Lanny Wadkins

ELIGIBILITY CODE: 2, 6

He started his golf career early, winning the 1963 National Pee Wee Championship at age 13. In 1966 at age 16 he competed in the U.S. Amateur at Merion, finishing nine strokes back of Deane Beman and Gary Cowan, despite three-putting, 14 times. While attending Wake Forest University on an Arnold Palmer golf scholarship, he solved his putting problems with a putter given him by teammate Loge Jackson. With it he enjoyed his greatest year in the amateur ranks. He won the Virginia, Southern, Western and U.S. Amateurs and was runnerup in the PGA's Heritage Classic. He was a member of the 1969 & '71 Walker Cup Teams and the 1970 World Amateur team. He was a collegiate All-American in 1970 & '71. Wadkins didn't finish college and turned professional and joined the tour in 1972. During his rookie season, won the Sahara Invitational and was 10th on the money list, winning Rookie of the Year honors. The following year he move up to 5th on the money list, with 2 wins. His game started to sag in 1974 and doctors discovered to a diseased gall bladder which was removed. Going against doctor's orders, he tried to return to golf a bit too early which hurt his game in 1975 & '76. He came back in 1977 to win the PGA Championship and finished third on the money list. Seven times he has won at least two tournaments in the same season and in 1985 when he won three times, he was named the PGA Player-of-the-Year. Through the years he has been a member of 8 Ryder Cup Teams (1977, '79, '83, '85, '87, '89, '91 & '93) and won 21 tournaments including 1977 PGA Championship, 1977 World Series of Golf & 1979 Tournament Players Championship... Captain of the 1995 U.S. Ryder Cup Team. . . Took over the main analysis role from Ken Venturi at CBS but was replaced in 2007 by Nick Faldo. Returned to TV analyst duty at Golf Channel for coverage of the Champions Tour. Has played a limited amount of events (only 7 in last 3 years) on the Champions Tour.
Played full time on the PGA Tour between 1971 and 1999, playing in 691 events. Won 21 times, was runner-up 21 times and 3rd, 15 times. Finished in the top-ten 139 times and made 486 cuts. Had career earnings of $6,355,681. On the Champions Tour played in 138 events, won once at the 2000 ACE Group Classic his first start on the Champions Tour. Since then was third once, been in the top-ten seven times and has won $1,402,433 . . Is 20 months older than his brother, Bobby, who also is a former PGA Tour regular and now a member of the Champions Tour.