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The Top Ranked Golfers of the 1980s

Notes: Ranking Explanations

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32 Best Golfers Of The 80s

We recall a decade that saw many of the game's iconic names dazzle at their brilliant best and the Ryder Cup come to life

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Seve Ballesteros

In the space of 40 Majors in the 80s, 29 of them would go to the Americans but it would represent a changing of the ways as the Europeans began to take over at Augusta. This was something that was also mirrored in the Ryder Cup as Europe's big guns began to dominate things. 

In the women's game the Americans would still rule things, this was before the Solheim Cup had even begun, while we would have to wait until 1998 for the Korean breakthrough. 

The 80s would see the first Ballesteros' Major and Nicklaus' last – the latter, at the age of 46, remains one of the greatest Sundays in the history of the game. 

FUZZY ZOELLER

Frank Urban 'Fuzzy' Zoeller produced one of the iconic moments of the decade when he would wave a white towel after watching Greg Norman hole a long putt at the 72nd hole of the 1984 US Open. The putt was actually for a par, the American thought it was for a three, and he would beat Norman by eight shots in a play-off on the Monday. The win was his second Major triumph. 

LAURA DAVIES

Davies only turned pro in 1985 but she would land both the Rookie of the Year and Order of Merit the same year. The following year she would prevail at Birkdale in the days before the Women's British Open was a Major but Davies would then land the big one, the US Women's Open, in 1987. In 1988 she would make history by winning on all three major Tours.

JAN STEPHENSON

Stephenson was very much an outlier given that she was a non-American who was winning Majors. Indeed the Aussie would pick up one in three consecutive years, peaking with the 1983 US Women's Open. In oppressive heat she would have a winning score of +6. She would soon become known worldwide for posing in a bathtub covered only by golf balls . By 1987 she had recorded her final victory on the LPGA Tour.

LEE TREVINO

Trevino won 29 times on the PGA Tour and, while only five of them would come in the 80s, he did manage to add a sixth Major 10 years on from his previous one. At the '84 PGA the 44-year-old would break 70 every day at Shoal Creek to win by four shots from Lanny Wadkins and a 49-year-old Gary Player. A year later he would finish second behind Hubert Green.

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL

Much of Olazabal's best work came in the following decade but this was when he made two stunning Ryder Cup appearances, kicking off the greatest partnership in golf, having finished second on the money list in his debut season in 1986. In the first half of the 80s he made a small slice of history by winning the Boys Amateur, Amateur Championship and British Youths Open Amateur Championship.

It's far too easy to obsess about a player's number of wins on the PGA and European Tours – Aoki won 51 times in his homeland of Japan and 23 of them came in the 80s. He would famously win the European Open at Sunningdale in 1983. The Japanese star, with the trademark toe up putting stroke, was a household name in this decade and was ranked as the 16th best player when the first world rankings were published in 1986.

MANUEL PINERO

The Spaniard might not have lit up the Majors but his contribution to one of the seismic victories of the decade cannot be underestimated. In 1985 Pinero won on back-to-back weeks to qualify for the Ryder Cup team and later that year he would finish as the leading scorer, with four out of five points, as Europe finally won back the trophy. Pinero would beat the US talisman Lanny Wadkins in the key opening singles. 

JULI INKSTER

Inkster was always going to be a force in the game. The American became the first woman since 1934 to win three straight US Amateurs and, by 1984, she had landed a pair of Majors. At her first Dinah Shore (now Chevron Championship) she would beat Pat Bradley in a play-off, later that year she had added the du Maurier Classic. Bizarrely she never topped the LPGA money list though there were four Ws in 1986.

Mize's chip in at the 11th in a play-off for the '87 Masters was the shot of the decade as he sunk a distraught Greg Norman from nowhere – he was around 140 feet away. What is sometimes forgotten is that Ballesteros was also part of the play-off, also Mize's woeful approach shot came from the middle of the fairway. The Augusta native would also finish 4th at the US Open two months later.

LANNY WADKINS

Jerry Lanston 'Lanny' Wadkins Jr 'only' won one Major, the '77 PGA Championship, but some players deserved more for their skills and the American was certainly in this bracket. In the 80s he posted 10 top 10s, three of them second places, and he ranked in the top 10 of the world rankings for 86 weeks from the ranking's debut in 1986 to 1988. He was renowned as a gritty match player.

King barely missed a step after capturing her first win on Tour in 1984 and the Hall of Famer would capture at least one victory for the next 10 seasons. King's stand-out season came in 1989 when she not only prevailed a staggering six times but she also won the first of back-to-back US Women's Opens. That season her worst finish in a Major was a tie for 8th.

TOMMY NAKAJIMA

Nakajima won 48 times on his home Tour and 29 of those came in the 80s. The Japanese star was famous for making a mess of the Road Hole at the '78 Open but he threatened on several occasions to make the Major Asian breakthrough – at the '86 Open at Turnberry he would start the final day one off Greg Norman's lead but he then missed a short putt at the 1st, made a double and slipped to a 77.

Kite was an absolute money-making machine and his record at The Masters was something else – the Texan would kick off the 80s at Augusta with these finishes 6-5-5-2-6-MC-2. He would also not miss a Ryder Cup in the decade and his big moment came at the '89 Players when he would edge out Chip Beck. Kite, a brilliant short-iron player, would finally land his Major at the '92 US Open.

FRED COUPLES

It might surprise a few that Couples actually turned pro as far back as 1980. Boom Boom, as he was known for his long, easy hitting, peppered the top 10s in the Majors, particularly at Augusta and The Open, but he would have to wait until 1989 to make his Ryder Cup debut. His big moment down Magnolia Lane would follow but he did land The Players in 1984, by a shot from Lee Trevino, at the age of just 24.

Sigel is one of the most decorated amateur golfers who would turn pro at the age of 50 to play on the Champions Tour. He would play on nine straight Walker Cup teams, winning eight of them and twice as the winning captain, and there would also be three Eisenhower Trophy victories in '78, 80 and 82. In 1983 he became the only golfer ever to win the US Amateur and US Mid-Amateur in the same year.

CRAIG STADLER

Stadler was a dominant force in the first half of the decade. The Walrus, as he was affectionately known for his stout physique and moustache, would capture The Masters in 1982 after opening with a 75. He had built a six-shot lead after 65 holes but four bogeys coming home meant he would face a play-off with Dan Pohl. Stadler made a par at the 10th and Pohl would miss a six-footer.

BEN CRENSHAW

Crenshaw will always be regarded as one of the greatest putters of all time and his record at Augusta during the 80s is a thing of beauty – 6-8-24-2-W-57-16-4-4-3. His big moment came a year after his second place behind Seve in '83 when he opened with a 67 and a 68 gave him a two-shot win over Tom Watson. There would be a hat-trick of birdies from the 8th which culminated in an iconic putt across the 10th green.

PAT BRADLEY

Bradley would win each of the four Majors (at the time) during the 80s with 1986 one of the greatest displays in the history of the game. Bradley, then 35, would win the Kraft Nabisco, LPGA Championship and du Maurier Classic and she would tie for 5th at the US Women's Open. She would end her career with 31 LPGA victories and six Majors. Psychologist Bob Rotella wrote that Bradley was the most mentally tough athlete that he knew. 

PATTY SHEEHAN

Sheehan joined the LPGA Tour, played on it for 26 years and finished her career with 35 wins on Tour. A leading amateur she would become the Rookie of the Year in her inaugural season and she landed the first of her six Majors in 1983 at the LPGA Championship. The following year she would defend her title when she blitzed the field by 10 strokes which was the biggest winning margin at the time. 

MARIE-LAURE DE LORENZI 

De Lorenzi's record is an incredible one. The Frenchwoman joined the Ladies European Tour in 1987 before topping the money list the following two seasons. Over the two years she would finish in the top two 17 times, with seven wins in the latter season. She now sits in a tie for third for all-time wins (19), alongside Trish Johnson, with Laura Davies leading the way with 45 victories. In 1990 she was part of Europe's first Solheim Cup side.

LARRY NELSON

Nelson was a late starter at 21 but he would sign off with three Majors and a US Open win at Oakmont. There, in 1983, he dropped seven shots in his first four holes on the Saturday before turning it around by playing the rest of the round in seven under. He and Tom Watson were tied when a storm came through and Nelson then holed a 60-footer on 16, before three-putting the last, but sneaked home by a shot.

Floyd was already a two-time Major champ coming into the 80s, having won The Masters by a ridiculous eight shots, and he would then add two more. He captured the US Open in '86 with a final round of 66 and he became the then oldest winner at the age of 43 – it is now held by Hale Irwin who won at 45. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1989.

JACK NICKLAUS

Nicklaus had 15 Majors in the bag and he would then tick off two more with a fourth US Open and fifth PGA in 1980. Roll the clock forward six years and we got the big send-off. Written off by some the Golden Bear would come into the Sunday four back before reaching the turn in 35. Then came a back nine of 30 and some of the most iconic shots in the history of the game.

Alexander Walter Barr Lyle has one of the most curious Major records. The Scot had one top 10 at Augusta, the win in 1988, and he rarely threatened in The Open other than his victory in 1985, the first British success since Tony Jacklin in 1969. He would only play in one PGA throughout the whole decade. According to Seve there was nobody better – "If everyone in the world was playing their best, Sandy would win and I'd come second.”

CURTIS STRANGE

If ever a player was defined by a decade it would be Strange. Sixteen of his 17 PGA Tour wins came in the 80s, including his back-to-back US Open victories. Only Ben Hogan, Strange and Brooks Koepka have defended the USGA showpiece since World War II and, oddly, the win at Oak Hill in '89 would be his last. He nearly won The Masters in '85, after a first-round 80, and four of his five Ryder Cup appearances came in this decade.

IAN WOOSNAM

In 1981 Woosnam couldn't break into the top 100 on the European Tour money list, then his career really took off with a win in Switzerland the following year and he was never out of the top 10. The Welshman was unstoppable in 1987, when he topped the money list with four wins, along with a World Cup with David Llewellyn and the World Match Play at Wentworth. That Masters win would then follow in 1991.

Faldo had already enjoyed plenty of success by the time of his famous swing rebuild in the mid 80s. In 1987 he landed The Open at Muirfield – he was only once outside the top 11 throughout the decade  – and two years later came  that Masters triumph over Scott Hoch. Come the end of the 80s he was fast closing in on the World No. 1 spot. He also featured on 11 straight Ryder Cup matches from 1977 onwards.

