in a row. Nicklaus was also the first player to win over $300,000.00 in official money for a single season in 1972 at $320,542; he eclipsed that threshold again the following year with $308,362. The former total was $106,137 more than runner-up Lee Trevino. The latter total for the year 1973 catapulted Nicklaus over the $2 million career PGA Tour earnings mark, making him the first player to reach that milestone. Nicklaus teamed with Johnny Miller for another team title in the World Cup of Golf, held in Spain. For the year, Nicklaus competed in 20 official worldwide events and claimed seven victories, 14 top-five finishes, 17 top-10s, and compiled a 4–1–1 record in that year's Ryder Cup competition.
Nicklaus' failure to win a major in 1974 was offset somewhat by winning the inaugural Tournament Players Championship and being named one of the 13 original inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame.[20] Nicklaus said this honor was a "nice memento" after a "disappointing season".[21] Although he had no major championship victories in 1974, Nicklaus still achieved four top-ten finishes in the four events, three of which were in the top four, and placed second on the official money list behind Johnny Miller. While less than a stellar year, Nicklaus was able to claim two victories and 13 top-10 finishes in 20 official worldwide events.
Nicklaus started off well in 1975: he won the Doral-Eastern Open, the Sea Pines Heritage Classic, and the Masters in consecutive starts. His Masters win was his fifth, a record he was to break eleven years later. In this tournament, Nicklaus made a 40-foot (12 m) putt on the 16th hole of the final round to all but secure his victory over Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller in a riveting final-round battle. He also won the PGA Championship in August at Firestone Country Club by two shots over Bruce Crampton for his fourth win. Having won the Masters and PGA Championship, Nicklaus missed a playoff for the U.S. Open by two shots and a playoff for Open Championship by one shot. His performance in 1975 resulted in his being named PGA Player of the Year for the fourth time, tying Ben Hogan, and he was also named ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. Nicklaus also captured his fourth Australian Open during the year. The year 1975 yielded Nicklaus six wins, 12 top-five finishes, and 16 top-10 finishes in 18 official worldwide events.
Nicklaus placed first on the PGA Tour money list again in 1976, despite competing in only 16 events, winning just two (Tournament Players Championship and World Series of Golf) – neither of them majors – and playing what he called "hang-back-and-hope golf".[22] The 1976 Tournament Players Championship saw Nicklaus set a championship record of 19-under par 269 for his second win in this event which remained in place until Greg Norman's 24-under-par 264 assault in 1994. He also won the PGA Player of the Year award for a record fifth time. Between 1972 and 1976 the only time he failed to win this award was 1974. The year 1976 also concluded an official streak of 105 consecutive cuts made on the PGA Tour (ending at the World Open), which began for Nicklaus in 1970. At the time this streak was second only to Byron Nelson's record of 113.
The following year, 1977, was also majorless for Nicklaus, but he did achieve four top-10 finishes in the four events inclusive of two second and one third place finish – this being one shot out of the PGA Championship playoff between Lanny Wadkins and Gene Littler. Despite a brilliant final round 66 at the Masters, he finished second by two shots to Tom Watson. But his subsequent second-place finish behind Watson at the Open Championship at Turnberry created headlines around the world. In a one-on-one battle dubbed the "Duel in the Sun," Nicklaus shot 65–66 in the final two rounds, only to be beaten by Watson, who scored 65–65. This event marked the first time 270 was broken in a major championship, and the third-place finisher Hubert Green scored 279. Nicklaus would later say:
"There are those in golf who would argue into next month that the final two rounds of the 1977 British Open were the greatest head-to-head golf match ever played. Not having been around for the first five hundred or so years of the game, I'm not qualified to speak on such matters. What's for sure, however, is that it was the most thrilling one-on-one battle of my career."[23]
In 1977, Nicklaus won his 63rd tour event, passing Ben Hogan to take second place on the career wins list, behind only Sam Snead. He also became the first player to amass over $3 million in official PGA Tour earnings. The year also saw Nicklaus win for the first time his own Memorial Tournament, where he described the victory as the most emotional moment of his entire career, and nearly decided to retire from competitive golf.
Proposes Ryder Cup modifications[link]
During the 1977 Ryder Cup at Royal Lytham & St Annes, Nicklaus approached the PGA of Great Britain about the urgency to improve the competitive level of the contest. The issue had been discussed earlier the same day by both past PGA of America President Henry Poe and British PGA President Lord Derby. Nicklaus pitched his ideas, adding: "It is vital to widen the selection procedures if the Ryder Cup is to continue to enjoy its past prestige." The changes in team selection procedure were approved by descendants of the Samuel Ryder family, along with The PGA of America. The major change was expanding selection procedures to include players from the European Tournament Players' Division, and "that European Members be entitled to play on the team." This meant that professional players on the European Tournament Players' Division, the forerunner to the European Tour we have today, from continental Europe would be eligible to play in the Ryder Cup.
Achieves triple career grand slam[link]
Nicklaus won the 1978 Open Championship at St. Andrews to become the only player to have won each major championship three times. This record has since been tied by Tiger Woods, by winning the 2008 U.S. Open. Nicklaus and Woods are the only two players to win three "Career Grand Slams". Nicklaus considered his performance in the 1978 Open as the finest four days of tee-to-green golf he had ever produced, and was most proud that the win came at St. Andrews, his favorite place to play golf. The victory was also his most emotional to date. Nicklaus won three other tournaments that year on the PGA Tour, including the Jackie Gleason-Inverrary Classic, where he played the final 36 holes 13 under par; he scored five consecutive birdies over the closing holes in the final round.[24] He also won his third Tournament Players Championship in difficult weather conditions; he had won three of the first five stagings of that tournament, and remains the championship's only three-time winner. He was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated. The year 1978 also marked Nicklaus' sixth and final Australian Open victory.
Short slump and revamping[link]
After that year he suffered a lapse of form, not winning another tournament until June 1980. The year of 1979 was the first since turning professional in which he failed to win a tournament; he had only one runner-up finish, plus a tied-for-second with Ben Crenshaw behind 22-year-old Seve Ballesteros at The Open Championship. Previously, Nicklaus won at least one PGA Tour tournament per year (a record he shares with Arnold Palmer), and a minimum of two tournaments per year for 17 consecutive years, and this is another PGA Tour record.
During the offseason, Nicklaus addressed two problems which had hurt his performance. His lifelong teacher Jack Grout noticed that he had become much too upright with his full swing, causing a steep, oblique approach into the ball, compared with a more direct hit; this was corrected by slightly flattening his backswing. Then Nicklaus' short game, never a career strength, was further developed with the help of Phil Rodgers, a friend for more than 20 years, and earlier PGA Tour rival, who had become a fine coach. Rodgers lived for a time at the Nicklaus home while this work was going on.[17]
Wins 4th U.S. Open, 5th PGA Championship[link]
In 1980, Nicklaus recorded only four top-10 finishes in 14 events, but two of these were record-setting victories in majors (the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship); the other two were a tie for fourth in The Open Championship and a runner-up finish in the Doral-Eastern Open to Raymond Floyd via his chip-in birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. These victories and placements more than justified the work Nicklaus put in toward his game during the off-season.
Nicklaus set a new scoring record for the 1980 U.S. Open with an aggregate of 272, eclipsing his earlier record of 275 from 1967 over the same golf course. That record, while since having been tied by three other players, stood until Rory McIllroy's 268 in winning the 2011 US Open. This was Nicklaus's second major win at Baltusrol Golf Club. Nicklaus opened with a record-tying 63 in round one and fought off his playing partner of all four rounds, 1978 Colgate World Match Play Championship winner, Isao Aoki. Entering the final round, Aoki had caught Nicklaus after three consecutive rounds of 68, but over the course of the last day, Nicklaus pulled away by two shots. Each player birdied the final two holes for a dramatic finish. Aoki's aggregate of 274 was the lowest score for a U.S. Open runner-up, and would have been the winning total any other year, until 2011. Nicklaus' win was his fourth and final victory in the championship, tying him with Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, and Ben Hogan. Nicklaus referred to this win as "by far the most emotional and warmest reaction to any of my wins in my own country".
In the 1980 PGA Championship, Nicklaus set another record in winning the championship by seven shots over Andy Bean at the Oak Hill Country Club, largely due to exceptional putting. Nicklaus shot an even-par 70 in the first round followed by three successive rounds in the 60s over the difficult course, and was the only player to break par for the 72 holes. For the week, the field averaged 74.60 strokes while Nicklaus averaged 68.50. This was Nicklaus' fifth and final victory in the PGA Championship, which elevated him to record-holder for the most wins in the stroke-play era, and which tied him with Walter Hagen for the most wins overall, since Hagen's victories were all during the match-play era. Nicklaus' seven-shot winning margin remains the largest for the championship since it was converted from match play to stroke play in 1958. His victory also made Nicklaus the only player since Gene Sarazen in 1922 and Ben Hogan in 1948 to win the U.S. Open and PGA Championship the same year (subsequently equaled by Tiger Woods in 2000).
Over the next five years Nicklaus won only twice on the PGA Tour, including his own Memorial Tournament in 1984 for the second time, to become that tournament's first repeat champion. He accumulated seven more top-10 placements in major championships, including three runner-up performances. Nicklaus also finished second in the 1985 Canadian Open to Curtis Strange, which marked his seventh and final second place finish in that tournament; this is a record for that event. These seven runner-up finishes came over the course of 21 events—or one second place finish for every three tournaments played—and does not include a third place finish in 1983, one shot out of the playoff between John Cook and Johnny Miller. Also in 1983, Nicklaus closed out the PGA Championship and World Series of Golf with brilliant final rounds of 65, and passed many players to move into contention, but finished runner-up in each to Player of the Year Hal Sutton and red-hot Nick Price, respectively, who dominated the tournaments from start to finish. Despite not winning a PGA Tour event in 1983, Nicklaus finished 10th on the PGA Tour money list, and passed a significant milestone by becoming the first player to eclipse the $4 million level in career earnings.
During this five-year period, the Ryder Cup matches provided Nicklaus with two bright spots. He completed his competition as a player in style by contributing a perfect 4–0–0 record (inclusive of a 5 & 3 anchor singles match win over Eamonn Darcy) in 1981, and captained the United States team in 1983 to a one-point win over Europe.
Wins 6th Masters at 46[link]
In 1986, Nicklaus capped his major championship career by recording his sixth Masters victory under incredible circumstances, posting a six-under par 30 on the back nine at Augusta for a final round of seven-under-par 65. At the 17th hole, Nicklaus hit his second shot to within 18 feet (5.5 m) and rolled it in for birdie, raising his putter in celebration and completing an eagle-birdie-birdie run. Nicklaus made a solid par-4 at the 72nd hole, and waited for the succeeding players, several of whom (Tom Kite, Greg Norman) were still in contention, to fall short. Nicklaus played the final ten holes seven under par, with six birdies and an eagle. At age 46, Nicklaus became the oldest Masters winner in history, a record which still stands. On the feat, sports columnist Thomas Boswell remarked,
"Some things cannot possibly happen, because they are both too improbable and too perfect. The U.S. hockey team cannot beat the Russians in the 1980 Olympics. Jack Nicklaus cannot shoot 65 to win The Masters at age 46. Nothing else comes immediately to mind."[25]
This victory was his 18th major title as a professional.
Before the 1986 Masters Tournament, Tom McCollister, writing in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said that Nicklaus was "done, washed up, through," and this spurred him on. He said:
"I kept thinking all week, 'Through, washed up, huh?' I sizzled for a while. But then I said to myself, 'I'm not going to quit now, playing the way I'm playing. I've played too well, too long to let a shorter period of bad golf be my last."[26]
This victory was to be his last in his long career on the PGA Tour, and was described at the time by noted golf historian and writer Herbert Warren Wind as "nothing less than the most important accomplishment in golf since Bobby Jones' Grand Slam in 1930".
