Roger Maltbie

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Roger Maltbie
Roger Maltbie at 2023 U.S. Open.jpg
Maltbie at the 2023 U.S. Senior Open
Personal information
Full nameRoger Lin Maltbie
Born (1951-06-30) June 30, 1951 (age 73)
Modesto, California
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight200 lb (91 kg; 14 st)
Sporting nationalityFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Residence Los Gatos, California
Career
College San Jose City College
San Jose State University
Turned professional1973
Former tour(s) PGA Tour
Champions Tour
Professional wins12
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour5
Other7
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament T4: 1987
PGA Championship T14: 1983
U.S. Open T32: 1983
The Open Championship T26: 1977

Roger Lin Maltbie (born June 30, 1951) is an American professional golfer and on-course analyst for NBC Sports. [1]

Contents

Early life

Maltbie was born in Modesto, California [2] and grew up in San Jose. He attended James Lick High School where he was a teammate of former PGA Tour player Forrest Fezler. [3]

Amateur career

Maltbie attended San Jose City College (1970–1971) and then San Jose State University. [4] He was a member of the golf team at both institutions. He also practiced at San Jose Country Club.

Professional career

Maltbie turned professional in 1973 and joined the PGA Tour in 1974. He played on the Tour full-time from 1975 to 1996. He won five official tour events between 1975 and 1985, including back-to-back wins in his first full year. After his win at the 1975 Pleasant Valley Classic, Maltbie left his $40,000 winner's check behind in a bar. [5]

In his second year on tour, Maltbie won the inaugural Memorial Tournament by defeating Hale Irwin on the fourth hole of a sudden death playoff. On the playoff's third hole, an errant shot by Maltbie seemed headed for the gallery when it hit a stake causing the ball to bounce onto the green instead. [6]

Maltbie had 55 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour. In 1985, he won two tournaments, earned $360,554, and finished 8th on the money list. His best finish in a major was T4 at the 1987 Masters Tournament. [7] Maltbie calls losing that tournament the biggest disappointment of his career. [8]

Maltbie began play on the Senior PGA Tour after turning 50 in June 2001. His best finish at this level is a 20th at the 2003 Bayer Advantage Celebrity Pro-Am.

Broadcasting career

Since 1991, Maltbie has worked as an on-course reporter and analyst for NBC Sports. In this role, he has become well known as a jovial good-natured figure. His signature element is a "golf whisper," necessitated by the fact that Maltbie generally stands much closer to the green than other on-course reporters. During the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens, both contested at Bethpage State Park on Long Island, NBC ran features in which Maltbie spent a night camping out with several golfers while waiting in the infamous line to play Bethpage's Black Course, the first municipal course to host the U.S. Open.

Personal life

Maltbie and his wife Donna have two sons, Spencer and Parker. They live in Los Gatos, California.

He is a San Francisco 49ers fan and owns several Super Bowl rings given to him by former owner Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. [3]

Amateur wins (2)

Professional wins (12)

PGA Tour wins (5)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1Jul 13, 1975 Ed McMahon-Jaycees Quad Cities Open 74-65-72-64=275−91 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Dave Eichelberger
2Jul 20, 1975 Pleasant Valley Classic 72-71-67-66=276−81 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Mac McLendon
3May 30, 1976 Memorial Tournament 71-71-70-76=288EPlayoff Flag of the United States.svg Hale Irwin
4Jun 9, 1985 Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic 70-63-72-70=275−9Playoff Flag of the United States.svg George Burns, Flag of the United States.svg Raymond Floyd
5Aug 25, 1985 NEC World Series of Golf 65-69-68-66=268−124 strokes Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Denis Watson

PGA Tour playoff record (2–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
1 1976 Memorial Tournament Flag of the United States.svg Hale Irwin Won with birdie on fourth extra hole
2 1985 Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic Flag of the United States.svg George Burns, Flag of the United States.svg Raymond Floyd Won with birdie on fourth extra hole
3 1986 Canon Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open Flag of the United States.svg Mac O'Grady Lost to par on first extra hole

Other wins (4)

this list may be incomplete

Senior wins (3)

Results in major championships

Tournament19751976197719781979
Masters Tournament T9CUT
U.S. Open CUT
The Open Championship T26
PGA Championship CUTT43T31
Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
Masters Tournament T23T4CUT
U.S. Open T41T32T41T46T54
The Open Championship T43
PGA Championship T61T54T14T65T28T47T28CUT
Tournament1990199119921993
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open CUTCUT
The Open Championship
PGA Championship
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament 00012353
U.S. Open 00000085
The Open Championship 00000022
PGA Championship 000001119
Totals0001242619

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995
The Players Championship T21T3T55CUTT455T68CUTT27T48CUTT51T41WDCUTCUTCUTT35CUT
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place

See also

References

  1. Sandomir, Richard (June 18, 2009). "Recaps, Replays and Weather Reports". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  2. "Photos: Roger Maltbie's career in golf, from 5-time PGA Tour winner to NBC on-course reporter". Golfweek. November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Bio from All American Speakers" . Retrieved June 12, 2006.
  4. Purdy, Mark (June 13, 2017) [June 13, 2017]. "Purdy: A little bit of Augusta National at . . . San Jose State? So says Roger Maltbie". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  5. Moffit, David (April 12, 1987). "Maltbie serious about golf, but draws laughs". The Sunday Times-Sentinel. Gallipolis, Ohio. UPI. p. C-2.
  6. Kady, John (June 1, 1976). "Roger Maltbie wins Memorial". Beaver County Times. Beaver, Pennsylvania. UPI. p. C-2.
  7. "Golf Major Championships" . Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  8. Bestrom, Craig (May 2003). "Life of the Party". Golf Digest. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. Retrieved June 12, 2006.