Fulton Allem

Shot 69 and was the medalist at the Ocala, Fla., sectional to qualify for his
His professional career had it's roots playing on the South African Tour, he started to play golf at age 7, under the tutelage of his father. Countryman Gary Player had large influence on his early career. Got his first break in the United States when invited to play in the 1986 Memorial. But his career in America didn't really get started until he won the 1987 South African PGA Championship and with that got an invited to play in the NEC World Series of Golf. Allem played four great rounds at Firestone and finished runner-up just three back of winner Curtis Strange. He got a check of $86,400 for the victory and for the year earned $88,734 which got him a 105 finish on the money list and his tour card for 1988.
Became one of the more exuberant players on tour, he kept his card every year and had his first victory in Houston at the 1991 Independent Insurance Agent Open. The 1991 season was terrible for Allem, as he was hampered all year with a herniated disk. In a way caught a big break because the Independent Insurance Agent was supposed to be played in May but rain forced it to be postponed until October in an open slot before the Tour Championship. Going into that week Allem was 143rd on the money list and needed a strong finish to keep his tour card; he won the event.
The next big break came in 1993 when he outdueled Greg Norman with a final round 67 to win the Southwestern Bell Colonial. That victory earned him a spot at Firestone, the site of him getting his tour card six years previously. Again Firestone was kind to him as he was just a shot from the lead going into the final round, shot 62 and won the NEC World Series of Golf by five shots. Not only did he win $360,000, which back then was the 3rd biggest prize in golf and is today Allem's biggest check in golf, but more importantly it gave him a ten year exemption on the PGA Tour which kept him on the tour though 2004. After the win in '93 golf became a struggle with injuries to his back and he only had seven top-10 finishes the best being a T4th in the 1996 Doral Ryder Open. After 1993 when he finished ninth on the money list his best finish was 102nd in 1997 when he had four top-ten finishes.
Achieved a big honor in 1994 when he was selected as a captain's choice to play in the Presidents Cup.
In his career Allem played in 405 events on the PGA Tour with three wins, one 2nd and one 3rd. He had 20 top-ten finishes, 62 top 25 finishes and made 195 cuts. He had total winnings of $3,155,787 for his 22 years playing the tour, officially he played between 1988 and 2004.
Wasn't eligible for the Champions Tour until mid September of 2007, finished T36th in his first start at the SAS Championship and T55th in the AT&T Championship.
Did play full time in 2008, '09 and '10 in his 70 Champions Tour events was runner-up three times. Was forced off tour in 2010 when he battled back issues and underwent surgery to repair four ruptured discs in December of 2010.
Has one top-25 finish on the Champions Tour this year.