Author Ken Bowden would write after the win:
"There have been prettier swingers of the club than Jack Nicklaus. There may have been better ball-strikers than Jack Nicklaus. There have definitely been better short-game exponents than Jack Nicklaus. Other golfers have putted as well as Jack Nicklaus. There may have been golfers as dedicated and fiercely competitive as Jack Nicklaus. But no individual has been able to develop, combine and sustain all of the complex physical skills and the immense mental and emotional resources the game demands at its highest level as well as Jack Nicklaus has for as long as he has."
At the age of 58, Nicklaus made another valiant run at the 1998 Masters, where he tied for sixth despite being hampered by an ever-increasing painful left hip.[27] Nicklaus' five-under par 283 is the lowest 72-hole score by a player over 50 in the Masters.
Over the course of his 25-year span (1962–1986) of winning 18 major championships, Nicklaus finished second an astounding 18 times (excludes the second place finish at the 1960 U.S. Open as an amateur). He also placed third nine times and fourth seven times in this span and was one stroke out of a playoff on five of those occasions (1963 Open Championship, 1967 PGA Championship, 1975 Open Championship, 1977 PGA Championship, and 1979 Masters Tournament). His total span of 73 top-10 finishes over 39 years (1960–1998) is a record in total number as well as longevity among the four major championships and encompassed his tenure from an amateur through the majority of his Champions Tour career.
Champions Tour career[link]
Nicklaus became eligible to join the Senior PGA Tour, now known as the Champions Tour, when he turned 50 in January 1990,[28] at which point he declared, "I'm never satisfied. Trouble is, I want to play like me—and I can't play like me anymore."[25] He then quickly won in his first start on the Tour, The Tradition, also a Senior Tour major championship. Nicklaus would go on to win another three Traditions—the final two in succession—while the most anyone else has won is two.
Later in the year, Nicklaus won the Senior Players Championship by six shots over Lee Trevino for his second win of the year, and also his second major of the year by shooting a record 27-under par 261. The next year, in 1991, Nicklaus won three of the five events he started in, those being the U.S. Senior Open at Oakland Hills by firing a 65 in a playoff against Chi Chi Rodriguez and his fine round of 69, the PGA Seniors Championship and The Tradition for the second year straight. These, again, were all majors on the Champions Tour.
Nicklaus has won all the Champions Tour majors with the exception of the Senior British Open. However, he never played in the Senior British Open until after he turned 60; this event was only elevated to a major in 2003. After a winless year in 1992, Nicklaus came back to win the U.S. Senior Open for the second time in 1993 by one shot over Tom Weiskopf. Also in that year he teamed up with Chi Chi Rodriguez and Raymond Floyd to win the Wendy's Three Tour Challenge for the Senior Tour team.[29] In 1994 he won the Senior Tour's version of the Mercedes Championship for his only win of the year.[30] The Tradition was his again in 1995, in a year where he made the top 10 in all of the seven tournaments he entered in.[31] His 100th career win came the next year, when he won the Tradition for the fourth time, and second time in succession. He made a double eagle in the final round. Nicklaus closed the final 36 holes with back-to-back seven-under par rounds of 65 to shoot a 16-under par 272 and win by three shots over Hale Irwin. This was to be his last win on the Champions Tour, and the last official win of his career.[32]
Close of playing career[link]
Nicklaus' final U.S. Open was held at Pebble Beach Golf Links in 2000, where he shot 73–82 to miss the cut.[33] Later in the year, he was paired with Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh in his final PGA Championship only a few days after the death of his mother, where he also missed the cut by one shot.[34][35] In both tournaments, Nicklaus provided last minute heroics by reaching the par-5 18th in two shots in the U.S. Open and nearly holing his wedge shot for eagle at the par-5 18th in the PGA Championship.
Nicklaus played without much preparation in the 2005 Masters, a month after the drowning death of his 17-month-old grandson Jake (child of his son, Steve) on March 1, 2005. He and Steve played golf as therapy for their grief following the death. After days of playing, it was Steve who suggested his dad return to The Masters. He made that his last appearance in the tournament.[36] Later in 2005, Nicklaus finished his professional career at The Open Championship played at St Andrews on July 15, 2005.[37] Nicklaus turned 65 in January that year, which was the last year he could enter The Open Championship as an exempt player. He played with Luke Donald and Tom Watson in his final round.[38] After hitting his tee shot off the 18th tee in the second round, Nicklaus received a ten-minute standing ovation from the crowd. Soon afterwards, Nicklaus ended his career with a fitting birdie, holing a fifteen-foot birdie putt on the 18th green. Nicklaus missed the 36-hole cut with a score of +3 (147).[39]
The last competitive tournament in which Nicklaus played in the United States was the Champions Tour's Bayer Advantage Classic in Overland Park, Kansas on June 13, 2005.[39]
Off-the-course career[link]
Golf course design[link]
Main article: Nicklaus Design
Nicklaus devotes much of his time to golf course design and operates one of the largest golf design practices in the world. In the mid-1960s, Pete Dye initially requested Nicklaus' opinion in the architecture process of The Golf Club in suburban Columbus, Ohio, and the input increased from that point forward. Nicklaus considered golf course design another facet of the game that kept him involved and offered a challenge. His first design Harbour Town Golf Links, co-credited with Dye, was opened for play in 1969.[40] A subsequent early, yet more prominent design was Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, OH which opened in 1974 and has hosted the Memorial Tournament since its inception in 1976. This course has also hosted the 1987 Ryder Cup and the 1998 Solheim Cup matches. For the first few years, all of his projects were co-designs with either Pete Dye or Desmond Muirhead, who were two of the leading golf course architects of that era.
His first solo design, Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville, Ontario, opened for play in 1976.[41] This course served as the host site for the Canadian Open for many years, the first being in 1977.[42] In 2000, the King & Bear opened in St. Augustine, Florida, as a joint collaboration between Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. In 2006, the Concession Golf Club opened in Sarasota, Florida, as a joint collaboration between Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin, to commemorate their historic Ryder Cup singles match in 1969.
Nicklaus is in partnership with his four sons and his son-in-law through their company, Nicklaus Design. The company had 299 courses open for play at the end of 2005, which was nearly 1% of all the courses in the world (In 2005 Golf Digest calculated that there were nearly 32,000 golf courses in the world, approximately half of them in the United States.[40][43]). While the majority of Nicklaus-designed courses reside in the United States, a significant presence also occupies Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, and Mexico. For 2009, Nicklaus Design had 12 courses in Golf Digest’s "75 Best Golf Resorts in North America". Past and present Senior Design Associates with Nicklaus Design include Chris Cochran,[44] Chet Williams[45] and Dave Heatwole.[46]
Writings and media[link]
Nicklaus has written several golf instructional books, an autobiography (My Story), a book on his golf course design methods and philosophy, and has produced several golf videos. The writer Ken Bowden often assisted him with this work. His book Golf My Way is one of the all-time classics of golf instruction, and has been reissued several times since the initial printing in 1974. Nicklaus has also written golf instructional columns for Golf Magazine and for Golf Digest magazine, with which he is currently associated. He also appeared as a television analyst and commentator with ABC Sports on golf broadcasts.[47] Several of the books have been reissued, sometimes under different titles, and "My Story" as a special high-quality limited edition for the 2000 Memorial Tournament.
Golf computer games[link]
Between 1988 and 1998, Nicklaus also gave his name to promote the successful Jack Nicklaus Golf computer game series developed by Accolade. Several of the golf courses he designed were incorporated into the fourth incarnation of the game Jack Nicklaus 4 published in 1997. In addition, Jack Nicklaus 6: Golden Bear Challenge by Activision was published in 1999.
Other interests[link]
Nicklaus continues to manage the Memorial Tournament he created in his home state of Ohio, which is played at Muirfield Village, a course which he designed and opened in 1974. The course was officially dedicated on Memorial Day, May 27, 1974, with an exhibition match between Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf. Nicklaus scored a six-under par 66, which stood as the course record until 1979. The forerunner to this tournament, the Columbus Pro-Am, had its final year in 1975, and the inaugural Memorial Tournament was held the following year. The tournament is one of the more prestigious events on the PGA Tour.[48]
Each year, the tournament selects one or more individuals as honorees who have made a significant impact to the game. The inaugural tournament in 1976 paid tribute to the late Bobby Jones, while the 25th edition in 2000 honored Nicklaus, himself. This concept was Nicklaus' idea as a contribution to perpetuating achievements of the game's greatest individuals. The honoree is selected by the Captain's Club, a group that acts independently of the tournament organization, but also advises on player invitations and the general conduct of the event. Members of the Captain's Club include Peter Alliss, Peggy Kirk Bell, George H.W. Bush, Sean Connery, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player among others.
The Memorial Tournament continues the PGA Tour's philanthropic focus through its relationships with Central Ohio charities. The most significant of which is its relationship with Nationwide Children's Hospital since 1976. Contributions generated through the support of over 2,600 volunteers are distributed each year to the Hospital's unrestricted giving fund. This fund assists in ensuring Central Ohio continues to have one of the best children's hospitals in the United States. The Memorial Tournament has raised more than $5.7 million to support the programs and services at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in those 30-plus years. In 2005 the Memorial made a pledge that will elevate its level of giving to more than $11 million in the coming years. Unique and successful relationships also exist with Fore Hope, James Cancer Hospital, Wolfe Associates, The First Tee, Central Ohio Junior Golf Association, Shriners, Lions Club and many more.
Nicklaus and wife Barbara serve as honorary chairman and active chairwoman of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation in North Palm Beach, Florida which provides valuable programs and services to more than 4,000 hospitalized children and their families, free of charge, through Child Life programs, the Pediatric Oncology Support Team, and the Safe Kids program. The Nicklauses established "The Jake", a pro-am golf tournament played annually at The Bear's Club in Jupiter, Florida in honor of their 17-month-old grandson who drowned in a hot tub in 2005. It has become the foundation's chief fundraiser. Players like Robert Allenby, Raymond Floyd, Tom Watson, Ian Baker-Finch, Ernie Els, Jay Haas, Johnny Miller, and Gary Player have participated. No one accepts a fee. Everything goes to the foundation, more than $3 million over the past three years.
Nicklaus and retired General John Shalikashvili, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1993–97, are serving as honorary chairs for the American Lake Veterans Golf Course capital campaign in Tacoma, WA. The $4.5 million campaign in 2009 was established to complete the nation's only golf course designed for the rehabilitation of wounded and disabled veterans. The existing nine-hole course is operated, maintained, and managed by 160 volunteers. Funds are needed to add nine new holes and make other improvements to better accommodate demand from the growing influx of wounded veterans. A two-day event was held at Bighorn Golf Club at Palm Desert, CA featuring Nicklaus, who is donating his design services for the "Nicklaus Nine". In announcing his donation of services (valued at $500,000), Nicklaus said, "I was moved to see the amazing efforts at American Lake Veterans Golf Course where our wounded warriors learn to play golf with the help of an incredible army of volunteers." Monies raised during the campaign will be used to construct the new holes, complete the construction of the Rehabilitation and Learning Center, make improvements to the original holes to enhance accessibility, upgrade the maintenance facilities and restrooms, and help underwrite operational costs.
Nicklaus owns Nicklaus Golf Equipment, founded in 1992.[49] Nicklaus Golf Equipment manufactures equipment in three brands: Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus Signature, and Nicklaus Premium. These brands are designed to target golfers at different stages of golfing ability.[50]
He has also been known to reach out to younger golfers. One notable example came in 1984, when a teenage Canadian golfer who had previously met Nicklaus at an exhibition wrote him for career advice. The young golfer was right-handed but played left-handed; although he was showing considerable promise as a left-hander, he had been told that he might be an even better player if he switched to right-handed play. He wrote Nicklaus asking for advice; Nicklaus immediately wrote back telling him not to change if he was comfortable playing left-handed. The young Canadian, Mike Weir, decided to stay with left-handed play, and eventually became a Masters champion. He still keeps Nicklaus' letter framed in his home.[51]
Playing style[link]
Nicklaus was consistently among the longest and straightest hitters on the PGA Tour during his prime.[52] One early example was winning the official long drive contest at the 1963 PGA Championship with a belt of 341 yards, 17 inches (312 meters). This record lasted more than 20 years. He preferred the fade (left-to-right shape) for his ball flight, since this allowed the ball to stop quickly on hard and fast greens. Another factor in this decision was his distance capabilities, which were developed enough to allow him to play a fade and still reach long par fours and par fives in two shots.[53] Nicklaus considers his longest drive in competition to be during the final round of the 1964 Masters on the 15th hole, where he had less than 160 yards left to the 500 yard par five. He hit an eight-iron slightly over the green for his second shot.