BERNHARD LANGER

Langer's first European Tour win came at the end of 1980 and he would win at least once every year thereafter. The German certainly should have won an Open, there were four top 3s in the space of six years from '81 but his big moment came at Augusta. In 1985 Langer won the first of two Green Jackets when a back-nine charge saw him overhaul Curtis Strange. Interestingly Langer won six straight German National Open titles from 1984-89.

Alcott played in 37 Majors in the 80s, finished in the top 10 in 18 of them and she wouldn't miss a single cut. The 1980 US Women's Open was a masterclass in oppressive heat in Nashville as she finished on four-under to win by nine. In its first year as a Major Alcott captured the Nabisco Dinah Shore (now Chevron Championship) and followed it up in '88 when she began the tradition of jumping into Poppie's Pond.

GREG NORMAN

In 1986 the Aussie would hold the lead in all four of the Majors going into the final round - they would term it the Saturday Slam - but only prevailed at The Open at Turnberry. The PGA was the biggest collapse as he saw a four-shot lead overturned by Bob Tway which climaxed in that holed bunker shot at 18. Eight months later Larry Mize would chip in at Augusta in the play-off.

From 1980-83 Watson was the stand-out golfer on the planet. In 16 Majors he would win five of them, with three Claret Jugs in just four years. If there was a single iconic Watson shot it would be his chip-in at Pebble Beach's 17th hole – "Get it close? Hell, I'm going to sink it" – as he got the better of Jack Nicklaus once again. The PGA would continue to elude Watson as he closed out his career with eight Majors.

SEVE BALLESTEROS

Seve won 32 times throughout the 80s on the European Tour and he would have no fewer than seven top 5s at Augusta. There would be the pair of Green Jackets but the Open victory at St Andrews in '84 is generally regarded as the most memorable of his five Majors. His ability to will in that final putt, and the sheer joy on his face, remains one of the most uplifting moments that the game has ever witnessed.  

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Mark has worked in golf for over 20 years having started off his journalistic life at the Press Association and BBC Sport before moving to Sky Sports where he became their golf editor on skysports.com. He then worked at National Club Golfer and Lady Golfer where he was the deputy editor and he has interviewed many of the leading names in the game, both male and female, ghosted columns for the likes of Robert Rock, Charley Hull and Dame Laura Davies, as well as playing the vast majority of our Top 100 GB&I courses. He loves links golf with a particular love of Royal Dornoch and Kingsbarns. He is now a freelance, also working for the PGA and Robert Rock. Loves tour golf, both men and women and he remains the long-standing owner of an horrific short game. He plays at Moortown with a handicap of 6.

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1980: PGA Tour of Champions Was Formally Founded

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Kolter Knutson

The Senior PGA Championship, founded in 1937, was for many years the only high-profile tournament for golfers over 50. The idea for a senior tour grew out of a highly successful event in 1978, the Legends of Golf.

Legends of Golf featured a competition between two-member teams of some of the greatest older golfers of that day.

On This Day, in 1980 the PGA Tour of Champions… the Champions Tour Was Formally Founded

On this day, In 1980 The PGA Tour of Champions… The Champions Tour was formally founded

The tour was formally established in 1980 and was originally known as the Senior PGA Tour until October 2002. The tour was then renamed the Champions Tour through the 2015 season, after which the current name of “PGA Tour Champions” was adopted.

Timeline: A look at the senior circuit of golf:

1980: A meeting among Sam Snead, Bob Goalby, Don January, Julius Boros, Gardner Dickinson and Dan Sikes produces the idea of a “senior tour” and the PGA Tour soon adopts it.

Two tournaments were held, with January winning the first and Arnold Palmer winning the second in his first start as a senior.

1983: Tour grows to 18 events and more than $3 million in prize money.

1985: ESPN televises seven of 27 tournaments. Gary Player wins the first tournament he enters.

1987 : Chi Chi Rodriguez wins three consecutive tournaments, takes a break, then wins the fourth straight tournament he enters. For the first time, pro-am and tournament portions of events are separated.

1988 : Tour grows to 37 events.

1990 : Lee Trevino is rookie of the year and player of the year with seven wins and becomes the first player to win more than $1 million in a season. Jack Nicklaus wins The Tradition in his Tour debut. President George H.W. Bush plays in a Senior event pro-am, marking the first time a sitting president has participated in a PGA-sanctioned event.

1991 : Jim Albus becomes the first former club pro to win a senior major when he wins the Mazda Senior Players Championship. Jack Nicklaus completes Senior Slam by winning U.S. Senior Open.

1992 : Raymond Floyd becomes the first golfer to win a regular PGA Tour and Senior Tour event in the same year.

1995 : Hale Irwin joins the Tour.

1997 : Irwin wins nine times and becomes the first player on any tour to win more than $2 million in a season.

1998 : Irwin and Gil Morgan combine to win 13 events. Irwin earns $2.8 million on the Senior Tour, which is more than money-leader David Duval ($2.5 million) won on PGA Tour. This marks the second straight year Irwin earns more than the PGA Tour champion and the fourth time in Senior Tour history it happens. Jay Sigel sets Tour record with 9-under 27 on the front nine at Hartefeld National with an eagle and seven birdies. David Graham beats Dave Stockton in a record 10-hole sudden-death playoff in Royal Caribbean Classic.

1999 : Rookie Bruce Fleisher wins his first two starts and finishes the year with seven wins. Bob Duval wins the Emerald Coast Classic on the same day his son David wins The Players Championship.

2002 : Japan’s Seiji Ebihara ties the all-time nine-hole scoring record with an 8-under 27 on the front nine at Firestone in the final round of the Senior PGA Championship. Late in the season, the Senior Tour is renamed the Champions Tour.

2003 : The number of tournaments drops to 31. Former Illinois football star Rick George is named president of the Champions Tour. His background includes being an assistant coach, an athletic administrator at Vanderbilt and running the PGA Tour event in New Orleans.

2004 : The Golf Channel replaces CNBC as the Tour’s TV network. CNBC, which carried tournaments from 2001-03, often showed them on a tape-delayed basis.

2005 : Irwin wins the Turtle Bay Championship for the fifth time. Dana Quigley’s streak of 264 consecutive starts ends when he stays home from the Senior British Open to rest his ailing hip. The use of motorized carts is banned unless weather or course setup dictates their use. They can be used to transport golfers from green to tee if the distance is long or the route is steep.

2008-Present: Over the last ten years, Bernhard Langer has dominated the Champions Tour amassing 36 total wins, 10 in just the past two years alone. That includes ten “Senior Major Championships”, and eight out of nine leading money winner at seasons end.

With Langer’s totals up to $24,599,350, he is just a couple of wins away from overtaking Hale Irwin for PGA Champions Tour earnings all-time.

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pga tour players 1980

PAST CHAMPIONS

pga tour players 1980

Scheffler ran off five straight birdies in the middle of his round, built a six-shot lead and left all the drama to everyone else on his way to a 3-under 69 to win the richest prize on the PGA TOUR by five shots.

pga tour players 1980

In a dynamic conclusion to five days of bad weather and high drama, Smith one-putted eight of his last nine holes with his pure stroke and delivered one of the gutsiest shots of his career for the cushion he needed to win.

pga tour players 1980

While others melted down, Thomas went 5 under on holes 9-12, including an eagle at the par-5 11th hole, to seize control. He went even par the rest of the way for his 14th PGA TOUR victory.

pga tour players 1980

McIlroy, a former FedExCup champion, earned 600 FedExCup points, a $2.25 million check and is the proud owner of the redesigned PLAYERS trophy.

pga tour players 1980

Simpson’s record-setting streak continued on moving day, where he fired a 68 to tie the 54-hole scoring record and extend his lead to seven strokes, the largest 54-hole lead in THE PLAYERS history. Simpson had not only conquered the Stadium Course; he had outplayed the best field in the game.

pga tour players 1980

Remarkably, the experience provided the confidence Kim, 21, needed to become the youngest winner of THE PLAYERS and join Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia and Jordan Spieth as the only players with two PGA TOUR wins before the age of 22.

pga tour players 1980

Day had started with a record-tying 63, added a 66, and went 73-71 on the weekend for 15-under 273 to win by four over Kevin Chappell. It was simple, said his opponents: Day is ferocious off the tee, relentless with his irons, and has arguably the best short game going.

pga tour players 1980

When THE PLAYERS folklore is circulated, Fowler at the island-green 17th will resonate loudly. He birdied it in regulation, then again in the playoff (as did Kisner). Now a sudden death back at 17, Fowler for a third time in less than an hour stuffed his shot within 7 feet, made his third birdie, and prevailed when Kisner missed. (For the week, Fowler birdied 17 five out of six times.)

pga tour players 1980

When one final par putt fell, a slippery 3 ½-footer on 18, Kaymer with a 71 was done at 13-under 275, one better than hard-charging Jim Furyk (66).

pga tour players 1980

It was Woods’ 78th career win, but more notable was this: He became just the sixth player with at least two wins in THE PLAYERS.

pga tour players 1980

With water everywhere at 16-17-18, Kuchar needed the “What, Me Worry?” persona like never before. And he delivered: A birdie at 16 put him back up by three, a bogey at 17 hardly crushed his chances, a par at 18 for a round of 70 and at 13-under 275 he won by two over a foursome of talented names (Fowler, Laird, Ben Curtis and Zach Johnson).

pga tour players 1980

Choi, 40, and Toms, 44, each shot 2-under 70, but the closing swings of momentum were memorable — a bogey for Toms at 16, a birdie for Choi at 17, a birdie for Toms at 18. The three-putt bogey by Toms at the island-green 17th in the playoff provided the clinching drama.

pga tour players 1980

Clark had piled up massive amounts of prize money without winning, making him sort of a trivia answer. But thanks to a perfect storm — third-round leader Lee Westwood shot a closing 74 and his closest pursuers, Robert Allenby and Lucas Glover had 70s — Clark put on a mid-round blitz of five birdies in six holes, shot 67, and claimed the $1.71 million prize.

pga tour players 1980

Few have risen to the occasion at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass quite like the Swede did that day. He made six birdies and recorded the only bogey-free fourth round, matched the low score of the day, and made a five-stroke deficit evaporate.

