Charles Coody

Champions Tour Wins: 5 - 1989 Las Vegas Classic; 1990 Vantage Championship; 1991 NYNEX Commemorative, Transamerica Senior Golf Championship; 1996 Du Maurier Canadian.
Also won 1990, '94, and '98 Legends of Golf with Dale Douglass.

Player Notes: Coody was born in Stamford, Texas. At the age of 16, his uncle Roland took him to Fort Worth to see Ben Hogan play in the 1954 Colonial. Hogan withdrew because his legs were bothering him, but only after Coody watched him hit balls on the range. Coody was was so inspired by watching the pros that when he got home he told his mother that he wanted to be a professional golfer. He graduated from Texas Christian University in 1960 and made his professional debut in 1963. Played on the PGA Tour between 1964 and 1987, competing in 589 events. Won three times, was runner-up eight times, and 3rd 10 times. Finished in the top-10 84 times and made 476 cuts. Was among the top-60 on the PGA Tour money list for 14 consecutive seasons between 1965 and 1978. Had career earnings of $1,187,762. Member of the 1971 U.S. Ryder Cup team. Joined the Champions Tour on his 50th birthday in 1987. Between then and 1992, finished in the top-31 on the tour's money list every year. Coody won five times in 1989, 1990, 1991 (twice), and 1996. Coody's other wins include the World Series of Golf in 1971 and the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf with his friend Dale Douglass in 1990 and 1994.
Coody played in 24 consecutive Masters tournaments from 1968 through 1991 and in 38 of 39 Masters tournaments through 2006 when he retired from playing the Masters. (He missed the 1992 tournament with a pinched nerve in his neck.) Today Coody operates Diamondback National Golf Course in Abilene and plans to attend his 51st Champions Dinner. In May of 2021, Coody attended the Walker Cup at Seminole and watched his grandson Pierceson play on the U.S. team. Pierceson's twin brother Parker is also a good player as both want to play on the PGA Tour in the future.