Paul Stankowski

Stankowski was born in Oxnard, California. He first played golf on Easter Sunday in 1978 at the age of 8. He attended the University of Texas at El Paso and turned pro in 1991.
Stankowski initially played on the Korn Ferry Tour. His first and only victory in this venue came at the 1996 Louisiana Open. The following week, he played in the BellSouth Classic on the PGA Tour and won, becoming the only golfer in history to win a Korn Ferry Tour event and a PGA Tour event back-to-back. Stankowski started the week as the sixth alternate. He had another big year in 1997, winning the United Airlines Hawaiian Open. His best finish in a major was T5 at the 1997 Masters Tournament.
In 1998, however, his fortunes began to change due to a host of injury-related ailments. He injured his right shoulder at the Bay Hill Invitational that year and also had LASIK surgery. As a Callaway sponsored player in 1999, he tried to help his game by sneaking Ping clubs into his bag at the Colonial. In 2004, he suffered a major injury to his left wrist and played the two following years under a Major Medical Extension.
Stankowski has made 404 starts on the PGA Tour making 217 cuts with 30 top-ten finishes. He has earned $7,357,259. On the Korn Ferry Tour he played in 63 events making 28 cuts with one top-ten, his 1996 Louisiana Open victory.
With his PGA Tour career winding down and a desire to be closer to his family, he changed his focus to entrepreneurship and radio broadcasting. He is the co-owner of Francis Edward, a leather goods company whose name is derived from the middle names of Stankowski and co-founder Mike Vicary. Stankowski is married and has two children.
He didn't play much golf competitive golf until 2020 when he became eligible for PGA Tour Champions. In went to PGA Tour Champions Qualifying Tour in December of 2019 and finished T-7th.
2020 & 2021 Notes: Was T-45th in his first start at the Pure Insurance Championship and T-36th at the SAS Championship.