Carlos Franco

Franco grew up in poverty in Paraguay as one of seven children. The family of nine shared a one-room, dirt-floor home. Father was a greens superintendent and caddie at a course in Asuncion. He and his five brothers, all of whom became golf professionals, started in golf as caddies, learning to play while barefoot. Franco began his career on the South American Tour, gaining international prominence when he beat Sam Torrance, and Paraguay beat Scotland, at the 1993 Dunhill Cup. The next year Franco went to Asia, winning the Philippine Open and leading the 1994 Order of Merit, thereby earning an exemption onto the Japan PGA Tour. Until making it through the PGA Tour's Q school at the end of 1998 Franco played primarily in Japan, winning five times, including twice in '98.
1999 was his 1st year on PGA Tour. Played in 22 events with earnings of $1,864,584, finishing 11th on the money list. Won the COMPAQ Classic and the Greater Milwaukee Open. Not only was he the PGA Tour's rookie of the Year, he will go down in the history books at the time as the rookie that won the most money on tour and the first rookie since Tiger Woods to win twice in a season. Before 1999, played six times on PGA Tour, best finish T-7th in 1997 NEC World Series of Golf. Member of 1998 and 2000 Presidents Cup Team. Franco was hampered with tendinitis in his left arm and wrist but still played on the PGA Tour between 1999 and 2010 and in 283 events made 173 cuts. He was in the top-10, 24 times and finished 3rd, 5 times and was runner-up once along with his four PGA Tour wins. He earned $9,431,368 in his PGA Tour career.
After struggling to stay on the PGA Tour, Franco also played on the Web.com Tour and PGA Tour Latinoamerica until he turned 50.
2015 Notes: Joined the PGA Tour Champions in May and finished T-64th at The Principal Charity Classic in his debut. Played in 10 events, best finish was a pair of T-18th finishes at the Boeing Classic and the Toshiba Classic. Played at Puerto Rico Open on the PGA Tour but missed the cut. Also made four starts on the Web.com Tour during its South American swing and made one cut at the Colombia Championship (T-69th).
2016 Notes: Played in 22 events on the PGA Tour Champions, had two top-tens, T-8th at Dick's Sporting Goods and then won the Shaw Charity Classic. The win came in his 25th start on PGA Tour Champions and was his first victory in a Tour event since winning the 2004 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee. For the year was 35th on the money list and Schwab Rankings.
2017 Notes: Made 24 starts during the year and advanced to the first two events of the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs but was unable to advance to the finals, finishing 38th on the money list. Was T-2nd at the Allianz Championship one shot back of Scott McCarron who eagled his final hole. Won for the second time when he teamed with Vijay Singh to capture the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge in April. The pair started the final round seven shots back. After shooting a record 7-under-par 20 on the front nine, they closed with a 5-under-par 22 on the back nine for a record 18-hole score of 12-under-par 42 which gave them a one-shot win over three other teams.
2018 Notes: Played in 25 PGA Tour Champions events with three top-ten finishes. Was T-3rd with partner Vijay Singh at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf, they finished one shot back of getting into the playoff. Best finish in an individual event, T-9th at the Principal Charity Classic. Finished T-10th at the Toshiba Classic. It was his first individual top-10 since he finished T2 at the 2017 Boca Raton Championship. Advanced to the second Playoffs event, the Invesco QQQ Championship for the third consecutive year and finished 52nd in the Charles Schwab Cup list.
2019 Notes: Played in 15 PGA Tour Champions events with two top-ten finishes. Was 57th on the Schwab rankings. Was T-2nd with partner Vijay Singh at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf five shots back of winners Scott Hoch and Tom Pernice Jr. Was T-8th at the Dominion Energy Charity. He went back to the Qualifying tournament and finished 11th, so didn't get a full card for 2020
2020 & 2021 Notes: Was T-10th at the Ally Challenge.