| Richie Karl | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Richard Karl |
| Born | September 28, 1944 Johnson City, New York |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st) |
| Sporting nationality | |
| Career | |
| College | Florida State University |
| Turned professional | 1968 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 6 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 1 |
| Other | 5 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | 46th: 1975 |
| PGA Championship | T55: 1974 |
| U.S. Open | CUT: 1980 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
Richard Karl (born September 28, 1944) is an American professional golfer who is best known as the last golf club professional to win an official PGA Tour event. [1]
Karl was born in Johnson City, New York. He played college golf at Florida State University. [2] He won the Alaska State Amateur twice while stationed in the Army there. [3]
In 1968, Karl turned professional. [2] He won the 1974 B.C. Open by sinking a 35-foot putt on the first hole in a playoff with Bruce Crampton. Karl, who worked at the En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, New York where the B.C. Open was played and lived along the 10th fairway, is the last club professional to win on the PGA Tour. [1]
Karl played briefly on the Senior PGA Tour starting after he turned 50 in September 1994. His best finish in this venue was a T-5 at the ACE Group Classic. In 2007, Karl played as a sponsor's exemption in the inaugural Dick's Sporting Goods Open, a Champions Tour event played on his home course. [4]
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 21, 1974 | B.C. Open | −11 (70-67-68-68=273) | Playoff | |
PGA Tour playoff record (1–0)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1974 | B.C. Open | | Won with birdie on first extra hole |