As his career matured, he also developed the ability to hit the right-to-left controlled draw when needed. Nicklaus debuted as a young pro who hit the ball very high, but he could also hit lower-trajectory shots when needed, after gaining pro experience.
In 1968, IBM kept PGA Tour statistics for the first time, but did not continue this practice in the immediately subsequent years. Nicklaus led two categories for the 1968 season: he had an average driving distance of 275 yards, and hit 75 percent of greens in regulation; both marks were significantly ahead of rivals.[54]
Even though official PGA Tour statistics did not begin until 1980, Nicklaus was consistently the leader in greens hit in regulation through that year, displaying great command of the long and middle irons. Indeed, Nicklaus remained in the top six of this category through 1985 – far past his best playing years. Nicklaus also finished 10th in driving distance and 13th in driving accuracy in 1980 at age 40, which equated to a "Total Driving" composite of 23 – a statistical level not attained since, by a comfortable margin. Nicklaus led this category through 1982. One key to Nicklaus' ball-striking ability and overall power was his exceptional swing tempo. Of this Tom Watson referred to it as Nicklaus' greatest strength in its ability to remain smooth. This proved an asset, especially under pressure, which allowed him to obtain great distance control with his irons.
Nicklaus was also known for his course management skills. He would plan to hit each full shot to the optimal position, to best set up his next shot, usually aiming for level lies and clear approach lines, while favoring his preferred shot shapes. He would often hold back on power to achieve this, but had a power advantage over most rivals through the set, so that he could hit a 3-wood or 1-iron from the tee with increased accuracy to avoid trouble, with sufficient length to keep up with the drivers hit by most rivals. An exceptional example of this came in the final round of the 1966 Open Championship at Muirfield, on the 17th hole, a 530-yard par 5 hole. Nicklaus needed a birdie, but the hole was framed by tall fescue rough, and was playing downwind with very firm turf conditions. He used a 3-iron from the tee and hit the shot 290 yards, then hit a 5-iron 240 yards onto the green, two-putted for birdie, and parred the final hole to win the title.[55] Nicklaus was the first professional player to chart and document yardages on the course on a consistent, planned basis. For most of his career, Nicklaus was not known for his skill on touch shots with the wedges, so he would often play to avoid wedge shots which needed less-than-full swings. Gary Player states that Nicklaus had "the greatest mind the game has ever known".[56]
While not a great putter, he was often able to make the important putts when he needed them.[57] Nicklaus's putting was highly regarded by his rivals. He was also known as a conservative player at times, going for broke only when he needed to. This was especially apparent on the green, where he would often choose to be less aggressive and make sure of an easy two-putt. Nicklaus spoke about this in his autobiography. "I was a fine two-putter, but sometimes too defensive—too concerned about three-putting—to go for putts that I probably should have gone for."[58]
Awards and recognition[link]
Main article: List of career achievements by Jack Nicklaus#Awards
After his first year on the PGA Tour in 1962, Nicklaus received the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award. As well as receiving the PGA Tour Player of the Year five times and topping the PGA Tour money list eight times, he has also attained the Bob Jones Award and the Payne Stewart Award, among others.
Nicklaus was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1974 and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 1995. His likeness was featured on a special commemorative issue five-pound note issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland, making him the first living person outside the Royal Family to appear on a British banknote.[59][60][61]
There is a Jack Nicklaus Museum on the campus of The Ohio State University in his home town of Columbus, Ohio.[62] The museum was opened in 2002 and is a state-of-the-art, 24,000-square-foot (2,200 m2) facility offering a comprehensive view of Nicklaus' life and career in and out of golf as well as exhibits celebrating the history and legends of the game.
Nicklaus had the rare privilege of "dotting the 'i'" of "Script Ohio", the signature formation of the Ohio State University Marching Band, at the Ohio State homecoming game on October 28, 2006 when the Buckeyes played Minnesota; this is considered the greatest honor that can be bestowed on a non-band member.[63] Nicklaus was the fifth non-band member to receive this award. Other recipients include Bob Hope and Woody Hayes. While at Ohio State University, Nicklaus became a member of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta.[64]
Along with Annika Sörenstam, Nicklaus was named a Global Ambassador for the International Golf Federation in 2008 and was instrumental in bringing golf to the Olympics for the 2016 and 2020 games. Golf was last an Olympic sport at the 1904 Games in St. Louis, Mo. when the United States and Canada were the only two competing countries. The International Olympic Committee approved the inclusion by a vote of 63–27, with two abstentions.
In August 2009, Augusta National announced that Nicklaus will join Arnold Palmer as an honorary starter for the 2010 Masters. Nicklaus will become the eighth honorary starter since the tradition began in 1963 when Nicklaus won his first green jacket. It will be Palmer's fourth year to hit the ceremonial opening tee shot. The Big Three were once again reunited in Augusta for the 2012 Masters Tournament as Gary Player joined Palmer and Nicklaus to kickoff the 76th renewal of the major tournament.
Nicklaus, through his global reach in design and development, as well as the worldwide marketing and licensing of his golf and lifestyle brand, is atop Golf Inc. magazine’s coveted list of the "Most Powerful People in Golf" for a record-extending sixth consecutive year. He is the only golf industry figure who has ever been named to the No. 1 spot for more than three years. Nicklaus topped the 2009 worldwide list of 35 individuals who were selected by a panel of editors for their ability to influence and impact the business of golf, be it the development of courses and communities, the operation of courses, the equipment used by golfers, or the rules and regulations of the game. Golf Inc. wrote that while the Golden Bear’s reign at No. 1 is unprecedented, "the fact is that he keeps adding to his legend, at the design table and in the business world. Despite a worldwide course development slowdown, Nicklaus’s design firm has over 40 courses in development around the globe...And he remains perhaps golf’s most respected spokesperson on a wide range of issues."
Career achievements[link]
Main article: List of career achievements by Jack Nicklaus
During his career on the PGA Tour, Nicklaus accumulated 18 major championships, which is a record, and 73 PGA Tour victories, second only to Sam Snead. He also holds the outright record for the most wins at The Masters with six, and The Players Championship with three. He played on six Ryder Cup teams, captained the team twice and the Presidents Cup team four times, and topped the PGA Tour money list and scoring average eight times each. For 24 straight seasons, from 1960 to 1983 inclusive, he made at least one top ten finish in a major championship, and this is a record.
Major championships[link]
Wins (18)[link]
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | U.S. Open | 2 shot deficit | −1 (72–70–72–69=283) | Playoff 1 | Arnold Palmer |
| 1963 | Masters Tournament | 1 shot lead | −2 (74–66–74–72=286) | 1 stroke | Tony Lema |
| 1963 | PGA Championship | 3 shot deficit | −5 (69–73–69–68=279) | 2 strokes | Dave Ragan |
| 1965 | Masters Tournament (2) | 5 shot lead | −17 (67–71–64–69=271) | 9 strokes | Arnold Palmer,  Gary Player |
| 1966 | Masters Tournament (3) | Tied for lead | E (68–76–72–72=288) | Playoff 2 | Gay Brewer, Tommy Jacobs |
| 1966 | The Open Championship | 2 shot deficit | −2 (70–67–75–70=282) | 1 stroke | Doug Sanders,  Dave Thomas |
| 1967 | U.S. Open (2) | 1 shot deficit | −9 (71–67–72–65=275) | 4 strokes | Arnold Palmer |
| 1970 | The Open Championship (2) | 2 shot deficit | −5 (68–69–73–73=283) | Playoff 3 | Doug Sanders |
| 1971 | PGA Championship (2) | 4 shot lead | −7 (69–69–70–73=281) | 2 strokes | Billy Casper |
| 1972 | Masters Tournament (4) | 1 shot lead | −2 (68–71–73–74=286) | 3 strokes | Bruce Crampton, Bobby Mitchell, Tom Weiskopf |
| 1972 | U.S. Open (3) | 1 shot lead | +2 (71–73–72–74=290) | 3 strokes | Bruce Crampton |
| 1973 | PGA Championship (3) | 1 shot lead | −7 (72–68–68–69=277) | 4 strokes | Bruce Crampton |
| 1975 | Masters Tournament (5) | 1 shot deficit | −12 (68–67–73–68=276) | 1 stroke | Tom Weiskopf, Johnny Miller |
| 1975 | PGA Championship (4) | 4 shot lead | −4 (70–68–67–71=276) | 2 strokes | Bruce Crampton |
| 1978 | The Open Championship (3) | 1 shot deficit | −7 (71–72–69–69=281) | 2 strokes | Ben Crenshaw, Raymond Floyd, Tom Kite,  Simon Owen |
| 1980 | U.S. Open (4) | Tied for lead | −8 (63–71–70–68=272) | 2 strokes |  Isao Aoki |
| 1980 | PGA Championship (5) | 3 shot lead | −6 (70–69–66–69=274) | 7 strokes | Andy Bean |
| 1986 | Masters Tournament (6) | 4 shot deficit | −9 (74–71–69–65=279) | 1 stroke | Tom Kite, Greg Norman |
1 Defeated Arnold Palmer in 18-hole playoff – Nicklaus 71 (E), Palmer 74 (+3).
2 Defeated Tommy Jacobs & Gay Brewer in 18-hole playoff – Nicklaus 70 (−2), Jacobs 72 (E), Brewer 78 (+6).
3 Defeated Doug Sanders in 18-hole playoff – Nicklaus 72 (E), Sanders 73 (+1).
Results timeline[link]
| Tournament | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| U.S. Open | CUT | T41 | CUT |
| The Open Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T13 LA | T7 | T15 | 1 | T2 | 1 | 1 | CUT | T5 | T24 |
| U.S. Open | 2 LA | T4 LA | 1 | CUT | T23 | T31 | 3 | 1 | 2 | T25 |
| The Open Championship | DNP | DNP | T32 | 3 | 2 | T12 | 1 | 2 | T2 | T6 |
| PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | T3 | 1 | T2 | T2 | T22 | T3 | CUT | T11 |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | 8 | T2 | 1 | T3 | T4 | 1 | T3 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| U.S. Open | T49 | 2 | 1 | T4 | T10 | T7 | T11 | T10 | T6 | T9 |
| The Open Championship | 1 | T5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | T3 | T2 | 2 | 1 | T2 |
| PGA Championship | T6 | 1 | T13 | 1 | 2 | 1 | T4 | 3 | CUT | T65 |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T33 | T2 | T15 | WD | T18 | T6 | 1 | T7 | T21 | 18 |
| U.S. Open | 1 | T6 | 2 | T43 | T21 | CUT | T8 | T46 | CUT | T43 |
| The Open Championship | T4 | T23 | T10 | T29 | T31 | CUT | T46 | T72 | T25 | T30 |
| PGA Championship | 1 | T4 | T16 | 2 | T25 | T32 | T16 | T24 | CUT | T27 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | 6 | T35 | T42 | T27 | CUT | T35 | T41 | T39 | T6 | DNP |
| U.S. Open | T33 | T46 | CUT | T72 | T28 | CUT | T27 | T52 | T43 | CUT |
| The Open Championship | T63 | T44 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T79 | T45 | 60 | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship | CUT | T23 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T67 | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T54 | CUT | DNP | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| PGA Championship | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
LA = low amateur
DNP = did not play
WD = withdrew due to injury
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Summary of performances[link]
- Starts – 163
- Wins – 18
- 2nd place finishes – 19
- Top-three finishes – 46
- Top-five finishes – 56
- Top-10 finishes – 73
- Longest streak of top-10s in majors – 13
- Longest streak of consecutive cuts made in majors – 39
All of the above figures are stand-alone records with the exception of the longest streak of consecutive cuts made in majors at 39 which was equalled by Tiger Woods.