pga tour players 1980

Warm and blustery winds moved wildly and indiscriminately throughout THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, but that was nothing compared to the haphazard dash made by thousands of fans after the final hole of regulation at THE PLAYERS Championship 2008.

pga tour players 1980

Doubt Lefty at your peril, because he’s a fascinating study in determination and he proved that again at the 34th edition of this showcase event on the PGA TOUR. Every world-class player was in attendance, but it was Mickelson who shined brightest as he overtook 26-year-old Sean O’Hair in the final round, the highlight to his three-win season.

pga tour players 1980

His third back-nine 33 of the week gave him the best score of the day, a 5-under 67, and at 14-under 274 he whipped Retief Goosen (69) by six in the 25th go-round for the championship at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

pga tour players 1980

Funk’s fourth-round 71 came on a day when the field average was 76.512. He birdied the par-5 16th to seize the lead, then made a 5-foot putt to save par at 18 and secure a one-stroke win over Luke Donald (76), Scott Verplank (70) and Tom Lehman (66).

pga tour players 1980

A wedge to 10 feet set up his putt for 70 and 12-under 276, good for a one-stroke win. The youngest winner of THE PLAYERS, Scott did it in his debut, no less.

pga tour players 1980

Love was determined to answer critics who felt he had underachieved, despite 15 wins. So, while there was quantity (a $1,170,000 prize), Love embraced quality — golf’s best field and purest test in the 30th anniversary of the showcase event on the PGA TOUR.

pga tour players 1980

Consider March 24, 2004, the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship when Craig Perks left everyone giddy, though speechless and stunned at the same time.

pga tour players 1980

Woods stormed back with a third-round 66 punctuated by a 60-foot birdie putt at the island-green 17th that rode two tiers and broke three times before falling. “Better than most,” was the iconic call by NBC’s Gary Koch, and indeed it might have been as good as anything fans had ever seen.

pga tour players 1980

Consider the closing moments to THE PLAYERS Championship 2000 when Hal Sutton coached his ball toward the final green. “Be the right club,” Sutton said as his 6-iron shot from 179 yards tracked the flagstick. “Be the right club today.”

pga tour players 1980

THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass was firm, fast and tough — conditions that suited Duval’s focused personality. He was a kid from Jacksonville Beach. Just a few hours down the Florida coast, Duval’s father, Bob, was in contention at a PGA TOUR Champions tournament.

pga tour players 1980

There were wild cheers for Leonard’s brilliance — with a fourth-round, 5-under 67 to finish at 10-under 278, he won for the third time in nine months, each time overcoming a final-round deficit.

pga tour players 1980

With rounds of 66-69-68-69, Elkington finished at 16-under 272 to establish THE PLAYERS record for margin of victory, seven strokes over Scott Hoch, who stumbled home with a closing 74.

pga tour players 1980

As for Couples, who finished at 18-under 270 to join select company with two wins in THE PLAYERS, this was life at the other end of the golf spectrum: “It was a pretty easy 64.”

pga tour players 1980

Up by two, Janzen showed his heralded grit with up-and-downs from a bunker at the island-green 17th and greenside rough at 18 for 1-under 71 and 5-under 283, one clear of Langer.

pga tour players 1980

A $250,000 purse in 1974 was now $2.5 million and with Norman’s victory, it meant that of the 21 championships played during Beman’s tenure, a future Hall of Famer had won 12 times.

pga tour players 1980

When Price scratched out a win in 1991 and two more in 1992, he felt relieved. But when he put on a clinic at THE PLAYERS Championship 1993, the Zimbabwean knew he had arrived.

pga tour players 1980

Fred Couples had set a course-record 63 Saturday to get within one of Love, but never got closer. This time, THE PLAYERS was truly a Love story.

pga tour players 1980

The Australian was the second foreign-born winner of The PGA TOUR’s showcase event in five years and for a third straight time at THE PLAYERS, the margin of victory was one.

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Birdies early (Nos. 2 and 3) and late (island-green 17th) were instrumental for Mudd, then in the midst of his best season. He would also win the TOUR Championship in the fall and finish fifth on the money list in 1990. Six years later, however, Mudd walked away from the game at the age of 36.

pga tour players 1980

Everything about the bottom line to THE PLAYERS Championship 1989 had a consistency to it that made sense. The deepest and toughest field of the year was won by the season’s best player, Tom Kite, leading money-winner ($1.395 million) and Player of the Year.

pga tour players 1980

McCumber had every reason to be emotional after a brilliant performance (65-72-67-69 for 15-under 273) to establish a new 72-hole scoring mark at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

pga tour players 1980

The first playoff at the Stadium Course and the first $1 million purse at THE PLAYERS ended at the next hole with mixed results on putts for par – Jeff Sluman missed his 12-footer, Lyle made his 8-footer. “I have a fairly low heartbeat in those situations,” Lyle said.

pga tour players 1980

Anything can happen over those closing holes; unfortunately for Larry Mize it was all negative, bogeys at 15, 16 and 18 allowing Mahaffey to storm into the winner’s circle by one at 13-under 275.

pga tour players 1980

No one who studied the landscape would have called it a surprise, not with Peete’s uncanny driving ability. It was Peete’s ninth PGA TOUR win since 1982, and no one had won more in that time frame.

pga tour players 1980

What was for Couples, whose syrupy swing authored trips of 71-64-71-71 for 11-under 277 and for the second straight year a 24-year-old earned the game’s richest prize against the best field in golf.

pga tour players 1980

Considered to have been Rookie of the Year in 1982, Sutton used his win at THE PLAYERS to top the money list in 1983 ($426,668) and win Player of the Year honors.

pga tour players 1980

The perfection reached a crescendo at THE PLAYERS Championship 1982 when Pate authored an unforgettable script to usher this showcase event into a new era.

pga tour players 1980

Not only did he take THE PLAYERS prize of $72,000, but Floyd — a winner the week before — earned a $200,000 bonus for having won two straight on the Florida swing.

pga tour players 1980

Coming home in 2-under 70 for a 10-under 278 total, Trevino outshined Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, both of whom shot 73.

pga tour players 1980

In Round 4, conditions were again demanding, but Lanny Wadkins was at his ball-striking best, a closing 72 eclipsed only by Tom Watson’s 71. At 5-under 283, Wadkins beat Tom Watson by five as Lee Trevino faded to a share of fifth with a 79.

pga tour players 1980

Nothing scintillating about his round, Nicklaus conceded, but his smile confirmed that there was everything to like about winning THE PLAYERS for the third time in five years.

Mark Hayes claims THE PLAYERS 1977 title in 40 MPH winds

Six behind after the first day, the then 27-year-old Hayes, a two-time winner in 1976, shot a second-round 74 in 40 mph winds. Weekend scores of 71-72 left Hayes at 1-over 289, the only over-par score that won a PGA TOUR tournament that season.

pga tour players 1980

The final-round 65 for 19-under 269 quieted the doubters. It also accounted for Nicklaus’ 60th career win and was a fitting way to usher THE PLAYERS into its new home base, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

pga tour players 1980

The only man to break 70 each day, Geiberger won for the second time in 1975 and it was the seventh of his 11 career wins.

pga tour players 1980

THE PLAYERS was launched fittingly: The best player won the TOUR’s best tournament against the strongest field.

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Players Championship

The 50 greatest players of the last 50 years, ranked by their best season

pga tour players 1980

To mark the 50th playing of the Players Championship, the founding of which in 1974 coincided with the dawn of what we might call golf’s modern era, we crunched some numbers. Our goal was singular: to rank the 50 best players of the past five decades by their best single season.

Why, you say? Isn’t longevity and the breadth of a player’s accomplishments more important? Isn’t Jack Nicklaus placing fifth on any list of golfers inherently absurd? Sure, but finding new ways to identify greatness across eras is an inescapable part of being a golf fan.

Weighted most heavily toward performance in majors (acknowledging our “big-game hunters”), our formula also accounted for total wins, top-10s, scoring titles and player-of- the-year awards.

We also gave a slight advantage to players who won in multiple countries , denoted by our “global conqueror” icon. Strength of the competition was not factored because, after all, you can beat only what’s in front of you.

What follows are golf’s Roman candles. There’s something deeply compelling about considering who burned brightest when.

You can read this article as it originally appeared in our archive right here.

The Top 10 Players

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More From Golf Digest

pga tour players 1980

11. Mark O'Meara, 1998

At 41, O’Meara became the oldest to win two majors in a season, highlighting his remarkable 1998 hot streak.

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12. Seve Ballesteros, 1988

Ballesteros scored seven wins in seven countries: Spain, England, the U.S., Sweden, Germany, France and Japan.

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13. Ian Woosnam, 1987

He was bombing-and-gouging before it was cool, launching 300-yard drives with a persimmon and balata.

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14. Luke Donald, 2011

Short-game wizardry helped Donald finish inside the top 10 in nearly 75 percent of his starts in 2011.

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15. Brooks Koepka, 2018

He was the first since 1989 to defend the U.S. Open and first since Tiger in 2000 to follow with a PGA win.

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Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

16. Sandy Lyle, 1988

His 72nd-hole birdie made him Great Britain’s first Masters champ and the first Scot to win a U.S. major in more than 50 years.

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17. Jose Maria Olazabal, 1994

The Spaniard paired his first green jacket in 1994 with a win at the European Tour’s flagship event.

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18. Bob Tway, 1986

He squeezed the most out of his career year, playing 37 tournaments—more than anybody else on this list.

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19. Padraig Harrington, 2008

He became the first player since Tiger Woods to win two majors in a season. Interestingly, those were Harrington’s only two wins that year.

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David Cannon

20. Lee Westwood, 2000

Westwood ended Colin Montgomerie’s seven-year reign atop the European Tour’s Order of Merit money list.

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21. Johnny Miller, 1974

With a 21-percent win rate, he shattered Nicklaus’ money record during a year he said he wouldn’t trade for another major.

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22. Jason Day, 2015

Riding a hot putter, Day finished sixth in strokes gained/putting in 2015 and then led the tour in 2016.

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23. Davis Love III, 1997

His consistent power through the bag helped him lead the tour in par-5 birdies and par-4 bogey avoidance.

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24. Dustin Johnson, 2016

The ever-dependable ball-striker converted more than 35 percent of his birdie putts this season.

