Mike Donald

Shot 69 at the Florence, S.C., sectional to finish as first alternate, but later made it into the 2012 U.S. Senior Open field.
Started playing golf at the age of 12 when his parents bought him a set of clubs because they didn't know what else to buy him. Before that loved baseball but when he was in ninth grade he gave up the sport to concentrate on golf. Went to Broward Community College and won the National Junior College championship which helped him get a scholarship to Georgia Southern. He left school and went home following a conflict with the coach and a loss of his scholarship, taking jobs as a flower delivery man and umpiring baseball games. After a year, Georgia Southern got a new coach and he returned to school where he completed his degree.
One of the last events he played in as a amateur was the 1978 North and South Amateur in which he got to the finals before losing to Gary Hallberg (who is also in the field this week). Turned pro after that and missed getting his tour card in the spring of 1979. Six months later got his card at the fall school.
Was always a consistent player, his first big break was winning a playoff over Hal Sutton and Tim Simpson at the 1989 Anheuser-Busch Classic. His next big moment came in the 1990 U.S. Open where it looked like he was the winner until Hale Irwin made a 45-footer on the 72nd hole to force a playoff. In that U.S. Open, the two played 18 holes to a draw and Irwin won on the first hole of sudden death.
Played full-time on the PGA Tour between 1980 and 1998, playing in 550 events. Won once at the 1989 Anheuser-Busch Classic, was runner-up six times and third six times. Finished in the top-10 31 times and made 296 cuts. Had career earnings of $1,970,260. Also played on the Web.Com Tour between 1992 and 2005, playing 123 events. Never won but had one runner-up finish at the 1992 Ben Hogan Gulf Coas Classic. Had three top-10 finishes, made 27 cuts and won $57,574.
Has only played in 24 Champions Tour events with just one top-25 finish, T24th FedEx Kinko's Classic. In 2011 only played once missing cut at British Senior Open. At the end of the year went to Champions Tour Q-School and finished T67th giving him no status for 2012.