Champions Tour major championships[link]
Wins (8)[link]
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | The Tradition at Desert Mountain | −10 (71–67–68=206) | 4 strokes | Gary Player |
| 1990 | Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship | −27 (65–68–64–64=261) | 6 strokes | Lee Trevino |
| 1991 | The Tradition at Desert Mountain (2) | −11 (71–73–66–67=277) | 1 stroke | Jim Colbert, Jim Dent, Phil Rodgers |
| 1991 | PGA Seniors' Championship | −17 (66–66–69–70=271) | 6 strokes | Bruce Crampton |
| 1991 | U.S. Senior Open | +2 (72–69–70–71=282) | Playoff1 | Chi-Chi Rodríguez |
| 1993 | U.S. Senior Open (2) | −6 (68–73–67–70=278) | 1 stroke | Tom Weiskopf |
| 1995 | The Tradition (3) | −12 (69–71–69–67=276) | Playoff2 | Isao Aoki |
| 1996 | The Tradition (4) | −16 (68–74–65–65=272) | 3 strokes | Hale Irwin |
1 In an 18-hole playoff, Nicklaus shot a (65) to Rodríguez's (69).
Results timeline[link]
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Tradition | 1 | 1 | 2 | T9 | T4 | 1 | 1 | T25 | T25 | DNP |
| Senior PGA Championship | T3 | 1 | T10 | T9 | 9 | 8 | T22 | T2 | T6 | DNP |
| Senior Players Championship | 1 | T22 | DNP | T22 | T6 | 2 | T24 | T8 | 6 | DNP |
| U.S. Senior Open | T2 | 1 | T3 | 1 | T7 | 2 | 16 | T5 | T13 | DNP |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Tradition | T9 | T29 | 69 | T10 | DNP |
| Senior PGA Championship | T12 | 12 | WD | CUT | WD |
| Senior Players Championship | T34 | WD | DNP | T40 | DNP |
| U.S. Senior Open | T21 | 4 | DNP | T25 | DNP |
| Senior British Open | -1 | -1 | -1 | T14 | DNP |
1The Senior British Open was not a Champions Tour event until 2003.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = Missed the half-way cut
WD = Withdrew
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Summary of performances[link]
- Starts – 50
- Cuts made – 46 (cut once, withdrew 3 times)
- Wins – 8
- Second place finishes – 5
- Top-three finishes – 15
- Top-five finishes – 18
- Top-10 finishes – 30
- Longest streak of top-10s – 10
See also[link]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jack Nicklaus |
- Career Grand Slam Champions
- Golfers with most PGA Tour wins
- List of men's major championships winning golfers
- Golfers with most Champions Tour wins
- Golfers with most Champions Tour major championship wins
- Most wins in one PGA Tour event
- List of golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus
Notes and references[link]
- ^ Spencer, Reid; The Sporting News. The Sporting News selects 50 Greatest Golfers. The Sporting News. ISBN 0-89204-692-9.
- ^ Jack Nicklaus: On and Off the Fairway, by Jack Nicklaus with Ken Bowden, 1978; Arnie and Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf's Greatest Rivalry, by Ian O'Connor, Houghton Mifflin, 2008
- ^ a b c d e Jack Nicklaus: On and Off the Fairway, by Jack Nicklaus with Ken Bowden, 1978
- ^ The Wicked Game: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and the Rise of Modern Golf, by Howard Sounes, 2005
- ^ Yocum, Guy (April 2004). "My Shot: Jack Nicklaus". Golf Digest. http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/myshot_gd0404. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f Nicklaus, Jack; Bowden, Ken (1974). Golf My Way. William Heinemann Ltd. pp. 256. ISBN 1-85051-475-5.
- ^ Arnie and Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf's Greatest Rivalry, by Ian O'Connor, Houghton Mifflin, 2008
- ^ WALL'S 67 FOR 132 KEEPS GOLF LEAD; Bolt, Phillips, Nicklaus and Balding Share Second, a Stroke Back, at Akron
- ^ Jack Nicklaus: On And Off The Fairway, by Jack Nicklaus with Ken Bowden, 1978, New York, Simon & Schuster
- ^ "2006 World Amateur Championship Fact Sheet". http://www.internationalgolffederation.org/2006/men/FactSheet.html. Retrieved March 17, 2007.
- ^ Jack Nicklaus: On And Off The Fairway, by Jack Nicklaus with Ken Bowden, 1978
- ^ O'Connor, Ian (April 11, 2008). Arnie & Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf's Greatest Rivalry. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-618-75446-6.
- ^ Arnie and Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf's Greatest Rivalry, by Ian O'Connor, Houghton Mifflin 2008
- ^ Jack Nicklaus: My Story, by Jack Nicklaus with Ken Bowden, 2004
- ^ [1]
- ^ Yanks great golf good for tie
- ^ a b Nicklaus, Jack; Bowden, Ken. Jack Nicklaus: My Story. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks. ISBN 1-4165-4224-8.
- ^ "Professional Highlights 1970". Nicklaus.com. http://nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/1970.php. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ Soffian, Seth. "Nicklaus, Woods have major ties". News-Press. http://www.nicklaus.com/design/oldcorkscrew/news_062606a.php. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Jack Nicklaus in the World Golf Hall of Fame". World Golf Hall of Fame. http://www.wghof.com/hof/member.php?member=1086. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Professional Highlights 1974". Nicklaus.com. http://nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/1974.php. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Professional Highlights 1975". Nicklaus.com. http://nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/1976.php. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Professional Highlights 1977". Nicklaus.com. http://nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/1977.php. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ Nicklaus rally tops Jones
- ^ a b Apfelbaum, Jim (2007). The Gigantic Book of Golf Quotations. Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 1-60239-014-2.
- ^ "The Masters 1986". Everything2.com. http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=1986%20Masters. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ Michaux, Scott (April 3, 2005). "Langer sees time to wear third jacket". The Augusta Chronicle. http://www.augusta.com/masters/stories/040305/pre_3693161.shtml. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Professional Highlights 1990". Nicklaus.com. http://www.nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/1990.php. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Professional Highlights 1993". Nicklaus.com. http://www.nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/1993.php. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Professional Highlights 1994". Nicklaus.com. http://www.nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/1994.php. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Professional Highlights 1995". Nicklaus.com. http://www.nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/1995.php. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Professional Highlights 1996". Nicklaus.com. http://www.nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/1996.php. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ Garity, John (June 26, 2000). "Open and Shut". Sports Illustrated. http://www.golf.com/golf/special/article/0,28136,1716703,00.html. Retrieved December 18, 2008.
- ^ Denney, Bob. "The Pairings Challenge". http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2005/news/pairings_challenge080905.html. Retrieved December 18, 2008.
- ^ "Major Championship Performances". Nicklaus.com. http://www.nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/majors.php. Retrieved November 8, 2007.
- ^ Van Brimmer, Adam (April 9, 2005). "Golden Bear says goodbye". Morris News Service. http://www.augusta.com/masters/stories/040905/nicklaus.shtml. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Nicklaus set for St Andrews bow". BBC Sport. July 3, 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/4645647.stm. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ Slater, Matt (July 15, 2005). "Woods shines as Nicklaus bows out". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/4687903.stm. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ a b "Jack Nicklaus Bio". http://www.golflegends.org/jack-nicklaus.php. Retrieved November 8, 2007.
- ^ a b "Nicklaus Design". Nicklaus.com. http://www.nicklaus.com/design/. Retrieved November 8, 2007.
- ^ "Glen Abbey: Overview". http://en.clublink.ca/golf/glenabbey/?SECT=GLENABBEY&GOLF_COURSE_ID=0220. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
- ^ "RBC Canadian Open". http://en.clublink.ca/golf/glenabbey/?section_id=89&SECT=GLENABBEY&GOLF_COURSE_ID=0220. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
- ^ "Golf in Europe". VisitEurope.com. http://www.visiteurope.com/ccm/experience/detail/?nav_cat=134&lang=en_US&item_url=/ETC/pan-european/golf-in-europe.ja. Retrieved November 8, 2007.
- ^ "Lionsgate". http://www.nicklaus.com/design/lionsgate/. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
- ^ "Ritz Carlton". http://www.nicklaus.com/design/dovemountainII/news033109.php. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
- ^ "The Cliffs". http://www.nicklaus.com/design/thecliffs/. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Open Preview". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317588,00.html. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
- ^ Nicklaus, Jack; Bowden, Ken. Jack Nicklaus: My Story. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks. pp. 344–345. ISBN 1-4165-4224-8.
- ^ "Nicklaus Golf Equipment Company Profile". http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_649gsp. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ "Nicklaus Golf Equipment". http://www.nicklaus-golf.com/index.html. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ Feinstein, John (2010). Moment of Glory: The Year Underdogs Ruled Golf. New York: Little, Brown and Company. pp. 36–37. ISBN 0-316-02531-3.
- ^ "Ball-striking". NBC Sports. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/8534978/. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
- ^ Nicklaus, Jack; Bowden, Ken (1974). Golf My Way. William Heinemann Ltd. p. 28. ISBN 1-85051-475-5.
- ^ Golf Digest magazine, March 1969
- ^ Jack Nicklaus: My Story, by Jack Nicklaus with Ken Bowden, 2003
- ^ "Course Management". NBC Sports. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/8534977/. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
- ^ "Putting". NBC Sports. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/8534970/. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
- ^ Nicklaus, Jack; Bowden, Ken. Jack Nicklaus: My Story. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks. p. 268. ISBN 1-4165-4224-8.
- ^ "The Royal Bank of Scotland Group to Issue Special Commemorative £5 Note in Honour of Jack Nicklaus" (Press release). Edinburgh: Royal Bank of Scotland Group. July 12, 2006. http://www.rbs.com/media/news/press-releases/2005-press-releases/2005-07-12special-note.ashx. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
- ^ "Our Banknotes: Learn more here about the banknotes we’ve issued since 1987.". Edinburgh: Royal Bank of Scotland Group. September 17, 2009. http://www.rbs.com/about-rbs/g2/heritage/our-banknote/banknote-history/banknote-issues.ashx. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
- ^ "High Fives for Golden Bear". Rampant Scotland. December 24, 2005. http://www.rampantscotland.com/letter2005b.htm. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
- ^ "Nicklaus Museum". NicklausMuseum.com. http://www.nicklausmuseum.org/. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ "Strike up the band: Nicklaus dots 'i' at Ohio State". Associated Press , via ESPN.com. October 28, 2006. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2641971.
- ^ "Phi Gamma Delta". http://www.wmwoods.edu/Info.asp?3500. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
External links[link]
 |
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Jack Nicklaus |
- Nicklaus.com Official site and portal to other official Nicklaus-related websites
- Nicklaus Travel
- Nicklaus Golf Equipment
- Nicklaus Museum
- Jack Nicklaus at the PGA Tour official site
- Jack Nicklaus at golfmajorchampionships.com
- HeadlineSports.net All Jack Nicklaus Sports Illustrated Covers
- Jack Nicklaus Profile, trivia, quotes and other resources from About.com.
