Oliver Wilson
Encyclopedia
Oliver John Wilson is an English
professional golfer
.
Wilson was born in Mansfield
, England
, where his golfing career began at Coxmoor Golf Club.
After playing collegiately at Augusta State University
, Wilson turned professional in 2003 and played on the Challenge Tour
in 2004. He finished 15th on the Order of Merit list and moved up to the European Tour. He improved year-on-year, finishing 97th on the Order of Merit in 2005, 71st in 2006, 30th in 2007, 11th in 2008 and 7th in 2009.
In his rookie season on the European Tour in 2005, Wilson had three top ten finishes. In 2006 he lost in a play-off to Paul Casey
in the Volvo China Open
and in 2007 he had two second place finishes. So far in 2008 he has also managed four second place finishes the most notable of which came in the BMW PGA Championship where he lost in a play-off to Miguel Ángel Jiménez
. In April Wilson reached the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings
for the first time, the next month after his runner-up spot at the PGA Championship he reached a new high position of 45.
On 31 August 2008, Nick Faldo
named the 2008 European Ryder Cup
team. Wilson was named in that team after automatically qualifying earlier that day by finishing 10th in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles
. He became the first player in history to be chosen to represent Europe against the Americans without first winning a professional tournament.
In the opening tournament of the 2009 Race to Dubai, the HSBC Champions
, Wilson recorded yet another runner-up finish. On March 15, 2009, he recorded a top-5 finish in the WGC-CA Championship
. Wilson was also runner-up in the 2009 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
2010 was a less successful year, where Wilson never finished higher than 5th, although he still finished in the top 50 of the Order of Merit.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Professional
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
.
Wilson was born in Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where his golfing career began at Coxmoor Golf Club.
After playing collegiately at Augusta State University
Augusta State University
Augusta State University is a public university located in Augusta, Georgia, United States and is the oldest institution in the state of Georgia ....
, Wilson turned professional in 2003 and played on the Challenge Tour
Challenge Tour
The Challenge Tour is the second tier men's professional golf tour in Europe. It is operated by the PGA European Tour and as with on the main European Tour and the European Seniors Tour, some of the events are played outside of Europe...
in 2004. He finished 15th on the Order of Merit list and moved up to the European Tour. He improved year-on-year, finishing 97th on the Order of Merit in 2005, 71st in 2006, 30th in 2007, 11th in 2008 and 7th in 2009.
In his rookie season on the European Tour in 2005, Wilson had three top ten finishes. In 2006 he lost in a play-off to Paul Casey
Paul Casey
Paul Alexander Casey is an English golfer who is a member of the world's top two professional golf tours, the U.S.-based PGA Tour and the European Tour. In 2009 he achieved his highest position, third, in the Official World Golf Rankings....
in the Volvo China Open
Volvo China Open
The Volvo China Open is a men's golf tournament that has been held annually in China since 1995. The event is organised by the China Golf Association and has been co-sanctioned by the European Tour since 2003....
and in 2007 he had two second place finishes. So far in 2008 he has also managed four second place finishes the most notable of which came in the BMW PGA Championship where he lost in a play-off to Miguel Ángel Jiménez
Miguel Angel Jiménez
Miguel Ángel Jiménez Rodríguez is a Spanish professional golfer. He has won 18 times on the European Tour.-Early years:...
. In April Wilson reached the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
for the first time, the next month after his runner-up spot at the PGA Championship he reached a new high position of 45.
On 31 August 2008, Nick Faldo
Nick Faldo
Sir Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo, MBE is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No...
named the 2008 European Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
team. Wilson was named in that team after automatically qualifying earlier that day by finishing 10th in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles
Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles
The Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles is a European Tour golf tournament which is played at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. The tournament was founded in 1999 as the Scottish PGA Championship, and despite maintaining the same sponsor, has since changed name on several occasions, as Diageo...
. He became the first player in history to be chosen to represent Europe against the Americans without first winning a professional tournament.
In the opening tournament of the 2009 Race to Dubai, the HSBC Champions
HSBC Champions
The WGC-HSBC Champions is a men's professional golf 72-hole tournament. It has been contested annually since 2005 in November at the Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. In April 2009 it was announced that the tournament had been awarded World Golf Championships status,...
, Wilson recorded yet another runner-up finish. On March 15, 2009, he recorded a top-5 finish in the WGC-CA Championship
WGC-CA Championship
The WGC-Cadillac Championship is one of the four annual World Golf Championships tournaments for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
. Wilson was also runner-up in the 2009 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
2010 was a less successful year, where Wilson never finished higher than 5th, although he still finished in the top 50 of the Order of Merit.
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT | DNP | T36 | T23 |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | CUT | CUT | T24 |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | CUT | T19 |
| Tournament | 2010 |
|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
CUT |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Team appearances
Amateur- Walker CupWalker CupThe Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
(representing Great Britain & Ireland): 20032003 Walker CupThe 2003 Walker Cup, the 39th Walker Cup Match, was played on 6 and 7 September, 2003, at Ganton Golf Club in North Yorkshire, England. The event was won by Great Britain and Ireland 12 ½ to 11 ½, marking the first time that Great Britain & Ireland had three consecutive wins.-Format:The format for...
(winners) - Palmer CupPalmer CupThe Palmer Cup is an annual eight man team golf competition between American college golfers and European college/university golfers. It is named after Arnold Palmer. The teams are selected on the basis of nationality, not according to the location of the players' universities...
(representing Europe): 2001, 2002, 2003 (winners)
Professional
- Seve TrophySeve TrophyThe Seve Trophy is a biennial golf tournament between teams of professional male golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It is named after five times major winner Seve Ballesteros, the most successful golfer ever from Continental Europe who was one of the key...
(representing Great Britain & Ireland): 20072007 Seve TrophyThe 2007 Seve Trophy took place between 27-30 September at The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort in the Republic of Ireland. The team captain for Great Britain and Ireland was Nick Faldo, with the captain for Continental Europe being Seve Ballesteros...
(winners), 20092009 Vivendi Trophy with Seve BallesterosThe 2009 Vivendi Trophy with Seve Ballesteros, formally known as the Seve Trophy, was played 24-27 September at Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche in France. The team captain for Great Britain and Ireland was Paul McGinley, with the captain for Continental Europe being Thomas Bjørn...
(winners) - Ryder CupRyder CupThe Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
(representing Europe): 20082008 Ryder CupThe 37th Ryder Cup Matches were held September 19–21, 2008, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Team USA won 16½ - 11½ to end the streak of three successive victories for Team Europe. This was Team USA's largest margin of victory since 1981, and the first time since 1979 the... - Royal TrophyRoyal TrophyThe Royal Trophy is a men's professional team golf tournament which was played for the first time in January 2006 at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand. The competing teams represent Europe and Asia. Eight man teams play a series of 16 matches involving foursomes, four-ball and...
(representing Europe): 20092009 Royal TrophyThe 2009 Royal Trophy was the third edition of The Royal Trophy, a team golf event contested between teams representing Asia and Europe. It was held from 9–11 January at the Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand...