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Bobby Wadkins  |
EXEMPT STATUS: Top 31 on 2002 Champions Tour Money List FULL NAME: Bobby Wadkins HEIGHT: 6-1 WEIGHT: 205 BIRTHDATE: July 26, 1951 BIRTHPLACE: Richmond, VA RESIDENCE: Richmond, VA FAMILY: Wife, Linda; Casey Tanner (2/14/90) EDUCATION: East Tennessee State University (1973, Health and Physical Education) SPECIAL INTERESTS: Deer, big-game hunting and bass fishing TURNED PROFESSIONAL: 1973 JOINED TOUR: 2000 |
| Champions Tour Victories |
| (1) 2001 Lightpath Long Island Classic. |
| Other Victories |
| 1971 Virginia State Amateur. 1978 European Open. 1979 Dunlop Phoenix. 1982 Virginia State Open. 1986 Dunlop Phoenix. Virginia State Open. 1990 Fred Meyer Challenge (with Lanny Wadkins). |
| Current Year Charles Schwab Cup Points and Positions |
| 897 (4) |
| Current Year Champions Tour Money and Positions |
| $570,353 (13) |
| Current Year Best Champions Tour Finishes |
| 2--Senior PGA Championship, T2--Royal Caribbean Golf Classic, T6--Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, T7--Emerald Coast Classic |
| Current Year Champions Tour Best Round |
| 61 at Round 2, Emerald Coast Classic |
| Current Year Champions Tour Highlights |
| Runner-up for second consecutive year at the Senior PGA Championship, finishing two strokes behind John Jacobs at Aronimink GC near Philadelphia...Battled through back spasms at the Royal Caribbean Golf Classic and eventually T2 at Key Biscayne. Missed a seven-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff...Fired a 9-under 61 in the second round of the Emerald Coast Classic, his career best as a professional in 823 TOUR events. Moved him within one stroke of the 36-hole lead, but he eventually T7 at The Moors GC after posting a 69 on Easter Sunday. |
| Best PGA TOUR Finishes |
| 2--1978 Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open. 2--1979 IVB-Philadelphia Golf Classic. 2--1985 Sea Pines Heritage. T2--1979 Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic. T2--1987 Shearson Lehman Bros. Andy Williams Open. T2--1994 Kemper Open. |
| Best Champions Tour Finishes |
| 1--2001 Lightpath Long Island Classic. |
| Best Nationwide Tour Finishes |
| 2--1997 NIKE Louisiana Open, 2--NIKE Dominion Open. 2--1999 NIKE Florida Classic. |
| Best 2002 Champions Tour Finishes |
| 2--Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, T2--Senior PGA Championship, Greater Baltimore Classic, 3--MasterCard Championship, 6--Toshiba Senior Classic, T7--Siebel Classic in Silicon Valley, BellSouth Senior Classic at Opryland, T8--Bruno's Memorial Classic, The Instinet Classic, T9--Farmers Charity Classic, T10--Allianz Championship |
| 2002 Season Champions Tour |
| Tournaments Entered--30; in money--30; Top 10 finishes--11 |
| 2002 Season Highlights |
| Only Allen Doyle earned more money last year without posting a victory. Came close to the winner's circle in three events and played his best golf from May-June when he was among the top 10 in five straight touranments...Closed with a final-round 66 at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, but placed second to Doug Tewell by one stroke. Had caught Tewell midway through the back nine on Sunday, but made a bogey at the 16th hole...Was the 54-hole leader at the Senior PGA Championship at Firestone, but lost to Fuzzy Zoeller by two strokes, T2 along with Hale Irwin after posting a 1-over 71 on Sunday...T2 again at the Greater Baltimore Classic, one of three players to fall one stroke shy of J.C. Snead despite closing with a 6-under-par 66 on Sunday...Opened the campaign with a third-place finish at the MasterCard Championship...Was only one stroke out of the lead through two rounds of the SBC Senior Open, but three double bogeys on Sunday dropped him into a T14, six shots back. |
| Career Highlights |
| 2001: Made his first appearance on the circuit a memorable one. Became the youngest winner in Champions Tour history when he claimed the Lightpath Long Island Classic 10 days after turning 50. Edged Allen Doyle and Larry Nelson by one stroke and broke Gil Morgan's record as the youngest winner (50 years, 11 days/ 1996 Ralphs Senior Classic). His 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole at the Meadow Brook Club gave him his first win in TOUR event in his 778th start. Helped his cause early in the final round when he rebounded from a double-bogey with a double-eagle on the third hole (driver, pitching wedge from 135 yards). Became just the 10th player, and first since brother Lanny, to win in his debut on the Champions Tour. Win also enabled the Wadkins brothers to become just the second set of siblings to triumph on the Champions Tour (Dave and Mike Hill). |
| Personal |
| After attending University of Houston for one year, won All-American honors in 1972-73 at East Tennessee State...Along with older brother Lanny, kept Richmond, VA, city junior title in family for six consecutive years (Lanny four, Bobby two)...Biggest thrill in golf was posting first Champions Tour victory at the Lightpath Long Island Classic and biggest thrill outside golf was when his son, Casey, was born. Son has played in five national baseball tournaments...Was age 8 when his father got him started in golf...Favorite athletes are Mickey Mantle and Arnold Palmer...Favorite golf course is Cypress Point. |
| PGA TOUR Playoff Record |
| 0-2 |