- Jack Nicklaus Profile at Golf Legends
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nicklaus, Jack |
| Alternative names | Nicklaus, Jack William; The Golden Bear |
| Short description | Professional golfer, golf course architect |
| Date of birth | January 21, 1940 |
| Place of birth | Columbus, Ohio |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Jack_Nicklaus
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Nicklaus
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
For the dog, see Gayleward's Tiger Woods.
| Tiger Woods | |
|---|---|
 Woods at a Chevron World Challenge charity event (2011) |
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Eldrick Tont Woods |
| Nickname | Tiger |
| Born | (1975-12-30) December 30, 1975 (age 36) Cypress, California |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
| Nationality | United States |
| Residence | Jupiter Island, Florida |
| Spouse | Elin Nordegren (2004–2010) |
| Children | Sam Alexis (b. 2007) Charlie Axel (b. 2009) |
| Career | |
| College | Stanford University (two years) |
| Turned professional | 1996 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour (joined 1996) |
| Professional wins | 99[1] |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 72 (3rd all time) |
| European Tour | 38 (3rd all time)[2][3] |
| Japan Golf Tour | 2 |
| Asian Tour | 1 |
| PGA Tour of Australasia | 1 |
| Other | 16 |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 14) |
|
| Masters Tournament | Won: 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005 |
| U.S. Open | Won: 2000, 2002, 2008 |
| The Open Championship | Won: 2000, 2005, 2006 |
| PGA Championship | Won: 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| PGA Tour Rookie of the Year |
1996 |
| PGA Player of the Year | 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 |
| PGA Tour Player of the Year |
1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 |
| PGA Tour leading money winner |
1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 |
| Vardon Trophy | 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 |
| Byron Nelson Award | 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 |
| FedEx Cup Champion | 2007, 2009 |
| (For a full list of awards, see here) | |
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975)[4][5] is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No. 1, he is the highest-paid professional athlete in the world, having earned an estimated US$90.5 million from winnings and endorsements in 2010.[6][7]
Woods turned professional in 1996, and by April 1997 he had already won his first major, the 1997 Masters. He first reached the number one position in the world rankings in June 1997. Through the 2000s, Woods was the dominant force in golf, spending 264 weeks from August 1999 to September 2004 and 281 weeks from June 2005 to October 2010 as world number one. From December 2009 to early April 2010, Woods took leave from professional golf to focus on his marriage after he admitted infidelity. His multiple infidelities were revealed by several different women, through many worldwide media sources.[8] This was followed by a loss of form, and his ranking gradually fell to a low of #58 in November 2011.[7][9] He snapped a career-long winless streak of 107 weeks when he captured the Chevron World Challenge in December 2011.[9] As of April 8, 2012, he is ranked #8.[10]
Woods has broken numerous golf records. He has been world number one for the most consecutive weeks and for the greatest total number of weeks of any other golfer. He has been awarded PGA Player of the Year a record ten times,[11] the Byron Nelson Award for lowest adjusted scoring average a record eight times, and has the record of leading the money list in nine different seasons. He has won 14 professional major golf championships, the second highest of any player (Jack Nicklaus leads with 18), and 72 PGA Tour events, third all time behind Sam Snead and Nicklaus.[12] He has more career major wins and career PGA Tour wins than any other active golfer does. He is the youngest player to achieve the career Grand Slam, and the youngest and fastest to win 50 tournaments on tour. Additionally, Woods is only the second golfer, after Jack Nicklaus, to have achieved a career Grand Slam three times. Woods has won 16 World Golf Championships, and won at least one of those events in each of the first 11 years after they began in 1999.
Contents |
Background and family[link]
Woods was born Eldrick Tont Woods in Cypress, California, to Earl (1932–2006) and Kultida (Tida) Woods (born 1944). He is the only child of their marriage, but does have two half-brothers, Earl Jr. (born 1955) and Kevin (born 1957), and a half-sister, Royce (born 1958) from the 18-year marriage of Earl Woods and his first wife, Barbara Woods Gray.[13] Earl, a retired lieutenant colonel and Vietnam War veteran, was of mixed African American, Chinese, and Native American ancestry. Kultida (née Punsawad), originally from Thailand (where Earl had met her on a tour of duty in 1968), is of mixed Thai, Chinese, and Dutch ancestry. This makes Woods himself half Asian (one-quarter Chinese and one-quarter Thai), one-quarter African American, one-eighth Native American, and one-eighth Dutch.[14] He refers to his ethnic make-up as "Cablinasian" (a syllabic abbreviation he coined from Caucasian, Black, American Indian, and Asian).[15]
Woods' first name, Eldrick, was coined by his mother because it began with "E" (for Earl) and ended with "K" (for Kultida). His middle name Tont is a traditional Thai name. He was nicknamed Tiger in honor of his father's friend Col. Vuong Dang Phong, who had also been known as Tiger.[16]
Woods has a niece, Cheyenne Woods, who is an amateur golfer on Wake Forest University's golf team.[17]
Early life and amateur golf career[link]
File:Tiger woods on Mike Douglas show.jpg
Woods at age 2 on The Mike Douglas Show. From left, Tiger Woods, Mike Douglas, Earl Woods and Bob Hope on October 6, 1978.
Woods grew up in Orange County, California. He was a child prodigy, introduced to golf before the age of two, by his athletic father Earl, a single-figure handicap amateur golfer who had been one of the earliest African-American college baseball players at Kansas State University.[18] In 1978, Tiger putted against comedian Bob Hope in a television appearance on The Mike Douglas Show. At age three, he shot a 48 over nine holes over the Cypress Navy course, and at age five, he appeared in Golf Digest and on ABC's That's Incredible.[19] Before turning seven, Tiger won the Under Age 10 section of the Drive, Pitch, and Putt competition, held at the Navy Golf Course in Cypress, California.[20] In 1984 at the age of eight, he won the 9–10 boys' event, the youngest age group available, at the Junior World Golf Championships.[21] He first broke 80 at age eight.[22] He went on to win the Junior World Championships six times, including four consecutive wins from 1988 to 1991.[23][24][25][26][27]
Woods' father Earl wrote that Tiger first beat him when he was 11 years old, with Earl trying his best. Earl lost to Tiger every time from then on.[28][29] Woods first broke 70 on a regulation golf course at age 12.[30]
Woods' first major national junior tournament was the 1989 Big I, when he was 13 years old. Woods was paired with pro John Daly, then relatively unknown, in the final round; the event's format placed a professional with each group of juniors who had qualified. Daly birdied three of the last four holes to beat Woods by only one stroke.[31] As a young teenager, Woods first met Jack Nicklaus in Los Angeles at the Bel-Air Country Club, when Nicklaus was performing a clinic for the club's members. Woods was part of the show, and impressed Nicklaus and the crowd with his skills and potential.[32] Earl Woods had researched in detail the career accomplishments of Nicklaus, and had set his young son the goals of breaking those records.[30]
While attending Western High School in Anaheim at the age of 15, Woods became the youngest ever U.S. Junior Amateur champion (a record which stood until it was broken by Jin Liu in 2010).[33] He was named 1991's Southern California Amateur Player of the Year (for the second consecutive year) and Golf Digest Junior Amateur Player of the Year. In 1992, he defended his title at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, becoming the first multiple winner; competed in his first PGA Tour event, the Nissan Los Angeles Open (he missed the 36-hole cut); and was named Golf Digest Amateur Player of the Year, Golf World Player of the Year, and Golfweek National Amateur of the Year.[34][35]
The following year, Woods won his third consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur Championship; he remains the event's only three-time winner.[36] In 1994, at the TPC at Sawgrass in Florida, he became the youngest-ever winner of the U.S. Amateur Championship, a record that stood until 2008 when it was broken by Danny Lee.[37] He was a member of the American team at the 1994 Eisenhower Trophy World Amateur Golf Team Championships (winning), and the 1995 Walker Cup (losing).[38][39]
Woods graduated from Western High School in 1994 at age 18, and was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" among the graduating class. He had starred for the high school's golf team under coach Don Crosby.[40]
College golf career[link]
Woods was recruited very heavily by college golf powers, and chose Stanford University, the 1994 NCAA Division I champion. He enrolled at Stanford in the fall of 1994 under a golf scholarship, winning his first collegiate event, the 40th Annual William H. Tucker Invitational, that September.[41] He declared a major in economics, and was nicknamed "Urkel" by college teammate Notah Begay III.[42] In 1995, he successfully defended his U.S. Amateur title at the Newport Country Club in Rhode Island[37] and was voted Pac-10 Player of the Year, NCAA First Team All-American, and Stanford's Male Freshman of the Year (an award that encompasses all sports).[43][44] He participated in his first PGA Tour major, the 1995 Masters Tournament, and tied for 41st as the only amateur to make the cut. At age 20 in 1996, he became the first golfer to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles[45] and won the NCAA individual golf championship.[46] In winning the Silver Medal as leading amateur at The Open Championship, he tied the record for an amateur aggregate score of 281.[47] He left college after two years and turned professional.
Professional career[link]
Main article: Professional golf career of Tiger Woods
Woods became a professional golfer in August 1996, and immediately signed deals with Nike, Inc. and Titleist that ranked as the most lucrative endorsement contracts in golf history at that time.[48][49] Woods was named Sports Illustrated's 1996 Sportsman of the Year and PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.[50] In April 1997, he won his first major, the Masters, becoming the tournament's youngest-ever winner.[51] Two months later, he set the record for the fastest-ever ascent to #1 in the Official World Golf Rankings.[52] After a lackluster 1998, Woods finished the 1999 season with eight wins, including the PGA Championship, a feat not achieved since 1974.[53][54]
In 2000, Woods achieved six consecutive wins, the longest winning streak since 1948. One of these was the 2000 U.S. Open, where he broke or tied nine tournament records in what Sports Illustrated called "the greatest performance in golf history."[55] At age 24, he became the youngest golfer to achieve the Career Grand Slam.[56] At the end of 2000, Woods had won nine of the twenty PGA Tour events he entered and had broken the record for lowest scoring average in tour history. He was named the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, the first and only athlete to be honored twice, and was ranked by Golf Digest magazine as the twelfth-best golfer of all time.[57][58]
Woods' victory in the 2001 Masters Tournament made him the first player to hold all four major professional golf titles at the same time.[59] Following a stellar 2001 and 2002 in which Woods continued to dominate the tour, Woods' career hit a "slump".[53][60] He did not win a major in 2003 or 2004. In September 2004, Vijay Singh overtook Woods in the Official World Golf Rankings, breaking Woods' record streak of 264 weeks at #1.[61] Woods rebounded in 2005, winning six official PGA Tour money events and reclaiming the top spot in July after swapping it back and forth with Singh over the first half of the year.[62]
In 2006, Woods began dominantly, winning his first two PGA tournaments but failing to capture his fifth Masters championship in April.[63][64] Following the death of his father in May, Woods took a nine-week hiatus from the tour and appeared rusty upon his return at the U.S. Open, missing the cut at Winged Foot.[65] However, he quickly returned to form and ended the year by winning six consecutive tour events. At the season's close, with 54 wins and 12 majors wins, Woods had broken the tour records for both total wins and total majors wins over eleven seasons.[66]
He continued to excel in 2007 and the first part of 2008. In April 2008, he underwent knee surgery and missed the next two months on the tour.[67] Woods returned for the 2008 U.S. Open, where he struggled the first day but ultimately claimed a dramatic victory over Rocco Mediate, after which Mediate said, "This guy does things that are just not normal by any stretch of the imagination," and Kenny Perry added, "He beat everybody on one leg."[68][69][70] Two days later, Woods announced that he would miss the remainder of the season due to further knee surgery, and that his knee was more severely damaged than previously revealed, prompting even greater praise for his U.S. Open performance. Woods called it "my greatest ever championship."[71][72][73] In Woods' absence, TV ratings for the remainder of the season suffered a huge decline from 2007.[74]
Upon Woods' much-anticipated return in 2009, he performed well, including a spectacular performance at the 2009 Presidents Cup, but failed to win a major, the first year since 2004 that he failed to do so.[75][76][77] After his marital infidelities came to light at the end of 2009 and received massive media coverage, Woods announced in December that he would be taking an indefinite break from competitive golf. In February 2010, he delivered a televised apology for his behavior. During this period, several companies ended their endorsement deals with Woods.
He returned to competition in April at the 2010 Masters Tournament, where he finished in a tie for fourth place.[78] He followed the Masters with poor showings at the Quail Hollow Championship and the Players Championship, where he withdrew in the fourth round citing injury.[79] Shortly afterward, Woods' coach since 2003, Hank Haney, resigned the position; he was replaced in August by Sean Foley. The rest of the season went badly for Woods, who failed to win a single event for the first time since turning professional, while nevertheless finishing the season ranked #2 in the world.
