Chris DiMarco

Born in Huntington, New York, DiMarco moved to Florida with his family at age seven. He attended Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, where he played for the school's golf team and began dating his future wife at the age of 17. DiMarco was raised in a sports-oriented family; both of his older brothers were athletes, and his father played college basketball for St. John's University. DiMarco's nephew Patrick DiMarco is a professional football player.
DiMarco accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he played for coach Lynn Blevins and coach Buddy Alexander's Gator golf teams from 1987 to 1990. He shot a three-round score of 209 to win the Southeastern Conference (SEC) individual title in 1989 while leading the Gators to an SEC team championship. He also was a seven-time medalist, a first-team All-SEC selection in 1989 and 1990, the SEC Player of the Year in 1990, and an All-American in 1988, 1989, and 1990. DiMarco was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2002.
DiMarco turned professional in 1990, won the Canadian Tour's Order of Merit as its money leader in 1992, and finished ninth on the Korn Ferry Tour in 1993 to earn his PGA Tour card for 1994
He started playing on the PGA Tour in 1994 and earned $216,839 to place 85th on the money list. He lost his card the following year when he finished 174th in earnings. Played on Korn Ferry Tour in 1997, traveling from stop to stop in a custom-made van decorated in the colors of the Florida Gators. He finished third on the Korn Ferry Tour with earnings of $135,513, which got him his tour card for 1998.
He played full-time from 1998 to 2012 on the PGA Tour. In 518 events, he made 334 cuts with 63 top-ten finishes. He won three times and, between 2000 and 2006, earned at least a million dollars a year and in five of those years, earned over $2.3 million. His best financial year was 2005, he won $3,562,548 in a year that he had three runner-up finishes and ten top-ten finishes.
He is best known on Tour for his unusual putting grip nicknamed "the Claw." He grips a standard putter much like a long putter and credits Skip Kendall, who inspired him to the unusual putting grip in 1995. Member of the 2004 & 2006 Ryder Cup and 2003, '05 Presidents Cup teams. DiMarco sank a 15-foot putt to beat Stuart Appleby and clinch the 2005 Presidents Cup.
He's a heart and cancer philanthropist. The Norma DiMarco Tee Up For Life Tournament, named after his mother, who died of a heart attack in July 2006, has raised more than $4 million for children with cancer. Donations have been made to the American Cancer Society to support projects like "Reach Out for Cancer Kids," college scholarships, and a research endowment. According to the American Cancer Society, the Norma DiMarco Tee Up For Life Tournament is the largest fund-raiser of its kind in the nation.
He turned 50 in the summer of 2018 and made six appearances in his first year on PGA Tour Champions. His best finish was T-63rd at the Shaw Charity Classic.
2019 Notes: Played in 24 PGA Tour Champions events with two top-ten finishes. He was 47th on the Schwab rankings. Best finish T-6th at the U.S. Senior Open Championship and T-6th at the SAS Championship.
2020/2021 Notes: Played in 34 PGA Tour Champions events with two top-ten finishes. He was 61st on the Schwab rankings. He was T-5th at the 2020 Chubb Classic, five shots back of winner Scott Parel. He was T-4th at the Ally Challenge, three shots back of winner Jim Furyk. He ended 2020 with a T-60th finish at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. His best 2021 finish was T-37th at the Principal Charity Classic.
2022 Notes: Played in 23 PGA Tour Champions events with three top-25 finishes. He was 70th in the Schwab rankings and 69th on the money list earning $199,603. He was T-14th at the Insperity Invitational.
2023 Notes: Best finish T-15th at the Hoag Classic.