Phil Tataurangi

Father TeRoi played rugby for New Zealand's All Blacks between 1960-'66, he was the one that got him started playing golf at age 7. . . .Medalist at 1992 World Amateur Team Championship as member of New Zealand's winning team. Played on the Australian tour, winning the 1996 Australian PGA Championship. Came to the states in 1994, playing on the PGA Tour. . .In 24 events finished 190th on the money list with just $47,587. best finish was T16th in Buick Classic. Played on the Buy.Com Tour in 1995 and '96. Gained exempt status on the PGA Tour by finishing T7th at the 1996 PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.
1997 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 27; in money - 12; top-10 finishes - 2; scoring average 71.18 (ranked 92nd); money $256,930 (ranked 96thth); best finish 3rd, Bell Canadian Open.
1998 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 28; in money - 13; top-10 finishes - 1; scoring average 71.45 (ranked 116th); money $335,821 (ranked 89th); best finish 2nd, Michelob Championship at Kingsmill.
1999 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 29; in money - 8; top-10 finishes - 2; scoring average 72.59 (ranked 180th); money $232,078 (ranked 150th); best finish T4th, Air Canada Championship.
2000 PGA Tour Summary: missed the cut in four events, but was injured most of the Year.
2001 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 12; rounds played - 32 ; in money - 4; top-10 finishes - 0; money $141,581 (ranked 189th); best finish T-12th at the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic. .Finished 23rd in PGA Tour Qualifying School in December 2001 to retain full status after injury-plagued 2001 campaign...Had heart surgery in July to control a heart condition that he has had for several years called superventricular tachycardia, a rapid heartbeat that occurs and disappears suddenly.
2002 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 25; rounds played - 84 ; in money -19; top-10 finishes - 4; money $1,643,686 (ranked 33rd); Winner at the Invensys Classic at Las Vegas
2002 Notes: Was the leading money winner of the graduates of the 2001 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament.
2002 Stats: Scoring - 70.62 / (38th); driving distance - 288.6 / (26th); driving accuracy -61.7% / (185th); GIR - 66.3% / (81st); putting - 1.757 / (53rd); birdie average - 3.82 per rd / (45th) / total birdies - 321; sand saves - 47.0% / (138th); all-around rank - 649 / (59th).
2003 PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 11; Rounds Played - 30; in money - 6; top -10 Finishes - ; money $354,083 Rank (158th - unofficial); Best finish: T-7th at the AT&T Pebble Beach.
Played in eight events in 2004 due to lingering back injury., only made one cut T60th Reno-Tahoe Open. Right off first PGA Tour victory in 2002, missed a large portion of the season due to a herniated disc at the base of his spine. Injury prevented him from playing at all in 2005.