Woods' performance continued to suffer in 2011, taking its toll on his ranking. After falling to #7 in March, he rebounded to #5 with a strong showing at the 2011 Masters Tournament, where he tied for fourth place.[80][81][82] Due to leg injuries incurred at the Masters, he missed several summer events; in July he fired his longtime caddy Steve Williams, replacing him temporarily with friend Bryon Bell.[83][84] After returning to tournament play in August, Woods continued to falter, and his ranking gradually fell to a low of #58.[9] He rose to #50 in mid-November after a third-place win at the Emirates Australian Open, and broke his winless streak with a victory at December's Chevron World Challenge.[9][85]
His 2012 season started at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on the European Tour in late January. For the first two days of play Tiger was grouped with Rory McIlroy and world No.1 Luke Donald. He shot under par rounds of 70 and 69 on Thursday and Friday respectively, which left him in joint 4th place at 5-under par. His low round of the week came on Saturday, shooting a 6-under par 66, giving him the joint lead with England's Robert Rock. Woods struggled on Sunday and couldn't mount a big enough charge, shooting a level par 72 and settling for joint 3rd place. Woods' second tournament of the year came at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in early February which he had not played since 2002. His amateur partner for the week was Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Woods shot solid rounds of 68-68-67 on the first three days, and began Sunday in third place, four shots behind leader Charlie Wi. However, he struggled with his putting and shot a final round 75 while his playing partner Phil Mickelson shot a 64 and won the tournament.
His next tournament was the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona. Woods battled to win his first round match against Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, 1-up, and then played Nick Watney in the second round. On the 18th hole, Woods had to make birdie to extend the match, however his 5 foot putt missed and he was knocked out of the tournament. Woods commented that his putting was hindered technically and required some work after battling with it throughout the round.[86] The following week Woods teed off at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Woods commented that he had referred back to putting basics instead of new technique he had been applying. Woods' putting over the first three days of tournament play was noticeably better, but the ball was struggling to fall into the hole. Tiger began the fourth round on 2-under par, 9 shots behind leader Rory McIlroy. After parring the first hole and being delayed by adverse weather, Woods returned and played the remaining 17 holes in 8-under par including two eagles and no bogeys. A birdie-eagle finish set up Woods to possibly claim the title, however McIlroy kept his cool and won the tournament. Tiger finished joint second, and the round also marked his lowest final round score in his PGA Tour career.
Woods played the following week at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami, Florida. Tiger spent the first three days near the top of the leaderboard and shot 72-67-68 to start the fourth round in tied 8th place at 9-under par, 8 shots behind leader Bubba Watson. Woods struggled on the front 9 and shot 2-over par going out. He then began to noticeably limp on the next three holes and went on to withdraw from the tournament with an apparent left leg injury, which was later confirmed as a strain on his left Achilles tendon that had been injured previously at the 2011 Masters Tournament. After a short time off, Woods played in the Tavistock Cup at the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club, representing Team Albany, finishing 4th. The same week, Woods began the Arnold Palmer Invitational. After three rounds of 69, 65 and a 71, he began Sunday in the lead at 11-under par, one shot ahead of Graeme McDowell. Woods remained in the lead throughout the round and shot a 2-under par 70 to claim his seventh win at Bay Hill and also marked his first win on the PGA Tour since the BMW Championship in September 2009. After a week off, he returned to Augusta for the Masters Tournament. Over the four days, Woods was never close to contending the title, and shot rounds of 72-75-72-74 to finish tied 40th. After a 3 week break from competition, Woods traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Wells Fargo Championship. Although starting positively with a 1-under par 71, Woods' second round of 73 (1-over) derailed his tournament hopes and resulted in him missing his eighth cut as a professional by 1 shot and second in as many years for the tournament. The following week, Woods played The Players Championship. After an opening round of 74 (2-over), he was in threat of missing a second consecutive cut, a first for his professional career, however after a 4-under 68, he was firmly staying in the tournament as well as being in the hunt for the weekend. However, a weekend charge never mounted despite good ball striking and he settled for T40th at 1-under par.
Endorsements[link]
Woods has been called the world's most marketable athlete.[87] Shortly after his 21st birthday in 1996, he began signing endorsement deals with numerous companies, including General Motors, Titleist, General Mills, American Express, Accenture, and Nike, Inc. In 2000, he signed a 5-year, $105 million contract extension with Nike. It was the largest endorsing deal ever signed by an athlete at that time.[88] Woods' endorsement has been credited with playing a significant role in taking the Nike Golf brand from a "start-up" golf company earlier in the past decade, to becoming the leading golf apparel company in the world, and a major player in the equipment and golf ball market.[87][89] Nike Golf is one of the fastest growing brands in the sport, with an estimated $600 million in sales.[90] Woods has been described as the "ultimate endorser" for Nike Golf,[90] frequently seen wearing Nike gear during tournaments, and even in advertisements for other products.[88] Woods receives a cut from the sales of Nike Golf apparel, footwear, golf equipment, golf balls,[87] and has a building named after him at Nike’s headquarters campus in Beaverton, Oregon.[91]
In 2002, Woods was involved in every aspect of the launch of Buick's Rendezvous SUV. A company spokesman stated that Buick is happy with the value of Woods' endorsement, pointing out that more than 130,000 Rendezvous vehicles were sold in 2002 and 2003. "That exceeded our forecasts," he was quoted as saying, "It has to be in recognition of Tiger." In February 2004, Buick renewed Woods' endorsement contract for another five years, in a deal reportedly worth $40 million.[88]
Woods collaborated closely with TAG Heuer to develop the world's first professional golf watch, released in April 2005.[92] The lightweight, titanium-construction watch, designed to be worn while playing the game, incorporates numerous innovative design features to accommodate golf play. It is capable of absorbing up to 5,000 Gs of shock, far in excess of the forces generated by a normal golf swing.[92] In 2006, the TAG Heuer Professional Golf Watch won the prestigious iF product design award in the Leisure/Lifestyle category.[93]
Woods also endorses the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series of video games; he has done so since 1999.[94] In 2006, he signed a six-year contract with Electronic Arts, the series' publisher.[95]
In February 2007, along with Roger Federer and Thierry Henry, Woods became an ambassador for the "Gillette Champions" marketing campaign. Gillette did not disclose financial terms, though an expert estimated the deal could total between $10 million and $20 million.[96]
In October 2007, Gatorade announced that Woods would have his own brand of sports drink starting in March 2008. "Gatorade Tiger" was his first U.S. deal with a beverage company and his first licensing agreement. Although no figures were officially disclosed, Golfweek magazine reported that it was for five years and could pay him as much as $100 million.[97] The company decided in early fall 2009 to discontinue the drink due to weak sales.[98]
According to Golf Digest, Woods made $769,440,709 from 1996 to 2007,[99] and the magazine predicted that by 2010, Woods would pass one billion dollars in earnings.[100] In 2009, Forbes confirmed that Woods was indeed the world's first athlete to earn over a billion dollars in his career (before taxes), after accounting for the $10 million bonus Woods received for the FedEx Cup title.[101][102] The same year, Forbes estimated his net worth to be $600 million, making him the second richest "African American" behind only Oprah Winfrey.[103]
Honors[link]
On August 20, 2007, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver announced that Woods would be inducted into the California Hall of Fame. He was inducted December 5, 2007 at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts in Sacramento.[104][105]
He has been named "Athlete of the Decade" by the Associated Press in December 2009.[106] He has been named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year a record-tying four times, and is the only person to be named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year more than once.
Since his record-breaking win at the 1997 Masters Tournament, golf's increased popularity is commonly attributed to Woods' presence. He is credited by some sources for dramatically increasing prize money in golf, generating interest in new audiences, and for drawing the largest TV audiences in golf history.[50][107][108][109][110][111]
Tiger-proofing[link]
Early in Woods' career, a small number of golf experts expressed concern about his impact on the competitiveness of the game and the public appeal of professional golf. Sportswriter Bill Lyon of Knight-Ridder asked in a column, "Isn't Tiger Woods actually bad for golf?" (though Lyon ultimately concluded that he was not).[112] At first, some pundits feared that Woods would drive the spirit of competition out of the game of golf by making existing courses obsolete and relegating opponents to simply competing for second place each week.
A related effect was measured by economist Jennifer Brown of the University of California, Berkeley who found that other golfers played worse when competing against Woods than when he was not in the tournament. The scores of highly skilled (exempt) golfers are nearly one stroke higher when playing against Woods. This effect was larger when he was on winning streaks and disappeared during his well-publicized slump in 2003–04. Brown explains the results by noting that competitors of similar skill can hope to win by increasing their level of effort, but that, when facing a "superstar" competitor, extra exertion does not significantly raise one's level of winning while increasing risk of injury or exhaustion, leading to reduced effort.[113]
Many courses in the PGA Tour rotation (including Major Championship sites like Augusta National) began to add yardage to their tees in an effort to slow down long hitters like Woods, a strategy that became known as "Tiger-Proofing". Woods himself welcomed the change as he believes adding yardage to the course does not affect his ability to win.[114]
Playing style[link]
When Woods first joined the professional tour in 1996, his long drives had a large impact on the world of golf.[115][116] However, when he did not upgrade his equipment in the following years (insisting upon the use of True Temper Dynamic Gold steel-shafted clubs and smaller steel clubheads that promoted accuracy over distance),[117] many opponents caught up to him. Phil Mickelson even made a joke in 2003 about Woods using "inferior equipment", which did not sit well with Nike, Titleist or Woods.[118][119] During 2004, Woods finally upgraded his driver technology to a larger clubhead and graphite shaft, which, coupled with his clubhead speed, made him one of the Tour's lengthier players off the tee once again.
Despite his power advantage, Woods has always focused on developing an excellent all-around game. Although in recent years he has typically been near the bottom of the Tour rankings in driving accuracy, his iron play is generally accurate, his recovery and bunker play is very strong, and his putting (especially under pressure) is possibly his greatest asset. He is largely responsible for a shift to higher standards of athleticism amongst professional golfers, and is known for putting in more hours of practice than most.[120][121][122]
From mid-1993, while he was still an amateur, until 2004, Woods worked almost exclusively with leading swing coach Butch Harmon. From mid-1997, Harmon and Woods fashioned a major redevelopment of Woods' full swing, achieving greater consistency, better distance control, and better kinesiology. The changes began to pay off in 1999.[123] From March 2004 to 2010, Woods was coached by Hank Haney, who worked on flattening his swing plane. Woods continued to win tournaments with Haney, but his driving accuracy dropped significantly. Haney resigned in May 2010 and was replaced by Sean Foley. [124]
Mike "Fluff" Cowan served as Woods' caddy from the start of his professional career until March 1999.[125] He was replaced by Steve Williams, who became a close friend of Woods and is often credited with helping him with key shots and putts.[126] In June 2011, Woods fired Williams and replaced him with Woods' friend Bryon Bell, on an interim basis. Joe LaCava, a former caddy of both Fred Couples and Dustin Johnson, was hired by Woods shortly after.[citation needed]
Equipment[link]
- Driver: Nike VR Tour (8.5 degree; Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6x shaft)
- Fairway Woods: Nike VR Pro 15° 3-wood and Nike SQ II 19° 5-Wood with Mitsubishi Diamana Blueboard 103 shaft
- Irons: Nike VR Pro Blades (2-PW) (Tiger will put his 5 Wood or 2 Iron in the bag depending upon the course setup and conditions). All irons are 1 degree upright, have D4 swingweight, standard size Tour Velvet grips and True Temper Dynamic Gold X-100 shafts.[130]
- Wedges: Nike VR Pro (56 and 60 degree; True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts)
- Putter: Nike Method 001
- Ball: Nike ONE Tour D (with "Tiger" imprint)
- Golf Glove: Nike Dri-FIT Tour glove
- Golf Shoes: Nike TW '13
- Driver club cover: Frank, a plush tiger head club cover created by his mother. Frank has appeared in several commercials.[131]
Career achievements[link]
Main article: List of career achievements by Tiger Woods
Woods has won 72 official PGA Tour events including 14 majors. He is 14–1 when going into the final round of a major with at least a share of the lead. He has been heralded as "the greatest closer in history" by multiple golf experts.[132][133][134] He owns the lowest career scoring average and the most career earnings of any player in PGA Tour history.
