Scott Verplank

Last updated

Scott Verplank
Personal information
Full nameScott Rachal Verplank
Born (1964-07-09) July 9, 1964 (age 60)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight165 lb (75 kg; 11.8 st)
Sporting nationalityFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Residence Edmond, Oklahoma, U.S.
SpouseKim Verplank
Children4
Career
College Oklahoma State University
Turned professional1986
Current tour(s) PGA Tour Champions
Former tour(s) PGA Tour
Professional wins6
Highest ranking 11 (October 21, 2001) [1]
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour5
Other1
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament T8: 2003
PGA Championship T4: 2011
U.S. Open T7: 2007
The Open Championship T7: 2004
Achievements and awards
Haskins Award 1986
PGA Tour
Comeback Player of the Year 		1998
Ben Hogan Award 2002
NCAA Silver
Anniversary Award 		2011

Scott Rachal Verplank (born July 9, 1964) is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions.

Contents

Early life

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Verplank was a leading member of the W.T. White High School golf team and a regular at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas. He graduated from high school in 1982.

Amateur career

Verplank attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. At OSU, he was a member of the 1983 NCAA Championship team, finishing T3 alongside teammates Tommy Moore, Willie Wood, Andy Dillard, and Philip Walton. He went on later to win the 1984 U.S. Amateur and 1986 NCAA individual title.

Prior to his senior year at Oklahoma State, Verplank won the Western Open outside Chicago in August 1985; it was the first victory by an amateur on the PGA Tour in 29 years. [2] [3] He defeated Jim Thorpe on the second extra hole of a playoff for the win at Butler National Golf Club in Oak Brook, Illinois. [2] [3]

Professional career

Verplank graduated and turned professional in 1986, using his two-year exemption on the PGA Tour; his first event as a pro was the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in June, his sixth tour event that year. [4] He earned five wins on the PGA Tour, and two Ryder Cup appearances, in 2002 and 2006. Verplank has type 1 diabetes and uses an insulin pump during play. [5] He was awarded the 2002 Ben Hogan Award, given by the Golf Writers Association of America to an individual who has continued to be active in golf despite a physical handicap or serious illness. [5] Verplank has been featured in the top 20 of the Official World Golf Rankings, reaching as high as eleventh in 2001.

He hit a hole-in-one in the Ryder Cup, on the 14th hole during a singles match against Pádraig Harrington in 2006. The shot did not impact the overall result, however, as Europe had already won the trophy. Nonetheless, he was the first American player to card an ace during the Ryder Cup; his overall record in the competition is 4 wins and 1 loss.

Verplank's most recent win was the 2007 EDS Byron Nelson Championship, in which he defeated Luke Donald by one stroke. As a Dallas native, Verplank called the EDS Byron Nelson Championship "a fifth major," and also mentioned that "Byron was with me today" (the 2007 tournament was the first held after Nelson's death). His best finish in a major championship was a tie for fourth at the PGA Championship in 2011.

Verplank competed in the 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational finishing T38 and then the following week at the Shell Houston Open in which Verplank finished T2 behind Phil Mickelson. Verplank had held a joint 54-hole lead with Mickelson and even held the lead on his own at a number of stages during the final round, however his lack of competitive golf proved costly throughout the final few holes and he was unable to close out the victory. This was his best finish on tour in 18 months since finishing T2 at the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2009. Verplank has amassed over $27 million in career earnings.

Verplank played the 2013 season on a Major Medical Extension after hip and wrist injuries in 2012. He started the 2014 season in a similar fashion, but was not able to satisfy the medical exemption and used his career money list exemption for the remainder of the season. Verplank turned 50 in July 2014 and made his Champions Tour debut at the U.S. Senior Open at Oak Tree National, near his residence in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Awards and honors

In December 2010, Verplank was named a 2011 winner of the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, given annually to six former NCAA student-athletes for distinguished career accomplishment on the 25th anniversary of their college graduation. [6]

Amateur wins

Professional wins (6)