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25. Fred Couples, 1992

He won twice and finished second twice during the five weeks leading up to the Masters, then slipped on the green jacket.

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26. Scottie Scheffler, 2023

He gained more strokes tee to green than any player since the stat was created.

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27. Jon Rahm, 2023

His Masters-winning season began with three victories and five top-seven finishes in seven starts. Then he cashed in for LIV.

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28. Justin Thomas, 2017

He shot 59 in January, 63 at the U.S. Open in June and lifted the PGA Championship trophy in August.

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29. Hal Sutton, 1983

He won the Players and PGA, marking the high point of a career that included another Players win in 2000.

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30. Martin Kaymer, 2010

He was the first since Tiger Woods to win three consecutive tournaments and ascended to World No. 1 in 2011.

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31. Cameron Smith, 2022

With the best putting average (1.68 per hole) on the PGA Tour, Smith won the 150th Open, then joined LIV.

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32. Retief Goosen, 2001

The U.S. Open win was in the middle of a run with one international victory from 1995 to 2007 except for 1998.

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33. Tom Lehman, 1996

After years of toiling on the satellite tours, Lehman had his hottest year with two of his five PGA Tour wins, including his lone major.

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34. Colin Montgomerie, 1994

His seven-year run atop the Order of Merit money list was marked by many major near-misses.

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35. David Duval, 1999

Duval overtook Tiger Woods as World No. 1 while winning four times and shooting a 59 at the Bob Hope.

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36. Phil Mickelson, 2004

A Masters win and three near-misses in majors highlighted the greatest season of many for Mickelson.

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Dave Martin/AP Photo

37. Curtis Strange, 1988

Two wins in May and one in June—the U.S. Open—made him the first player to win more than $1 million in a season.

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38. Adam Scott, 2013

Scott snapped years of shoulda-coulda when his strokes gained/putting got to within a whiff of tour average.

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39. Jim Furyk, 2003

Forced into a last-minute putter change when his gamer was declared nonconforming the week before, Furyk tied the U.S. Open’s 72-hole scoring record.

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40. Ray Floyd, 1981

He won across four decades and claimed four majors in his career, with his 1981 Players victory coming during his most solid season in our 50-year snapshot.

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41. Lee Trevino, 1980

Trevino’s early years didn’t make the 1974 cutoff date for our ranking, but his stellar 1980 season did.

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42. Mark McNulty, 1990

McNulty’s career year came during a stretch when he spent 83 weeks inside the top 10 of the World Ranking.

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43. Tom Kite, 1981

Kite finished inside the top 10 in more than 80 percent of his starts during his most consistent season.

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44. Ben Crenshaw, 1976

He grabbed the first of five runner-up finishes in majors before eventually winning one in 1984.

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45. Henrik Stenson, 2016

He hit more than 70 percent of his fairways and greens and gained 1.55 strokes from tee to green.

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Jamie Squire/Getty Images

46. Paul Azinger, 1993

Three wins and a major was the zenith of a career that was soon sidelined by a cancer diagnosis.

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47. Corey Pavin, 1995

Among the shortest drivers on tour at 254 yards, Pavin slayed mighty Shinnecock Hills for his U.S. Open win.

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48. Craig Stadler, 1982

Stadler got putting advice from pal Dave Stockton, then nabbed four of his 13 career wins, including the Masters.

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49. Bill Rogers, 1981

In an era of limited travel, Rogers won in England, the United States, Australia and Japan.

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50. Sergio Garcia, 2002

Three wins and four top-10s in majors left many wondering if Garcia would be Europe’s counterpart to Tiger Woods.

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How driving distance has changed over the past 40 years on the PGA Tour

How driving distance has changed over the past 40 years on the PGA Tour

In 1997, John Daly became the first golfer on the PGA Tour to average more than 300 yards per drive. That year, he was more than 30 yards longer than the average Tour player.

Now, 21 years later, the entire PGA Tour averages 295.3 yards off the tee — the longest average ever. By the way that stat has been increasing over the past five years, don’t be surprised to see the Tour’s average break the 300 mark by 2024.

pga tour players 1980

In 1980 (the first year that the PGA Tour’s driving distance stats are available), Dan Pohl led the field while averaging 274.3 yards per drive. The Tour average was a meek 256.89 yards.

RELATED: 15 longest drives on the PGA Tour since 2010

Since then, the average driving distance has steadily increased, rocketing upwards in the ‘90s and early 2000s. For 13 years — from 1994 until 2006 — the average increased every year, which is the longest such string since 1980. During that stretch, Daly led the Tour off the tee eight years in a row.

While the progress has cooled off some since the mid-2000s, the average driving distance has increased every year since 2013 and is currently at its all-time high.

MORE: You might not be able to crush driver like Dustin Johnson, but you absolutely can get more distance off the tee. Here's how.

For reference, this is what the PGA Tour says about its method for recording this stat: "The average number of yards per measured drive. These drives are measured on two holes per round. Care is taken to select two holes which face in opposite directions to counteract the effect of wind. Drives are measured to the point at which they come to rest regardless of whether they are in the fairway or not."

Here’s the average driving distance and overall leader for every year since 1980:

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All you need to know about the 50th anniversary of The Players

Justin Barney , Sports editor

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – It’s the golden anniversary of The Players Championship, one of the most iconic events in golf.

Here’s what you need to know about the 50th Players next week at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach.

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When is it?

Companion events that are open to fans begin Friday, but the course doesn’t open to the public until Tuesday.

On Friday, The Players opens its PGA Tour Fan Shop from noon to 5 p.m. On Saturday, a Military Job Fair is held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Both weekend days, the fan shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tournament week begins Monday when golfers begin arriving for practice rounds.

Tuesday kicks things off in a big way. Gates open at 7:30 a.m. for practice rounds. Military appreciation festivities begin at 4:30 p.m. Country artist Cole Swindell will headline the annual military appreciation concert that begins at 5 p.m.

Wednesday is a practice day for golfers. Gates open at 7 a.m.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are tournament rounds. Gates open at 7:30 a.m.

All about tickets and parking

Tickets are available through The Players website, which will redirect fans to purchase through Ticketmaster. Current prices as of Friday afternoon are listed below and are standard stadium passes. Upgraded tickets are also available. General parking on Friday and Saturday is sold out and only available through verified resellers.

Tuesday ticket prices: $40 | Tuesday parking prices: $15

Wednesday ticket prices: $30 | Wednesday parking prices: $15

Thursday ticket prices: $97 | Thursday parking prices: $40

Friday ticket prices: $115 | Friday parking prices: $60 (only available through verified resale market

Saturday ticket prices: $117 | Saturday parking prices: $60 (only available through verified resale market

Sunday ticket prices: $100 | Sunday parking prices: $40

Free parking options

Free local shuttle options at Palm Valley Academy, Valley Ridge Academy and Pine Island Academy are available to area residents. Park at any one of those schools and catch a free shuttle to The Players. Those are available Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Valley Ridge shuttle is only operational on Friday and Saturday. The shuttles drop fans off in front of the Nicklaus entrance.

Other shuttle choices

Not in the St. Johns County area? No problem. Shuttles from Downtown Jacksonville hotels will be running, too. Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Hogan Street by the Marriott and Southbank Hotel Jacksonville Riverwalk will be running. Cost is $20 and those shuttle passes can be purchased here .

Rideshare options

Available cars will be on hand for fans. Enter The Players through the Couples entry after being dropped off. For those leaving, exit through the Couples entry and follow the signage to the rideshare vehicles.

What about the kids?

The Players continues its policy of allowing two children 15 and under free admission with a ticketed adult. There is no pre-registration requirement for this. Just show up at the gate, show your ticket and the youth will be admitted free if they meet that age criteria.

Military and veterans tickets all claimed

Limited numbers of those are made available each year but they have all been claimed.

What can I bring in?

Opaque bags measuring 6x6x6 inches and smaller or clear bags 12x6x12 inches and smaller are allowed inside the course grounds.

Can I get autographs?

You sure can. There are designated zones in the practice range and the scoring area.

Cash not accepted

The Players is an entirely cashless experience now. Plan to use digital options or credit cards to make purchases.

Tell me about the golf

It’s the 50th anniversary edition and The Players has been played at five different venues. It was held at Atlanta Country Club (1974), Colonial Country Club in Texas (1975), Inverrary Country Club (1976), Sawgrass Country Club (1977-81) and TPC Sawgrass since 1982.

There has never been a golfer who has successfully defended his title. The final field will be released Friday afternoon.

Who has won The Players?

Scottie Scheffler is the returning champion, carding a final round 3-under 69 to beat Tyrrell Hatton by five strokes . Jacksonville resident Cameron Smith won in 2022 . Justin Thomas won in 2021 and Rory McIlroy won in 2019. The 2020 Players was canceled after the opening round due to the pandemic. Here’s a look at the other winners.

As The Players Championship

2018: Webb Simpson (-18)

2017: Si Woo Kim (-10)

2016: Jason Day (-15)

2015: Rickie Fowler (-12)

2014: Martin Kaymer (-13)

2013: Tiger Woods (-13)

2012: Matt Kuchar (-13)

2011: KJ Choi (-13)

2010: Tim Clark (-16)

2009: Henrik Stenson (-12)

2008: Sergio Garcia (-5)

2007: Phil Mickelson (-11)

2006: Stephen Ames (-14)

2005: Fred Funk (-9)

2004: Adam Scott (-12)

2003: Davis Love III (-17)

2002: Craig Perks (-8)

2001: Tiger Woods (-14)

2000: Hal Sutton (-10)

1999: David Duval (-3)

1998: Justin Leonard (-10)

1997: Steve Elkington (-16)

1996: Fred Couples (-18)

1995: Lee Janzen (-5)

1994: Greg Norman (-24)

1993: Nick Price (-18)

1992: Davis Love III (-15)

1991: Steve Elkington (-12)

1990: Jodie Mudd (-10)

1989: Tom Kite (-9)

1988: Mark McCumber (-15)

As the Tournament Players Championship

1987: Sandy Lyle (-14)

1986: John Mahaffey (-13)

1985: Calvin Peete (-14)

1984: Fred Couples (-11)

1983: Hal Sutton (-5)

1982: Jerry Pate (-8)

1981: Raymond Floyd (-3)

1980: Lee Trevino (-10)

1979: Lanny Wadkins (-5)

1978: Jack Nicklaus (+1)

1977: Mark Hayes (+1)

1976: Jack Nicklaus (-19)

1975: Al Geiberger (-10)

1974: Jack Nicklaus (-16)

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Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

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50 states, 50 golfers: The best native-born players by U.S. state, Massachusetts to New Jersey

Part 3: massachusetts through new jersey.

pga tour players 1980

This is the third in a five-part series

From Maine to Alaska, from Minnesota to Texas and from Florida to California, there have been champion golfers produced by all 50 states in America.

