Richie_Karl
Richie Karl
American golfer
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]
| Richie Karl | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Richard Karl |
| Born | (1944-09-28) September 28, 1944 (age 79) Johnson City, New York |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st) |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| 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 |
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]
Karl turned professional in 1968.[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 (now Champions 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]
- 1965 Alaska State Amateur
- 1966 Alaska State Amateur
PGA Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 21, 1974 | B.C. Open | −11 (70-67-68-68=273) | Playoff |  Bruce Crampton |
PGA Tour playoff record (1–0)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1974 | B.C. Open | Bruce Crampton |
Won with birdie on first extra hole |
Other wins (5)
- 1972 Yuma Open (PGA Tour satellite event)
- 1982 Iowa PGA Championship
- 1983 Iowa PGA Championship
- 1984 Iowa PGA Championship
- 1985 Iowa PGA Championship
- Elliott, Len; Barbara Kelly (1976). Who's Who in Golf. New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House. p. 109. ISBN 0-87000-225-2.
- "Champions Tour Notes". PGA Tour.com. July 10, 2007. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
- Richie Karl at the PGA Tour official site