PGA Tour wins (5)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory		Runner(s)-up
1Aug 4, 1985 Western Open
(as an amateur)		68-68-69-74=279−9Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Jim Thorpe
2Jul 31, 1988 Buick Open 66-66-70-66=268−202 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Doug Tewell
3Aug 27, 2000 Reno–Tahoe Open 69-68-71-67=275−13Playoff Flag of France.svg Jean van de Velde
4Sep 9, 2001 Bell Canadian Open 70-63-66-67=266−143 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Joey Sindelar, Flag of the United States.svg Bob Estes
5Apr 29, 2007 EDS Byron Nelson Championship 67-68-66-66=267−131 stroke Flag of England.svg Luke Donald

PGA Tour playoff record (2–4)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
1 1985 Western Open Flag of the United States.svg Jim Thorpe Won with par on second extra hole
2 1998 Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic Flag of Namibia.svg Trevor Dodds Lost to par on first extra hole
3 2000 Reno–Tahoe Open Flag of France.svg Jean van de Velde Won with birdie on fourth extra hole
4 2001 Verizon Byron Nelson Classic Flag of the United States.svg Robert Damron Lost to birdie on fourth extra hole
5 2004 Ford Championship at Doral Flag of Australia (converted).svg Craig Parry Lost to eagle on first extra hole
6 2010 Travelers Championship Flag of the United States.svg Corey Pavin, Flag of the United States.svg Bubba Watson Watson won with par on second extra hole
Pavin eliminated by par on first hole

Other wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory		Runners-up
1Nov 22, 1998 World Cup of Golf Individual Trophy 70-72-74-63=279−91 stroke Flag of England.svg Nick Faldo, Flag of Italy.svg Costantino Rocca

Other playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
12006 Merrill Lynch Shootout
(with Flag of the United States.svg Justin Leonard)		 Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Kelly and Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rod Pampling Lost to bogey on first extra hole

Results in major championships

Tournament19851986198719881989
Masters Tournament CUTCUTCUTCUT
U.S. Open T34LAT15CUT
The Open Championship CUTCUT
PGA Championship CUTCUT
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
Masters Tournament CUT
U.S. Open T61T18T21T49T17
The Open Championship T15
PGA Championship T31CUTT54T34
Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
Masters Tournament CUT43T829T20T16T30CUT
U.S. Open T46T22CUTT10T40CUTCUTT7T29
The Open Championship CUTT30T37CUTT7T23T31T57T58
PGA Championship CUTT7CUTCUTT62T34CUTT9CUTCUT
Tournament201020112012
Masters Tournament T18T54
U.S. Open T47
The Open Championship T76
PGA Championship CUTT4WD
  Top 10
  Did not play

LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" = tied

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament 000014158
U.S. Open 0000271814
The Open Championship 000013139
PGA Championship 000133198
Totals00017176539

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament19861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999
The Players Championship CUTCUTCUTCUTWDT11T32
Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012
The Players Championship T20T44T28T8T26T2CUTT44CUTT49T13T54WD
  Top 10
  Did not play

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

Results in World Golf Championships

Tournament199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010
Match Play R32R32R32R64R64R64R32R64R64R64
Championship T48NT1T15T51T54T62T38T40T30
Invitational T17T58T46T19T51T59T9T20T51T39
Champions

1Cancelled due to 9/11

  Top 10
  Did not play

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied
NT = No tournament
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

Professional

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Mickelson</span> American professional golfer

Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer who currently plays in the LIV Golf League. He has won 45 events on the PGA Tour, including six major championships: three Masters titles, two PGA Championships, and one Open Championship (2013). With his win at the 2021 PGA Championship, Mickelson became the oldest major championship winner in history at the age of 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days. He is nicknamed "Lefty", as he plays left-handed.

Hal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer, currently playing on the PGA Tour Champions, who achieved 14 victories on the PGA Tour, including the 1983 PGA Championship and the 1983 and 2000 Players Championships. Sutton was also the PGA Tour's leading money winner in 1983 and named Player of the Year.

Curtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer and TV color commentator. He is the winner of consecutive U.S. Open titles and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking between their debut in 1986 and 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Leonard</span> American professional golfer

Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer. He has twelve career wins on the PGA Tour, including one major, the 1997 Open Championship. He currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He is one of only 5 players to win the U.S. Amateur, the NCAA Individual Championship and a major golf tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Crenshaw</span> American professional golfer

Ben Daniel Crenshaw is a retired American professional golfer who has won 19 events on the PGA Tour, including two major championships: the Masters Tournament in 1984 and 1995. He is nicknamed Gentle Ben.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Donald</span> English professional golfer

Luke Campbell Donald MBE is an English professional golfer and former world number one. He plays mainly on the U.S.-based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour.

Mark Stephen Hayes was an American professional golfer. He had three victories on the PGA Tour in the 1970s, including the 1977 Tournament Players Championship. He played in the 1979 Ryder Cup as a late replacement for Tom Watson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Moore (golfer)</span> American professional golfer

Ryan David Moore is an American professional golfer, currently playing on the PGA Tour. He had a highly successful amateur career, winning the NCAA Individual Championship, the U.S. Amateur Public Links, and the U.S. Amateur in 2004. Since turning professional in 2005 he has won five titles on the PGA Tour as of the 2016 season and earned rankings inside the top thirty in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cook (golfer)</span> American professional golfer

John Neuman Cook is an American professional golfer, who won eleven times on the PGA Tour and was a member of the Ryder Cup team in 1993. He was ranked in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking for 45 weeks in 1992 and 1993. Cook currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions and is a studio analyst on Golf Channel.

This article summarizes the highlights of professional and amateur golf in the year 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucas Glover</span> American professional golfer

Lucas Hendley Glover is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. He is best known for winning the 2009 U.S. Open.

Ronald "J.J." Henry III is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rickie Fowler</span> American professional golfer (born 1988)

Rick Yutaka Fowler is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He was the number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008. On January 24, 2016, he reached a career high fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking following his victory in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. He is one of only 4 golfers to shoot 62 in a major championship, achieving the feat at the 2023 U.S. Open, played at the Los Angeles Country Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Overton</span> American professional golfer

Jeffrey Laurence Overton is an American professional golfer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Webb Simpson</span> American professional golfer

James Frederick Webb Simpson is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour who won the 2012 U.S. Open and the 2018 Players Championship.

Jamie Lovemark is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour.

Peter Uihlein is an American professional golfer who formerly played on the PGA Tour and the European Tour and now plays in the LIV Golf League. He was a member of the victorious U.S. team at the 2009 Walker Cup, where he compiled a 4–0 match record. Uihlein won the 2010 U.S. Amateur and is a former number one ranked amateur golfer in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keegan Bradley</span> American professional golfer (born 1986)

Keegan Hansen Bradley is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour. He has won seven tour events, most notably the 2011 PGA Championship. He is one of six golfers to win in his major debut, along with Ben Curtis, Fred Herd, Willie Park, Sr., Francis Ouimet and Horace Rawlins. He was the 2011 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year and has briefly featured in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking. He was announced as the 2025 Team USA Ryder Cup captain on July 8, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collin Morikawa</span> American professional golfer (born 1997)

Collin Morikawa is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He began his PGA Tour career with 22 consecutive made cuts, second only to Tiger Woods' 25-cut streak. Morikawa has six PGA Tour wins – including two major championships, the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship, winning both in his debut. In May 2018, Morikawa spent three weeks as the top-ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He also became the first American to win the Race to Dubai on the European Tour.

Matthew Brandyn Wolff is an American professional golfer. He was an NCAA All-American at Oklahoma State University, and won the 2019 NCAA Division I individual championship. Wolff picked up his first win on the PGA Tour at the 2019 3M Open. He joined LIV Golf in 2022.

References

  1. ↑ "Week 42 2001 Ending 21 Oct 2001" (pdf). OWGR . Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Thorpe is not only victim of Verplank". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 5, 1985. p. C1.
  3. 1 2 "Amateur outduels pro for title". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). UPI. August 5, 1985. p. D2.
  4. ↑ "Verplank opens with Open". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 12, 1986. p. 4F.
  5. 1 2 "European Tour biography". PGA European Tour. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  6. ↑ "NCAA Names Silver Anniversary Winners" (Press release). NCAA. December 1, 2010. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.