To help commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship, the Times-Union took on a daunting task: pick the best native-born golfer from each state.

Well, some were daunting. Naturally, looking for professional winners from Delaware, Idaho or Wyoming wasn't easy. But we found World Golf Hall of Fame members in Connecticut and Kansas, PGA Tour winners in Alaska and North Dakota and in several cases, LPGA winners were the top players from their state.

So be it — as are the two states whose best players were career amateurs who no doubt would have made a mark professionally had they taken their games in that direction.

The ground rule was simple: to be considered, a player had to have been born in that state — even if he spent most of his life, including his professional life, in another state. (Hint: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods are not the best golfers from Florida).

We're going alphabetically, 10 states at a time:

Massachusetts

Henry Picard, Plymouth (Nov. 28, 1906-April 30, 1997)

Picard was a classy, stylish player who learned the game as a caddie and embarked on a professional career in which he won 26 PGA Tour events and two major championships, the 1938 Masters and the 1939 PGA. Picard beat Ralph Guldahl and Harry Cooper by two shots at Augusta and outlasted Byron Nelson in 37 holes in the PGA championship match. He won the PGA Tour money title in 1939 with six victories.

But Picard also was a good teacher and played a factor, directly and indirectly, in helping three other Hall of Fame players. When Ben Hogan struggled with a hook in the 1930s, it was Picard who advised him to weaken his grip and Hogan went on to win nine majors. One of Picard's assistants when he was the head pro at the Hershey (Pa.) Country Club was Jack Grout, who later became the only teacher Jack Nicklaus ever had.

Picard also ran the pro shops at historic clubs such as Canterbury and Seminole but finished at the Country Club of Charleston, where he nurtured a young Beth Daniel — who would wind up in the Hall of Fame.

Leo Diegel, Gratiot Township (April 20, 1899 – May 5, 1951)

A superb ball striker, Diegel who might have won more than his 28 PGA Tour titles and two PGA Championships had he not struggled on the greens and injured his shoulder in a freak accident at the age of 34. His PGA wins came in 1928 and 1929 and snapped Walter Hagen's streak of four in a row. Diegel also played on four Ryder Cup teams and was the runner-up in the Open Championship in 1920 and the U.S. Open in 1930. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003.

Lee Janzen, Austin (Born Aug. 28, 1964, age 59)

British Open champion Tom Lehman is more widely identified as the most noted golfer from Minnesota, but Janzen was born there, moved to Maryland when in elementary school and eventually wound up in Tampa and became an All-American at Florida Southern.

Janzen had eight PGA Tour titles to five for Lehman and trumped Lehman's 1996 Open title by winning two U.S. Opens, in 1992 and 1998. Janzen beat Payne Stewart both times, at Baltusrol and the Olympic Club. In between he won the 1995 Players Championship.

Mississippi 

Pete Brown, Port Gibson  (Feb. 2, 1935 – May 1, 2015)

Brown is credited for being the first African-American winner on the PGA Tour, capturing the 1964 Waco Turner Open by one shot over Jacksonville native Dan Sikes. Brown also beat Hall of Famer Tony Jacklin in a playoff to win the 1970 San Diego Open and won the North and South Open three times. Brown overcome non-paralytic polio as a youth and learned to play golf at a municipal course in Jackson.

Tom Watson, Kansas City (Born Sept. 4, 1949, 74)

Watson was perhaps the greatest player to bridge the gap between Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. He won 39 PGA Tour titles and eight major championships, including five British Opens. He nearly made it a sixth in 2009 at the age of 59. He almost won a career Grand Slam, missing by taking second in the 1978 PGA Championship.

Watson was a six-time PGA Tour player of the year, winning the money title five times and the scoring title three times. Watson went on to win 14 times on PGA Tour Champions and won 70 worldwide events in all.

Alice Ritzman, Kalispell  (Born March 1, 1952, age 72)

Ritzman never won on the LPGA Tour (losing three times in playoffs to a stout group: Hall of Famers Kathy Whitworth, Hollis Stacy and Betsy King. But she won everything in sight in Montana, including three Montana Junior Championships and two Montana Women's Amateur titles.

Ritzman played golf at Eastern Montana College but became a pupil of legendary teacher and University of Texas golf coach Harvey Penick. Ritzman now coaches high school golf in her home state, the boys and the girls teams at Flathead High.

Mark Calcavecchia, Laurel  (Born June 12, 1960, age 63)

Calcavecchia went from the heartland to the University of Florida, then embarked on a PGA Tour career that resulted in 13 victories. His career was highlighted by his 1989 Open Championship, where he beat Greg Norman and Wayne Grady in a four-hole playoff.

Calcavecchia, a fast-swinging and accurate iron player, set the PGA Tour record with nine birdies in a row at the 2009 Canadian Open. He was active in international and off-season events and won 29 worldwide titles, including ones in Argentina, Canada, Korea and Australia.

Robert Gamez, Las Vegas  (Born July 21, 1968, age 55)

Gamez won PGA Tour events 15 years apart, but the one for which he will always be remembered was the 1990 Arnold Palmer Invitational when he holed the second shot on the 18th hole at Bay Hill to beat Greg Norman by one shot. Gamez hit a 7-iron from 176 yards out. It took him until 2005 before he won again, shooting 62 in the first round and going on to win the Texas Open by three shots. He also won the 1984 Casio World Open and teamed up with Helen Alfredsson to win the 1994 JC Penney Classic.

New Hampshire 

Jane Blalock, Portsmouth  (Born Sept. 19, 1945, age 78)

Blalock found her way to Florida to attend Rollins College. After teaching in high school for five years she returned to Florida to work with Bob Toski and then went on to a prolific LPGA career, winning 27 times in the U.S., four times in Japan and five other titles. She never won a major championship but had six top-10 finishes, including seconds in the Women's PGA in 1972 and 1980. She has also written two books and helped run two restaurants.

New Jersey 

Vic Ghezzi, Rumson  (Oct. 19, 1910 – May 30, 1976)

Check back in a few years and Scottie Scheffler is probably the leading Jersey Boy in golf. But for now it's Ghezzi. He won 11 times, topped by the 1941 PGA when he outlasted Byron Nelson in a 38-hole championship match. Ghezzi tied for sixth in The Masters in the same year, and tied for second in the 1946 U.S. Open. He also won the North and South and captured team titles with Sam Snead and Ben Hogan.

Next: New Mexico through South Carolina.

Previous players

Alabama, Hubert Green; Alaska, Danny Edwards; Arizona, Billy Mayfair; Arkansas, Paul Runyan; California, Tiger Woods; Colorado, Wyndham Clark; Connecticut, Julius Boros; Delaware, Porky Oliver; Florida, Brooks Koepka; Georgia, Bobby Jones. Hawaii, Michelle Wie West; Idaho, Shirley Englehorn; Illinois, Bob Goalby; Indiana, Fuzzy Zoeller; Iowa, Zach Johnson; Kansas, Marilyn Smith; Kentucky, Justin Thomas; Louisiana, Hal Sutton; Maine, David Peoples; Maryland, Fred Funk. 

VPNoverview.com News How to Watch the PGA Tour Players Championship From Anywhere

How to Watch the PGA Tour Players Championship From Anywhere

Neal Venter

  • The PGA Tour Players Championship is on from March 14 to 17, 2024 .
  • The tournament will be played at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida .
  • Scottie Scheffler is the favorite going into vthe tournament this year.

The PGA Tour Players Championship is always a highlight. This year’s $25 million purse is the biggest prize on the PGA Tour. There’s a lot at stake in this tournament, which is why it’s such an exciting one to tune into.

If you want to watch every day of the action at Ponte Vedra Beach, you can use Peacock TV to stream the tournament live. But if you’re not in the United States, you’ll need to bypass geo-blocking restrictions first.

Here’s how:

  • Get NordVPN .
  • Connect to a server in the US
  • Go to Peacock TV and create an account.
  • Find the PGA Tour Players Championship stream and enjoy!

If you don’t have a Peacock account yet, or you’re unsure about how VPNs work — don’t worry, we’ll guide you through everything in our full guide below!

The PGA Tour Players Championship starts on Thursday, March 14, 2024 . There’s a field of 144 players this year, and they’ll be competing for a massive purse of $25 million.

The PGA Tour’s best players are going head-to-head at the iconic TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. We’re ready to take a swing at some of the best golfing action of the year, all weekend long. Wondering where you can tune in? Peacock TV will be streaming the entire tournament live.

If you’re not currently in the United States, you’re going to need a VPN to bypass the cat box that is geo-blocking restrictions. Luckily, you can use a VPN like NordVPN to watch the PGA Tour Players Championship from anywhere . Give the popular VPN a try with a limited-time 67% discount exclusive to our link below:

How to Watch PGA Tour Players Championship From Anywhere

To help you get started with NordVPN, we created a quick tutorial video . After you’ve set up your VPN, follow the steps below to get your stream going!

How to Download and Install NordVPN | Tutorial #nordvpn #vpnoverview #tutorial

  • Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
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  • Install NordVPN on the device you’ll be streaming from.
  • Log in using your new account.
  • Connect to a server in the United States and go to Peacock TV .
  • Find the PGA Tour Players Championship stream and enjoy the tournament!

pga tour players 1980

If you run into any error messages when trying to access the stream, try using a privacy-focused browser like Brave or Mozilla. If you don’t want to install another browser, try using incognito mode on your usual browser.

Where to Watch PGA Tour Players Championship 2024

Peacock TV is the go-to streaming platform for the 2024 PGA Tour Players Championship. They’ll be streaming the entire tournament live on the Golf Channel. You can get a Peacock subscription for just $5.99/month .