He has spent the most consecutive and cumulative weeks atop the world rankings. He is one of five players (along with Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus) to have won all four professional major championships in his career, known as the Career Grand Slam, and was the youngest to do so.[135] Woods is the only player to have won all four professional major championships in a row, accomplishing the feat in the 2000–2001 seasons.
- PGA Tour wins (72)
- European Tour wins (38)
- Japan Golf Tour wins (2)
- Asian Tour wins (1)
- PGA Tour of Australasia wins (1)
- Other professional wins (15)
- Amateur wins (21)
Major championships[link]
Wins (14)[link]
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Masters Tournament | 099 shot lead | -18−18 (70–66–65–69=270) | 1212 strokes | Tom Kite |
| 1999 | PGA Championship | 00Tied for lead | -11−11 (70–67–68–72=277) | 011 stroke |  Sergio García |
| 2000 | U.S. Open | 1010 shot lead | -12−12 (65–69–71–67=272) | 1515 strokes |  Ernie Els, Miguel Ángel Jiménez |
| 2000 | The Open Championship | 066 shot lead | -19−19 (67–66–67–69=269) | 088 strokes |  Thomas Bjørn, Ernie Els |
| 2000 | PGA Championship (2) | 011 shot lead | -18−18 (66–67–70–67=270) | 00Playoff 1 | Bob May |
| 2001 | Masters Tournament (2) | 011 shot lead | -16−16 (70–66–68–68=272) | 022 strokes | David Duval |
| 2002 | Masters Tournament (3) | 00Tied for lead | -12−12 (70–69–66–71=276) | 033 strokes | Retief Goosen |
| 2002 | U.S. Open (2) | 044 shot lead | -03−3 (67–68–70–72=277) | 033 strokes | Phil Mickelson |
| 2005 | Masters Tournament (4) | 033 shot lead | -12−12 (74–66–65–71=276) | 00Playoff 2 | Chris DiMarco |
| 2005 | The Open Championship (2) | 022 shot lead | -14−14 (66–67–71–70=274) | 055 strokes |  Colin Montgomerie |
| 2006 | The Open Championship (3) | 011 shot lead | -18−18 (67–65–71–67=270) | 022 strokes | Chris DiMarco |
| 2006 | PGA Championship (3) | 00Tied for lead | -18−18 (69–68–65–68=270) | 055 strokes | Shaun Micheel |
| 2007 | PGA Championship (4) | 033 shot lead | -08−8 (71–63–69–69=272) | 022 strokes | Woody Austin |
| 2008 | U.S. Open (3) | 011 shot lead | -01−1 (72–68–70–73=283) | 00Playoff 3 | Rocco Mediate |
1 Defeated May in three-hole playoff by 1 stroke: Woods (3–4–5=12), May (4–4–5=13)
2 Defeated DiMarco with birdie on first extra hole
3 Defeated Mediate with a par on 1st sudden death hole after 18-hole playoff was tied at even par
Results timeline[link]
| Tournament | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T41 LA | CUT | 1 | T8 | T18 | 5 | 1 | 1 | T15 | T22 | 1 | T3 | T2 | 2 | T6 | T4 | T4 | T40 |
| U.S. Open | WD | T82 | T19 | T18 | T3 | 1 | T12 | 1 | T20 | T17 | 2 | CUT | T2 | 1 | T6 | T4 | DNP | |
| The Open Championship | T68 | T22 LA | T24 | 3 | T7 | 1 | T25 | T28 | T4 | T9 | 1 | 1 | T12 | DNP | CUT | T23 | DNP | |
| PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | T29 | T10 | 1 | 1 | T29 | 2 | T39 | T24 | T4 | 1 | 1 | DNP | 2 | T28 | CUT |
LA = Low Amateur
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
World Golf Championships[link]
Wins (16)[link]
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | WGC-NEC Invitational | 055 shot lead | -10-10 (66–71–62–71=270) | 011 stroke | Phil Mickelson |
| 1999 | WGC-American Express Championship | -031 shot deficit | -06-6 (71–69–70–68=278) | 00Playoff 1 | Miguel Ángel Jiménez |
| 2000 | WGC-NEC Invitational (2) | 099 shot lead | -21-21 (64–61–67–67=259) | 1111 strokes | Justin Leonard, Phillip Price |
| 2001 | WGC-NEC Invitational (3) | -022 shot deficit | -12-12 (66–67–66–69=268) | 00Playoff 2 | Jim Furyk |
| 2002 | WGC-American Express Championship (2) | 055 shot lead | -25-25 (65–65–67–66=263) | 011 stroke | Retief Goosen |
| 2003 | WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship | n/an/a | n/a2 & 1 | n/an/a | David Toms |
| 2003 | WGC-American Express Championship (3) | 022 shot lead | -06-6 (67–66–69–72=274) | 022 strokes | Stuart Appleby, Tim Herron,  Vijay Singh |
| 2004 | WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship (2) | n/an/a | n/a3 & 2 | n/an/a | Davis Love III |
| 2005 | WGC-NEC Invitational (4) | 00Tied for lead | -06-6 (66–70–67–71=274) | 011 stroke | Chris DiMarco |
| 2005 | WGC-American Express Championship (4) | -022 shot deficit | -10-10 (67–68–68–67=270) | 00Playoff 3 | John Daly |
| 2006 | WGC-NEC InvitationalWGC-Bridgestone Invitational (5) | -031 shot deficit | -10-10 (67–64–71–68=270) | 00Playoff 4 | Stewart Cink |
| 2006 | WGC-American Express Championship (5) | 066 shot lead | -23-23 (63–64–67–67=261) | 088 strokes | Ian Poulter, Adam Scott |
| 2007 | WGC-American Express ChampionshipWGC-CA Championship (6) | 044 shot lead | -10-10 (71–66–68–73=278) | 022 strokes | Brett Wetterich |
| 2007 | WGC-NEC InvitationalWGC-Bridgestone Invitational (6) | -031 shot deficit | -08-8 (68–70–69–65=272) | 088 strokes | Justin Rose, Rory Sabbatini |
| 2008 | WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship (3) | n/an/a | n/a8 & 7 | n/an/a | Stewart Cink |
| 2009 | WGC-NEC InvitationalzWGC-Bridgestone Invitational (7) | -013 shot deficit | -12-12 (68–70–65–65=268) | 044 strokes | Robert Allenby,  Pádraig Harrington |
1 Won on the first extra hole of a sudden-death playoff.
2 Won on the seventh extra hole of a sudden-death playoff.
3 Won on the second extra hole of a sudden-death playoff.
4 Won on the fourth extra hole of a sudden-death playoff.
Results timeline[link]
| Tournament | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship | QF | 2 | DNP | R64 | 1 | 1 | R32 | R16 | R16 | 1 | R32 | DNP | R64 | R32 |
| Cadillac Championship | 1 | T5 | NT1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | T9 | DNP | T10 | WD |
| Bridgestone Invitational | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | T4 | T2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | DNP | 1 | T78 | T37 | |
| HSBC Champions | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | T6 | T6 | DNP |
1Cancelled due to 9/11
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
NT = No Tournament
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
PGA Tour career summary[link]
| Year | Wins (Majors) | Earnings ($) | Money list rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2 | 790,594 | 24 |
| 1997 | 4 (1) | 2,066,833 | 1 |
| 1998 | 1 | 1,841,117 | 4 |
| 1999 | 8 (1) | 6,616,585 | 1 |
| 2000 | 9 (3) | 9,188,321 | 1 |
| 2001 | 5 (1) | 6,687,777 | 1 |
| 2002 | 5 (2) | 6,912,625 | 1 |
| 2003 | 5 | 6,673,413 | 2 |
| 2004 | 1 | 5,365,472 | 4 |
| 2005 | 6 (2) | 10,628,024 | 1 |
| 2006 | 8 (2) | 9,941,563 | 1 |
| 2007 | 7 (1) | 10,867,052 | 1 |
| 2008 | 4 (1) | 5,775,000 | 2 |
| 2009 | 6 | 10,508,163 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 | 1,294,765 | 68 |
| 2011 | 0 | 660,238 | 128 |
| 2012* | 1 | 1,848,050 | 17 |
| Career* | 72 (14) | 96,665,592 | 1 |
- * As of May 13, 2012.
Other ventures[link]
Tiger Woods Foundation[link]
The Tiger Woods Foundation was established in 1996 by Woods and his father Earl, with the primary goal of promoting golf among inner-city children.[136][137] The foundation has conducted junior golf clinics across the country, and sponsors the Tiger Woods Foundation National Junior Golf Team in the Junior World Golf Championships.[138][139] As of December 2010, TWF employed approximately 55 people.[140][141]
The foundation operates the Tiger Woods Learning Center, a $50 million, 35,000-square-foot facility in Anaheim, California, providing college-access programs for underserved youth.[138][140][142] The TWLC opened in 2006 and features seven classrooms, extensive multi-media facilities and an outdoor golf teaching area.[138] The center has since expanded to four additional campuses: two in Washington, DC; one in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and one in Stuart, Florida.[142]
The foundation benefits from the annual Chevron World Challenge and AT&T National golf tournaments hosted by Woods.[140] In October 2011, the foundation hosted the first Tiger Woods Invitational at Pebble Beach.[143] Other annual fundraisers have included the concert events Block Party, last held in 2009 in Anaheim, and Tiger Jam, last held in 2011 in Las Vegas after a one-year hiatus.[140][144][145][146]
Tiger Woods Design[link]
In November 2006, Woods announced his intention to begin designing golf courses around the world through a new company, Tiger Woods Design.[147] A month later, he announced that the company's first course would be in Dubai as part of a 25.3 million-square-foot development, The Tiger Woods Dubai.[148] The Al Ruwaya Golf Course was initially expected to finish construction in 2009.[148] As of February 2010, only seven holes had been completed; in April 2011, the New York Times reported that the project had been shelved permanently.[149][150]
Tiger Woods Design has taken on two other courses, neither of which has materialized. In August 2007, Woods announced The Cliffs at High Carolina, a private course in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina.[151] After a groundbreaking in November 2008, the project suffered cash flow problems and suspended construction.[150] A third course, in Punta Brava, Mexico, was announced in October 2008, but incurred delays due to issues with permits and an environmental impact study.[152][150] Construction on the Punta Brava course has not yet begun.[150]
The problems encountered by these projects have been credited to factors including overly optimistic estimates of their value; declines throughout the global economy, particularly the U.S. crash in home prices; and decreased appeal of Woods following his 2009 infidelity scandal.[150]
Writings[link]
Woods wrote a golf instruction column for Golf Digest magazine from 1997 to February 2011.[153] In 2001 he wrote a best-selling golf instruction book, How I Play Golf, which had the largest print run of any golf book for its first edition, 1.5 million copies.[154]
Personal life[link]
Marriage and children[link]
In November 2003, Woods became engaged to Elin Nordegren, a Swedish former model and daughter of former minister of migration Barbro Holmberg and radio journalist Thomas Nordegren.[155] They were introduced during The Open Championship in 2001 by Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik, who had employed her as an au pair. They married on October 5, 2004, at the Sandy Lane resort in Barbados, and lived at Isleworth, a community in Windermere, a suburb of Orlando, Florida.[156][157] In 2006, they purchased a $39 million estate in Jupiter Island, Florida, and began constructing a 10,000-square-foot home; Woods moved there in 2010 following the couple's divorce.[157][158]
Woods and Nordegren's first child, a daughter named Sam Alexis Woods, was born on June 18, 2007. Woods chose the name because his own father had always called him Sam.[159] Their son, Charlie Axel Woods, was born on February 8, 2009.[160]
Infidelity scandal and fallout[link]
On November 25, 2009, supermarket tabloid The National Enquirer published a story claiming that Woods had an extramarital affair with New York City nightclub manager Rachel Uchitel, a claim she denied.[161] Two days later, around 2:30 AM on November 27, Woods left home in his Cadillac Escalade SUV and, while still on his street, collided with a fire hydrant, a tree, and several hedges.[162] He was treated for minor facial lacerations and received a ticket for careless driving.[162][163] Following intense media speculation about the accident, Woods released a statement on his website taking sole responsibility for the accident, calling it a "private matter" and crediting his wife for helping him from the car.[164][165] On November 30, Woods announced that he would not be appearing at his own charity golf tournament, the Chevron World Challenge, nor any other tournaments in 2009, due to his injuries.[166]
On December 2, following the release by US Weekly of a voicemail message allegedly left by Tiger for a mistress, Woods released another statement in which he admitted "transgressions" and apologized to "all of those who have supported [him] over the years", while reiterating his and his family's right to privacy.[161][167] Over the next several days, more than a dozen women claimed in various media outlets to have had affairs with Woods.[8] On December 11, he released a third statement admitting to infidelity and apologizing again, as well as announcing that he would be taking "an indefinite break from professional golf."[8]
In the days and months following Woods' admission of infidelity, several companies re-evaluated their relationships with him. Accenture, AT&T, Gatorade and General Motors completely ended their sponsorship deals, while Gillette suspended advertising featuring Woods.[168][169][170] TAG Heuer dropped Woods from advertising in December 2009 and officially ended their deal when his contract expired in August 2011.[168][171] The magazine Golf Digest suspended Woods' monthly column beginning with the February 2010 issue.[172] In contrast, Nike continued to support Woods, as did Electronic Arts, which was working with Woods on the game Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online.[173] A December 2009 study estimated the shareholder loss caused by Woods' affairs to be between $5 billion and $12 billion.[174][175]
On February 19, 2010, Woods gave a televised statement in which he said he had been in a 45-day therapy program since the end of December. He again apologized for his actions. "I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to," he said. "I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have to go far to find them. I was wrong. I was foolish." He said he did not know yet when he would be returning to golf.[176][177] He announced a few weeks later on March 16 that he would be returning at the 2010 Masters Tournament on April 8.[178]
Woods and Nordegren officially divorced on August 23, 2010.[179]
Other[link]
From childhood Woods was raised as a Buddhist, and actively practised this faith from childhood until well into his adult professional golf career.[180] In a 2000 article, Woods was quoted as saying he "believes in Buddhism... Not every aspect, but most of it."[181] He has attributed his deviations and infidelity to his losing track of Buddhism. He said that "Buddhism teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously I lost track of what I was taught."[182]
Tiger Woods is registered as an independent.[183] In January 2009, Woods delivered a speech commemorating the military at the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial.[184][185] In April 2009, Woods visited the White House while in the Washington, D.C. area promoting the golf tournament he hosts, the AT&T National.[186]
Woods underwent laser eye surgery in 1999. Before this surgery, Woods eyesight was minus 11, meaning he was almost legally blind. He considered the surgery a big help in his career and a good alternative to the glasses and contact lenses.[187] He immediately started winning tour events after the surgery. He received money from TLC Laser Eye Centers to endorse them.[188] In 2007, he had a second laser eye surgery when his vision began to deteriorate again.[189]
See also[link]
- Career Grand Slam Champions
- Golfers with most European Tour wins
- List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins
- List of men's major championships winning golfers
- List of World Number One male golfers
- Longest PGA Tour win streaks
- Most PGA Tour wins in a year
- Most wins in one PGA Tour event
References[link]
- ^ This is calculated by adding Woods' 72 PGA Tour victories, 8 regular European Tour titles, 2 Japan Tour wins, 1 Asian Tour crown, and the 16 Other wins in his career.
