Alex Cejka

In 1980, at the age of 9, Cejka and his father escaped from Czechoslovakia traveling by foot, train, swimming and bicycle to Yugoslavia, Italy and Switzerland before settling down in Frankfurt, Germany. Two years later, Cejka took up golf and by the age of 16, was good enough to finish fifth in the Austrian Amateur Open. Three years later he turned professional and won his native Czech Open twice, in 1990 and 1992. After his sixth try in Q-school, finally got his European Tour card in 1993. Played on that tour full-time from 1994 until 2003 after getting his PGA Tour card in 2002 with a tie for 2nd at Q-School.
Along with his win in Puerto Rico, he has two runner-up finishes at the 2003 B.C. Open and 2004 at The International. Has had severe allergy issues most of his life but they were worst in 2011 forcing him to take some time off, causing him to finish outside of the top-125 for the first time since joining the PGA Tour in 2003.
2012 Notes: Played out of a Major Medical Extension but failed to earn $323,264 in first five PGA Tour starts to extend his exemption. Ended the year with 12 starts, a T-18th at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans his best outing. Made two Web.com Tour starts, making the cut at the Stadion Classic at UGA and finishing T57 in Athens, Ga. Finished 177th in the FedEx Cup Playoffs and 183rd on the money list. Went back to Q-School but finished T-32nd which meant he had to play on the Web.Com Tour in 2013.
2013 Web.com Summary: Tournaments entered - 21 in money - 11; top-10 finishes - 2; scoring average 70.34 (ranked 39th); money $84,772 (ranked 73); best finish, 6th United Leasing Championship. Played twice on the PGA Tour, missed cut at AT&T Pebble Beach and Reno-Tahoe. Finished the year playing in four events on the Asian Tour, best finish T-12th King's Cup. 2014 Web.com Summary: Tournaments entered - 15 in money - 11; top-10 finishes - 3; scoring average 70.02 (ranked 27th); money $276,448 (ranked 6th); best finish, win Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship. Officially secured his 2014-15 PGA Tour card at the conclusion of the Regular Season in late-August (sixth on the money list), setting up his return to the PGA Tour, where he last played in 2012.
2015 Notes: Claimed his first PGA Tour win by making a 20-foot putt for a birdie-4 on the first playoff hole to defeat Sam Saunders, Emiliano Grillo, Jon Curran and Tim Petrovic at the Puerto Rico Open. The last five-man playoff on Tour was at the 2005 BellSouth Classic won by Phil Mickelson. Earned the victory at age 44 years, 3 months, 6 days in his 287th career Tour start. Is the third oldest first-time winners on Tour since 1970 behind Ed Dougherty and Ken Duke. The win was his only top-ten of the year, next best finish is T-11th at the Shell Houston Open. In 30 starts made 18 cuts, he was 71st in the FedExCup standings and 79th on the money list.
2016 Notes: Started his year with a T-2nd at the Shriners Hopitals, one back of winner Smylie Kaufman. Also had a T-6th at the RSM Classic, a T-9th at the Players and a T-5th at the RBC Candian Open.