What we love about Peacock is that you can enjoy all the best sports and entertainment with one affordable subscription. If you’re not in the US, though, you’ll be blocked from accessing any Peacock streams and end up in a watery grave.

Luckily, there’s an easy fix. All you need is a VPN to get an American IP address, and you’re good to go! NordVPN has over 1,900 servers in the US alone, so accessing Peacock TV is easier than a tap-in.

Even better: they’re currently running a 67% discount PLUS a 30-day money-back guarantee . You can enjoy the PGA Tour Players Championship, cancel your subscription, and get your money back.

Alternative Streams: PGA Tour Players Championship

While Peacock is our favorite streaming platform to watch the Players Championship 2024 , there are some other options you could choose from. Check out the table below for some alternative streams.

PGA Tour Players Championship Winners

The PGA Tour Players Championship has been running since 1974 . Over the years, there have been some incredible players who have graced the TPC Sawgrass course (and a couple of other venues). The tournament has become renowned for pitting the best of the best against each other . Here are the winners of the PGA Tour Players Championship (so far):

  • 1974: Jack Nicklaus (USA)
  • 1975: Al Geiberger (USA)
  • 1976: Jack Nicklaus (USA)
  • 1977: Mark Hayes (USA)
  • 1978: Jack Nicklaus (USA)
  • 1979: Lanny Wadkins (USA)
  • 1980: Lee Trevino (USA)
  • 1981: Raymond Floyd (USA)
  • 1982: Jerry Pate (USA)
  • 1983: Hal Sutton (USA)
  • 1984: Fred Couples (USA)
  • 1985: Calvin Peete (USA)
  • 1986: Johm Mahaffey (USA)
  • 1987: Sandy Lyle (SCO)
  • 1988: Mark McCumber (USA)
  • 1989: Tom Kite (USA)
  • 1990: Jodie Mudd (USA)
  • 1991: Steve Elkington (AUS)
  • 1992: Davis Love III (USA)
  • 1993: Nick Price (ZIM)
  • 1994: Greg Norman (AUS)
  • 1995: Lee Janzen (USA)
  • 1996: Fred Couples (USA)
  • 1997: Steve Elkington (AUS)
  • 1998: Justin Leonard (USA)
  • 1999: David Duval (USA)
  • 2000: Hal Sutton (USA)
  • 2001: Tiger Woods (USA)
  • 2002: Craig Perks (NZ)
  • 2003: Davis Love III (USA)
  • 2004: Adam Scott (AUS)
  • 2005: Fred Funk (USA)
  • 2006: Stephen Ames (CAN)
  • 2007: Phil Mickelson (USA)
  • 2008: Sergio Garcia (ESP)
  • 2009: Henrik Stenson (SWE)
  • 2010: Tim Clark (RSA)
  • 2011: K.J. Choi (KOR)
  • 2012: Matt Kuchar (USA)
  • 2013: Tiger Woods (USA)
  • 2014: Martin Kaymer (GER)
  • 2015: Rickie Fowler (USA)
  • 2016: Jason Day (AUS)
  • 2017: Si Woo Kim (KOR)
  • 2018: Webb Simpson (USA)
  • 2019: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
  • 2021: Justin Thomas (USA)
  • 2022: Cameron Smith (AUS)
  • 2023: Scottie Scheffler (USA)

The Players Championship 2024 Players

The PGA Tour Players Championship always attracts top talent. This year, there are plenty of golfers to keep an eye on. Here are the top ten favorites going into the 2024 tournament.

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Just how consistent is lydia ko see where she ranks in cuts made on the lpga, share this article.

pga tour players 1980

With Lydia Ko on the doorstep of the LPGA Hall of Fame , it seems a good time to fully appreciate some of the impressive numbers beyond all those trophies.

Ko tees it up at the Blue Bay LPGA in China this week, the only event in the spring Asian swing that features a cut. How rare is it that Ko plays poorly enough to miss out on the weekend?

Take a look at this list of players with the highest made-cut percentage since 1980, who’ve had at least 200 career starts. It’s a who’s who list of consistency:

Annika Sorenstam

pga tour players 1980

Annika Sorenstam competes in the celebrity division of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions (courtesy Diamond Resorts).

Out of 307 events, Sorenstam has missed the cut only 15 times. That’s a whopping 95.11 percent. She had several seasons in which she never missed a cut.

pga tour players 1980

Lydia Ko of New Zealand smiles on the 18th green after winning the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 21, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Lydia Ko ranks second, at 92.92 percent. Out of 226 career starts, she has missed the cut only 16 times, and four of those came last season.

Anna Nordqvist

pga tour players 1980

Anna Nordqvist of Sweden holds the trophy after winning during the play off after the final round of The Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on September 17, 2017 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Nordqvist, a three-time major winner, joined the LPGA in 2009 and ranks third on this list, making the cut 303 times out of 330 starts. That’s good for an average of 91.82 percent.

pga tour players 1980

Minjee Lee of Australia follows her tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the 2022 U.S.Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club on June 04, 2022 in Southern Pines, North Carolina. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Widely regarded as one of the best ball-strikers on tour, Lee’s 91.79 percentage ranks fourth. She has missed the cut 17 times in 207 starts.

So Yeon Ryu

pga tour players 1980

So Yeon Ryu of Korea celebrates after winning the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G on June 25, 2017 in Rogers, Arkansas. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

Ryu missed five straight cuts to start the 2023 season, startling given that she’s missed only 23 cuts over the course of her entire LPGA career. The two-time major winner stands fifth on this list with a made-cut percentage of 90.57.

Karrie Webb

pga tour players 1980

Karrie Webb of Australia reacts at the 11th hole during the third day of the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open at Dundonald Links Golf Course on July 29, 2017 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

When it comes to the total number of events played, Webb is miles ahead of everyone else with 494 starts. She missed the cut only 50 times, giving her a made-cut percentage of 89.88 dating back to her rookie season in 1996.

Brooke Henderson

2023 Amundi Evian Championship

Brooke Henderson of Canada looks happy during her press conference prior to the start of the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 26, 2023 in Evian-les-Bains, . (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Henderson has the fewest starts of anyone on this list with 200. She has missed the cut 21 times for a percentage of 89.5.

Mi Hyun Kim

pga tour players 1980

Mi Hyun Kim is playing this week at the Kia Classic, her first LPGA event since giving birth to a baby boy in November. (File photo)

Kim, a petite player from South Korea who won eight times before retiring, made the cut 285 times in her 319 starts for an 89.34 percentage.

Suzann Pettersen

pga tour players 1980

Suzann Pettersen of Norway reacts to a shot during the pro – am prior to the start of The Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on September 13, 2017 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

A retired Pettersen had 316 starts over the course of her LPGA carer and a made-cut percentage of 89.24.

Ayako Okamoto

pga tour players 1980

Ayako Okamoto was a superstar in Japan before she joined the LPGA Tour. Her record includes 62 combined international and LPGA Tour victories from 1975-95. (Getty Images)

Japanese star Okamoto, a 17-time winner on the LPGA, missed the cut 28 times in 260 starts. She won 44 times on the JLPGA.

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An Inside Look at The Champion Golf Course at PGA National Resort, One of the Toughest on the PGA Tour

"It's not about length, it's about precision."

a golf course with a pond and palm trees

The Cognizant Classic in Palm Beaches , previously known as the Honda Classic, has been taking place for nearly 20 years, becoming a favorite tournament on the months-long tour. It's held at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens. It doesn't turn into a golf resort for just one weekend out of the year though. It's home to six golf courses, all designed by well-known and respected golf architects like George and Tom Fazio, Karl Litten, and Andy Staples. One of those courses is the "The Champion" , which is considered one of the toughest tests on the PGA Tour. What's this famed course and resort really like when you step out on the links? We're giving you an inside look.

The Champion

a golf course with palm trees

The Champion is a bucket list course for many golfers. Not many courses have a lineage as storied as "The Champ." Opening in 1981, it was originally designed by the esteemed George and Tom Fazio, known for their incredible architecture and designs in the golf world. Its impressive resume includes the 1983 Ryder Cup, 1987 PGA Championship, and two decades of the Senior PGA Championship, and is now the host venue of the PGA Tour’s Cognizant Classic. Over the years, Jack Nicklaus has helped with several renovations and new designs on the course. He even has a section of the course named in his honor, "The Bear Trap."

The Bear Trap

The course has gained a reputation as being one of the toughest stretches of golf on the PGA Tour. Officials at the resort explained to us why that is.

"The Champion Course is perhaps best known for its renowned 'Bear Trap' – a series of three demanding holes (Nos. 15 – 17) many consider one of the toughest and most thrilling stretches in the game. No. 15 is a par three of 179 yards over water to a green flanked on three sides by a lake. Sixteen is a par four of 434 yards with a long forced water carry and a gigantic fairway bunker lurking. Cavernous greenside bunkers add to the difficulty. Seventeen is a par three of 175 yards over even more water to a beyond tricky to hit green. Then, if that wasn’t all enough, there’s the stout South Florida wind creating more havoc on the tough trio – especially on Sunday afternoon when the Cognizant Classic title is on the line."

a statue of a bear by a pond on a golf course

“The Bear Trap” is loved, hated, and deeply anticipated by golfers all around the country. A plaque and bear statue stand at the entrance of the stretch to welcome golfers to what has become one of the ultimate challenges they can face for three consecutive holes.

Strongs winds and water on the course only add to the challenge. Though golfers can take in the gorgeous views, it also calls for a pretty grueling game.

"It's not about length, it's about precision," Mr. Nicklaus said himself about the great trap.

Other Courses at PGA National

We can't let The Champion get all the attention. Because the fact of the matter is there are five other courses to play on at PGA National.

a golf course with palm trees and ponds on it

The Palmer has plenty of opportunities for creative shot-making and some beautiful birdies. The course is all about taking risks and getting rewards. Players also find it really fun, just like its namesake, Arnold Palmer.

The Fazio is a good balance where single-digit golfers will be challenged, while those with higher handicaps are in for a great round of some entertaining golf. The Fazio is a reinvention of The Haig, PGA National Resort’s original 18-hole course that opened in 1980. The Haig was designed by George and Tom Fazio in tribute to five-time PGA champion Walter Hagen. Later, it's renovation was led by third-generation designer Tom Fazio II.