- ^ These are the 14 majors, 16 WGC events, and his eight tour wins.
- ^ 2009 European Tour Official Guide Section 4 Page 577 PDF 21[dead link]. European Tour. Retrieved on April 21, 2009.
- ^ Sounes, Howard (2004). The Wicked Game: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and the Story of Modern Golf. Harper Collins. pp. 120–121, 293. ISBN 0-06-051386-1.
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- ^ Official World Golf Ranking - 8 April 2012
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- ^ Soltau, Mark (November 6, 2006). "Tiger Woods' next step: Design golf courses". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=2651591. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
- ^ a b Wolfensberger, Marc (December 3, 2006). "Tiger Woods Will Design First Golf Course in Dubai". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aNvm0ZjXUZ3M. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
- ^ Fattah, Zainab (February 1, 2010). "Tiger Woods’s Dubai Golf Resort Will Be Completed, Builder Says". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a3KSfSvghqjA. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Sullivan, Paul. "For Tiger Woods, a Golf Course Design Business Is in the Rough." The New York Times, April 2, 2011.
- ^ "Tiger to design his first U.S. course". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=2974491. Retrieved August 15, 2007.
- ^ Louis, Brian; Taub, Daniel (October 7, 2008). "Tiger Woods and Flagship to Build Mexico Golf Resort". Bloomberg L.P.. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=ao2vcPf3MUek&refer=us. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
- ^ "New deal includes instruction, Web pieces". Associated Press. ESPN. May 8, 2002. http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/story?id=1380039. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
- ^ Snider, Mike (October 9, 2001). "Tiger Woods joins the club of golf book authors". USA Today (Gannett Company). http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/2001-10-09-tiger-woods.htm. Retrieved June 20, 2008.
- ^ "Five things you didn't know about Elin Nordegren". CNN. December 4, 2009. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/12/03/elin.five.things.to.know/index.html?iref=mpstoryview. Retrieved December 15, 2009.
- ^ "Woods ties the knot". BBC Sport. October 6, 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/3715694.stm. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
- ^ a b "Tiger Woods buys $40 million estate". The New York Times. January 1, 2006. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/01/realestate/01iht-web.propbrfs2.html. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
- ^ "As Tiger Woods completes his £30m new home Elin reminds him what he HASN'T got". Daily Mail (UK). October 29, 2010. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1324971/Tiger-Woods-new-50m-bachelor-pad---look-got.html. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
- ^ White, Joseph (July 3, 2007). "Woods played U.S. Open while wife was in hospital". USA Today. Associated Press. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/2007-07-03-2162604389_x.htm. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
- ^ "Tiger becomes dad for second time". Associated Press. ESPN. February 9, 2009. http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3893647. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
- ^ a b "Tiger Woods admits "transgressions," apologizes". Reuters. December 2, 2009. http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/12/02/golf-woods-idUSGEE5B11VL20091202. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^ a b DiMeglio, Steve (December 3, 2009). "Woods crash did $3,200 damage to hydrant, tree". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/pga/2009-12-02-woods-crash-damage_N.htm. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^ "Tiger injured in late-night car accident". The Independent. November 28, 2009. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/golf/tiger-injured-in-latenight-car-accident-1830059.html. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^ "Tiger Woods issues statement on crash". USA Today. Associated Press. November 30, 2009. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/2009-11-29-4208750340_x.htm. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^ Tiger Woods (November 29, 2009). "Statement from Tiger Woods". TigerWoods.com. http://web.tigerwoods.com/news/article/200911297726222/news/. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^ "Tiger Woods Cancels Tourney Appearance". CBS News. November 30, 2009. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/30/sportsline/main5838742.shtml. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
- ^ Tiger Woods (December 2, 2009). "Tiger comments on current events". TigerWoods.com. http://web.tigerwoods.com/news/article/200912027740572/news/. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ a b "AT&T cuts connection with Woods". Associated Press. ESPN. January 1, 2010. http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=4784720. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^ "GM ends car loans for Tiger Woods". London: BBC News. January 13, 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8458194.stm. Retrieved January 13, 2010.
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- ^ Daily Mail, Another major blow for Tiger Woods as $10m sponsor Tag Heuer gives him the elbow 8 August 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ Golf Digest, February 2010.
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- ^ Shareholder Value Destruction following the Tiger Woods Scandal[dead link], by Christopher R. Knittel and Victor Stango, University of California at Davis, December 28, 2009
- ^ Tiger Woods Scandal Cost Shareholders up to $12 Billion, UC Davis Study Says, Business Wire, December 28, 2009
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- ^ ASAP Sports (February 19, 2010). "Transcript: Tiger's public statement". Web.tigerwoods.com. http://web.tigerwoods.com/news/article/201002198096934/news/. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
- ^ Jeff Rude (March 17, 2010). "Woods' return shows he's ready to win". Fox Sports. http://msn.foxsports.com/golf/story/Tiger-Woods-return-at-Masters-shows-he-is-ready-to-win?GT1=39002. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
- ^ Steve Helling (August 23, 2010). "Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren's Divorce Is Final". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20414961,00.html. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
- ^ "Tiger Woods makes emotional apology for infidelity". BBC News (London). February 19, 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/8521060.stm. Retrieved February 26, 2010. (also see here [1])
- ^ Wright, Robert (July 24, 2000). "Gandhi and Tiger Woods". Slate. http://www.slate.com/id/86898/. Retrieved August 13, 2007.
- ^ "Tiger Woods Returns to Buddhism". ISKCON News. February 20, 2010. http://news.iskcon.org/node/2559/2010-02-23/tiger_woods_returns_to_buddhism. Retrieved March 11, 2010. [dead link]
- ^ Abcarian, Robin (December 13, 2009). "How did Tiger keep his secrets?". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-tiger-woods13-2009dec13,0,1748884.story?track=rss. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
- ^ "Tiger to speak at Lincoln Memorial". ESPN. Associated Press. January 16, 2009. http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3838781. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
- ^ "Tiger Woods gives speech at Obama inauguration". Golftoday.co.uk. January 21, 2009. http://www.golftoday.co.uk/news/yeartodate/news_09/tiger_woods_1.html. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
- ^ Montopoli, Brian (April 23, 2009). "Tiger Woods In The White House". CBS. http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/04/23/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4964474.shtml. Retrieved May 3, 2009.
- ^ Tiger Woods undergoes second laser eye surgery
- ^ Eyes of the Tiger: Tiger Woods – LASIK laser eye surgery
- ^ Woods has second laser eye surgery
Further reading[link]
- Andrisani, John (1997). The Tiger Woods Way: An Analysis of Tiger Woods' Power-Swing Technique. New York: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-609-80139-2. OCLC 55124056
- Clary, Jack (1997). Tiger Woods. Twickenham, England: Tiger Books International. ISBN 978-1-85501-954-6. OCLC 40859379
- Feinstein, John (1999). The Majors: In Pursuit of Golf's Holy Grail. Boston: Little, Brown. ISBN 978-0-316-27971-0. OCLC 40602886
- Londino, Lawrence J. (2006). Tiger Woods: A Biography. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-33121-3. OCLC 61109403
- Rosaforte, Tim (2000). Raising the Bar: The Championship Years of Tiger Woods. New York: Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN 978-0-312-27212-8. OCLC 45248211
- Woods, Earl; McDaniel, Pete (1997). Training a Tiger: A Father's Guide to Raising a Winner in Both Golf and Life. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-06-270178-7. OCLC 35925055
- Woods, Tiger (2001). How I Play Golf. New York: Warner Books. ISBN 978-0-446-52931-0. OCLC 46992172
External links[link]
| Find more about Tiger Woods on Wikipedia's sister projects: | |
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Images and media from Commons |
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News stories from Wikinews |
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Quotations from Wikiquote |
- Official website
- Tiger Woods at the PGA Tour official site
- Tiger Woods at the European Tour official site
- Tiger Woods at the Japan Golf Tour official site
- Tiger Woods at the Official World Golf Ranking official site
- Tiger Woods Foundation
- Tiger Woods Learning Center
- Tiger Woods on Twitter
- Tiger Woods at the Internet Movie Database
- Works by or about Tiger Woods in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- Tiger Woods' Videos on mReplay
- Tiger Woods Video on ESPN Video Archive
- Tiger Woods Video on FoxSports Video Archive
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Woods, Tiger |
| Alternative names | Woods, Eldrick Tont |
| Short description | Professional golfer |
| Date of birth | December 30, 1975 |
| Place of birth | Cypress, California, U.S. |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