The Estate is actually five miles off the main resort and is considered a hidden gem among the other courses on the property. It's got both challenging and tame holes, generous fairways, and inviting greens, not to mention some pretty beautiful practice facilities, all designed by Karl Litten.

The Match and The Staple are two innovative courses designed by Andy Staples. Encouraging match versus stroke play, The Match was one of the most highly anticipated golf course opening in the last few years, perfect for those intrigued by good course design. Meanwhile, The Staple is nine holes of pure fun. Holes range from 60-130 yards and featuring some unique designs, funneling shots, and in some cases, difficult-to-reach shelves. Each hole is playable using only a putter which is super one-of-a-kind and a fun challenge. Each of the courses were originally designed as The Squire in 1983 by, you guessed it, Tom and George Fazio, and Andy Staples converted it into two new courses for the resort.

Resort & Spa

a pool in a courtyard

Though a popular resort, PGA National is a golf club where any fans of the sport can become a member. It's rooted deep in golf tradition and is considered to be "approachable luxury" for those looking to access world-class golf.

After the first round of the day, take a dip in the pool or lounge inside the gorgeous hotel decorated in classic Palm Beach style. The dining options alone at PGA National are worth the visit. Indulge in one the signature restaurants, Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford’s The Butcher’s Club , James Beard-nominated Lindsay Autry’s Honeybelle , and a unique Omakase concept from New York, Sushi by Boū .

And if you want to unwind at The Spa, it was recently redesigned by Venus Williams’s design firm, V Starr.

At PGA National, it seems like folks really do come for the golf, but stay for the lifestyle.

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2024 NFL Combine: These 6 sleeper prospects are poised to impress in Indianapolis

Athletic testing and on-field drills begin thursday from lucas oil stadium.

Louisville v Kentucky

Prospects have arrived in Indianapolis for this week's NFL Combine. Media interviews began Wednesday, and the athletic testing and on-field drills will commence in the coming days. There are a handful of lightly-discussed players who have the opportunity to make some money this week. 

Here are six names that are poised to have a good week:

EDGE Austin Booker, Kansas

Booker is a junior electing to enter the draft early. The one-time Minnesota transfer has good size and great length to dip his shoulders and flatten at the high side of his rush. Kansas used him more situationally but he showed the quickness that suggests he will be an impact rusher early in his career. The issue is that he has essentially one year of exposure playing college football . Teams will look at that as an opportunity to work with a talented player whose best football is theoretically still in front of him. 

DT Myles Murphy, North Carolina

Murphy has good size to occupy space for an NFL defense. As a pass rusher, he needs to develop more pass rush moves and create more of a plan to win at the point of attack. However, he is a fluid mover that should test well. As Day 3 of the NFL Draft arrives, teams will be hard-pressed to find an interior player with the potential of Murphy.  

For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on  "With the First Pick"  -- our year-round  NFL Draft  podcast with  NFL Draft  analyst Ryan Wilson and former  Vikings  general manager Rick Spielman. You can find "With the First Pick" wherever you get your podcasts:  Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify ,  YouTube , etc. Listen to the latest episode below!

EDGE Javon Solomon, Troy

Solomon is a sawed-off pass rusher at 6-foot, 247 pounds, but he makes up for his lack of ideal height with long arms. He is able to use that reach to engage blockers and dictate action at the line of scrimmage. He is a powerful player that should also test well in Indianapolis. Solomon has recorded 31.5 sacks over the past three seasons.

OT Nathan Thomas, Louisiana

Mobility and flexibility are two qualities that NFL teams should be looking for in a developmental offensive lineman on Days 2 and 3 of the draft; Thomas has both in spades. At 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, Thomas is built like a guard but has shown the mobility to fit multiple schemes working to the second level and getting out on pulling assignments. 

WR Jamari Thrash, Louisville

Every other player on this list has the potential to move the needle in athletic testing. Thrash likely will not have numbers that jump off the screen but the on-field portion of the week is where he could excel. The Georgia State transfer is savvy in his ability to set up breaks and smooth into his cuts. He has inside out versatility and has been one of the most consistent producers over the past two seasons. With two different teams, Thrash has 124 receptions for 1,980 yards and 13 touchdowns over the past two seasons.

LB Trevin Wallace, Kentucky

Wallace is one of the juniors to enter this draft class. He is a relatively young prospect that is still learning to read what is in front of him. He has quick click and close ability to accelerate and finish plays in the open field. The former 4-star recruit is coming off his best season after recording 80 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception. At the Senior Bowl, he was in the opposing backfield so often that he has to pay taxes. 

Wallace is a twitched up linebacker with great size. In a draft class with few high-quality linebacker options, teams may be enticed to take a player with the athletic qualities and size to one day fulfill a starting role. 

The 2024  NFL Draft  will take place from April 25-27 in Detroit. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly  updated draft order ,  mock drafts  and a regularly available  look at the eligible prospects . 

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Korn Ferry Tour

Rob Oppenheim, Thomas Walsh share first-round lead at Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank

Daily Wrap Up

Rob Oppenheim shares the lead after a bogey-free 64 Thursday at Prince of Wales Country Club. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Rob Oppenheim shares the lead after a bogey-free 64 Thursday at Prince of Wales Country Club. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

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Things to know

  • Rob Oppenheim and Thomas Walsh share the 18-hole lead after carding matching 8-under 65s.
  • Oppenheim recorded a bogey-free 8-under 64, his lowest round of the season.
  • Walsh rolled in seven birdies and an eagle against one bogey for his first 18-hole lead/co-lead on the Korn Ferry Tour.
  • Four players sit one stroke behind the leaders at 7-under: Curtis Luck, Jon Pak, Garett Reband and Grant Hirschman.
  • This week marks the sixth playing of the Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank.
  • The event made its return to the Korn Ferry Tour schedule last season after last being contested in 2015.
  • Second-round tee times will run from 7:35 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. local time.

First-round lead notes

0 - First-round leaders/co-leaders to win the Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank

0 - First-round leaders/co-leaders to win on Korn Ferry Tour in 2024

Charting the co-leaders

Rob Oppenheim (co-leader, -8)

  • Carded a bogey-free 8-under 64, his lowest round of the season
  • Birdied three of his first four holes (Nos. 1, 2, 4) with two more on the par-3 seventh and the par-5 ninth for a front-nine 31; rolled in three consecutive birdies on the par-4 12th and 13th while settling for a birdie on the par-5 14th after lipping out an eagle putt to finish with a back nine 33
  • Best finish came in the 2012 inaugural playing when he finished T4 at 16-under
  • Started all six events in the 2024 season, tallying one made cut (The Panama Championship/finished T48)
  • Marks his fourth lead/co-lead of his Korn Ferry Tour career and second 18-hole lead (T1/2017 2017 El Bosque Mexico Championship by Innova/finished T49))
  • Making his 247th career start on the Korn Ferry Tour, has one career victory that came in 2015 at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open when he carded a 6-under 64 in the final round
  • Made 51 cuts in 104 career starts on the PGA TOUR with four top-10 finishes; his best finish came at the 2021 Puerto Rico Open where he tied for seventh
  • A four-time All-American at Rollins College, earning Division II Player of the Year honors in 2002 en route to helping lead Rollins College to a Division II National Championship
  • Turned professional in 2002
  • Native of Andover, Massachusetts and now resides in Orlando, Florida

Thomas Walsh (co-leader, -8)

  • Began his round on the back nine where he made five birdies (par-4 10th, par-3 11th, par-4 13th, par-5 14th, par-4 17th) and an eagle on the par-5 18th against one bogey on the par-4 16 th for a 30 on his first nine holes
  • Tallied two more birdies on his second nine (Nos. 1 and 9) to finish with a first-round 8-under 64
  • Making his second start in the Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank (2022/T61)
  • Marks the third lead or co-lead after any round of his Korn Ferry Tour career and the first 18-hole lead of his career
  • Made the cut in three of five events to begin the season; best finish came in the form of a T3 at the Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard in Bogotá, Colombia, where he held the outright 54-hole lead
  • Best career finish was a T2 last season at the Price Cutter Championship presented by Dr. Pepper
  • Turned professional in 2019 and played primarily on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica during the 2020 season where he logged three top-25 finishes in seven starts
  • Played collegiately at the University of Virginia for four seasons (2015-19), winning two individual titles, including the 2018 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship, earning 2018 All-American third-team recognition

Rob Oppenheim on his bogey-free 8-under 64… “I started out, made a 10-footer on one and about a 15-footer on two, so just kind of got the round going with a couple made putts. Then hit a few shots close. Overall, just a solid round. Did a little bit of everything and it was nice to get off to a good start. I haven't played great so far this year, so it's nice to get off to a good start to the week.”

Oppenheim on not starting the year the way he wanted… “I've been doing this a long time so you kind of know that you're going to go through ups and downs in a season. It's a long season, just started the year. This is a tough start, you're playing all these events out of the country, a lot of travel, the bus rides to and from the golf course, they're long weeks. This is the last one, so just trying to get off to finish the stretch in a good way. I've been working hard and you just never know when it's going to all come together. It's nice to start off with a good round today.”

John Pak on what he learned playing PGA TOUR Canada last season… “Just every shot matters and don't take a week – if you're not playing well, try to turn it into something good – don't just take it for granted. Out here every week, especially not having the greatest opportunity other than getting into Panama, taking advantage of every week.”

  • Pak notably finished No. 1 in the inaugural PGA TOUR University Class of 2021; played four seasons at Florida State University (2017-21), winning eight times as an individual and garnering All-America honors all four seasons (first-team selection in 2019 and 2021, second-team honoree in 2020, and third-team selection in 2018)
  • Swept the three NCAA Division I national player of the year awards – Jack Nicklaus Award, Ben Hogan Award, Fred Haskins Award – in 2021, becoming the sixth player to sweep those honors since the creation of all three awards
  • In 10 PGA TOUR Canada events in 2023, made seven cuts and earned two top-10s and four top-25s
  • Luck is making the 110th start of his Korn Ferry Tour career this week and his first appearance at the Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank
  • Grant Hirschman (T3, -7), making his third start of the season, turned in a bogey-free 7-under 65, highlighted by birdies on his first three holes of the day (par-4s first and second, par-5 third)
  • Reband competed on PGA TOUR Lationamérica last season where he made two cuts, including a T6 at the Kia Open
  • Widing is seeking his fifth made cut through six events this season; he has recorded three top-25 finishes and one top-10 (T8/Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard)
  • German Thomas Rosenmueller (T7, -6) sat 1-over par at the turn Thursday before a back-nine 29 to finish with a first-round 6-under 66
  • Last month, Del Solar set the lowest 18-hole score ever recorded in a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event with a bogey-free 13-under 57 at the Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard
  • 13 players recorded bogey-free rounds Thursday
  • Of the 156 players in the field, 101 finished the first round under par

IMAGES

  1. When Jack Came Back: The 1980 U.S. Open

    pga tour players 1980

  2. Lot Detail

    pga tour players 1980

  3. 1980 PGA Championship Official Film

    pga tour players 1980

  4. 1980: PGA Tour of Champions Was Formally Founded • Honest Golfers

    pga tour players 1980

  5. Best of Golf: Top 10 players of the 1980s

    pga tour players 1980

  6. Best of Golf: Top 10 players of the 1980s

    pga tour players 1980

COMMENTS

  1. 1980 PGA Tour

    PGA Player of the Year: Tom Watson: ← 1979. 1981 → . The 1980 PGA Tour was the 65th season of the PGA Tour, the main professional golf tour in the United States. It was also the 12th season since separating from the PGA of America. Schedule. The following table lists official events during the 1980 season.

  2. The Top Ranked Golfers of the 1980s

    Rnk: Athlete: 1: Tom Watson: 2: Seve Ballesteros: 3: Jack Nicklaus: 4: Larry Nelson: 5: Curtis Strange: 6: Nick Faldo: 7: Raymond Floyd: 8: Sandy Lyle: 9: Greg Norman ...

  3. 32 Best Golfers Of The 80s

    If ever a player was defined by a decade it would be Strange. Sixteen of his 17 PGA Tour wins came in the 80s, including his back-to-back US Open victories. Only Ben Hogan, Strange and Brooks Koepka have defended the USGA showpiece since World War II and, oddly, the win at Oak Hill in '89 would be his last. He nearly won The Masters in '85 ...

  4. Best of Golf: Top 10 players of the 1980s

    Our take focuses on victories, on both the PGA Tour and European Tour, and major titles only for the decade, so with that in mind, keep clicking to see our choices for the top 10 players of the 1980s. Nick Faldo at the 1987 British Open (David Cannon/Getty Images) 10. Nick Faldo. The Englishman was one of several international stars who didn ...

  5. The Greatest Players of the 80s & 90s

    Curtis Strange won 16 times between 1980 and 1989 including back-to-back U.S. Opens in 1988 at Brookline and again in 1989 at Oak Hill Country Club. ... He was the PGA Tour's leading money winner in 1985, 1987, and 1988 and was voted PGA Tour Player of the Year in 1988. Strange is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and spent over 200 ...

  6. 1980 Senior PGA Tour

    The 1980 Senior PGA Tour was the inaugural season of the Senior PGA Tour, the main professional golf tour in the United States for men aged 50 and over. Schedule ... Player Prize money ($) 1: Don January: 44,100 2: Charlie Sifford: 34,929 3: Art Wall Jr. 20,829 T4: Roberto De Vicenzo: 20,000 Arnold Palmer: Awards. Award

  7. PGA TOUR Champions Player Stats, Bio, Career

    PGA TOUR Headquarters relocated from Washington, D.C. to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. 1980: Senior PGA Tour organized with two tournaments; First TPC opens, the TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. 1983

  8. 1980: PGA Tour of Champions Was Formally Founded

    On This Day, in 1980 the PGA Tour of Champions… the Champions Tour Was Formally Founded ... 1997: Irwin wins nine times and becomes the first player on any tour to win more than $2 million in a season. 1998: Irwin and Gil Morgan combine to win 13 events. Irwin earns $2.8 million on the Senior Tour, which is more than money-leader David Duval ...

  9. 1980 PGA Tour

    PGA Player of the Year: Tom Watson: ← 1979. 1981 → . The 1980 PGA Tour was the 65th season of the PGA Tour, the main professional golf tour in the United States. It was also the 12th season since separating from the PGA of America. Schedule. The following table lists official events during the 1980 season.

  10. 1980 Tournament Players Championship

    The 1980 Tournament Players Championship was a golf tournament in Florida on the PGA Tour, held March 20-23 at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, southeast of Jacksonville.The seventh Tournament Players Championship, it was the fourth at Sawgrass and Lee Trevino won at 278 (−10), one stroke ahead of runner-up Ben Crenshaw.. Defending champion Lanny Wadkins finished thirteen ...

  11. All-Time Facts and Figures : PGA TOUR Media Guide

    0 My PGA TOUR Guide; SECTIONS. Introduction . About the PGA TOUR; FedExCup Overview; TOUR History & Chronology; ... 1980: 29 (7-under) Bob Murphy, Tallahassee Open; Curtis Strange, Michelob Houston Open ... Gary Player, PGA Championship 1971: 74 (4-over) Jerry Heard, American Golf Classic 1970: 72 (1-over) Billy Casper, Los Angeles Open ...

  12. How Driving Distance has Changed Over the Past 40 years on the PGA Tour

    That year, he was more than 30 yards longer than the average Tour player. In 1980 (the first year that the PGA Tour's driving distance stats are available), Dan Pohl led the field while ...

  13. The Players Championship history, results and past winners

    The Players Championship is the PGA Tour's crown jewel event on the schedule, serving as the most important event which the PGA Tour controls. ... 1980: Lee Trevino: 278: −10: 1: $72,000: 1979 ...

  14. Eighteen of the most remarkable Jack Nicklaus statistics

    In 1980, at age 40, Nicklaus led the PGA TOUR in total driving, a statistic that combines a player's ranking in average distance off the tee and percentage of fairways hit. His total driving ...

  15. THE PLAYERS: Past Champions

    THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass was firm, fast and tough — conditions that suited Duval's focused personality. He was a kid from Jacksonville Beach. Just a few hours down the Florida coast, Duval's father, Bob, was in contention at a PGA TOUR Champions tournament. READ MORE

  16. Longest drivers on PGA Tour

    The PGA Tour has been keeping average driving distance stats since 1980. In 2003, the mark of 321.4 yards was achieved by Hank Kuehne and was the standard-bearer for almost two decades. During the 2019-20 season, Bryson DeChambeau broke Kuehne's 17-year-old mark.

  17. The 50 greatest players of the last 50 years, ranked by their best

    He won the Players and PGA, marking the high point of a career that included another Players win in 2000. ... (1.68 per hole) on the PGA Tour, Smith won the 150th Open, then joined LIV. 32. Retief ...

  18. How driving distance has changed over the past 40 years on the PGA Tour

    In 1980 (the first year that the PGA Tour's driving distance stats are available), Dan Pohl led the field while averaging 274.3 yards per drive. The Tour average was a meek 256.89 yards.

  19. All you need to know about the 50th anniversary of The Players

    On Friday, The Players opens its PGA Tour Fan Shop from noon to 5 p.m. On Saturday, a Military Job Fair is held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Both weekend days, the fan shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

  20. 50 states, 50 golfers: The best native-born players by U.S. state

    Janzen had eight PGA Tour titles to five for Lehman and trumped Lehman's 1996 Open title by winning two U.S. Opens, in 1992 and 1998. Janzen beat Payne Stewart both times, at Baltusrol and the ...

  21. The PGA Tour's average driving distance has skyrocketed since 1980

    Pohl led the tour in driving with a respectable 274.3-yard average and accruing over 51,000 yards driven. Pohl, unfortunately, would not pick up a win on Tour in 1980 — or '81, when he led the ...

  22. Joe Kunes PGA TOUR Player Profile, Stats, Bio, Career

    Aon Better Decisions. DP World Tour Eligibility Rankings. How It Works. PGA TOUR Training. Tickets. Shop. Tours. The Official PGA TOUR Profile of Joe Kunes. PGA TOUR Stats, bio, video, photos ...

  23. How to Watch the PGA Tour Players Championship From Anywhere

    The PGA Tour Players Championship starts on Thursday, March 14, 2024. There's a field of 144 players this year, and they'll be competing for a massive purse of $25 million. The PGA Tour's best players are going head-to-head at the iconic TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. We're ready to take a swing at some of the best golfing ...

  24. Best make-cut percentages on the LPGA since 1980

    See where she ranks in cuts made on the LPGA since 1980. Subscribe; Courses . Golfweek's Best Courses . Top public courses, state by state ... Take a look at this list of players with the highest made-cut percentage since 1980, who've had at least 200 career starts. ... PGA Tour. 1 day. 126 shares. Full Swing Season 2 review: Ranking all 8 ...

  25. The Champion at The PGA National Resort

    Players also find it really fun, just like its namesake, Arnold Palmer. The Fazio is a good balance where single-digit golfers will be challenged, while those with higher handicaps are in for a great round of some entertaining golf. The Fazio is a reinvention of The Haig, PGA National Resort's original 18-hole course that opened in 1980.

  26. TOUR History & Chronology : PGA TOUR Media Guide

    The competitive scope of the PGA TOUR is also much broader today. The PGA TOUR schedule has continued to expand both domestically and internationally, and the season-long FedExCup competition enters its 15th season in 2020-21, having crowned golf's top players including Tiger Woods (2007 and 2009), Jordan Spieth (2015), Rory McIlroy (2016, 2019), Justin Thomas (2017) and most recently ...

  27. PGA TOUR Player Stats, Bio, Career

    Players. All Players Priority Rankings Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 Rookies International. ... PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, and the Swinging Golfer design are registered trademarks. The Korn ...

  28. Golf Stat and Records

    Leaderboard Watch News FedExCup Schedule Players Stats Golfbet Signature Events More PGA TOUR PGA TOUR Champions Korn Ferry Tour PGA TOUR Americas LPGA TOUR DP World Tour PGA TOUR University ...

  29. 2024 NFL Combine: These 6 sleeper prospects are poised to impress in

    PGA Tour on CBS; College Basketball on CBS ... There are a handful of lightly-discussed players who have the opportunity to make some money this week. ... Thrash has 124 receptions for 1,980 yards ...

  30. Rob Oppenheim, Thomas Walsh share first-round lead at Astara Chile

    Last month, Del Solar set the lowest 18-hole score ever recorded in a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event with a bogey-free 13-under 57 at the Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard 13 players ...