Robert Wrenn (golfer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Brenaman Wrenn, Jr. (born September 11, 1959) is an American
sportscaster
and golf course
design consultant; he is a former professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
and the Nationwide Tour
.
Wrenn was born in Richmond, Virginia
. He attended Wake Forest University
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
, and was an all-ACC member of the golf
team in each of his four years from 1978–1981. He turned pro in 1981.
Wrenn played in 308 PGA Tour events between 1982 and 1998 with 15 top-10 finishes including a victory at the 1987 Buick Open
. He established the tournament record of 262 (26-under-par), which still stands. In fact, at the time this was only one stroke off the all-time PGA Tour record in a 72-hole tournament. His best finish in a major
was T-25 at The Masters in 1988. Toward the end of his playing career, Wrenn played some on the Nationwide Tour. His best two finishes in that venue, both in 1995, were a T-2 at the NIKE South Carolina Classic and a T-3 at the NIKE Tri-Cities Open.
After retiring from professional golf, Wrenn became a golf broadcaster in various forums including ESPN
. He is also active in golf course design consultant work. He has collaborated with Lester George
, a golf course architect, to design several award winning courses including The Colonial Golf Club in Williamsburg, Virginia
.
Wrenn is involved with The First Tee, a charitable organization which gives kids an opportunity to play golf who otherwise would not be able to learn the game. He lives in Richmond, Virginia
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
and golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
design consultant; he is a former 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;...
who played on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
and the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
.
Wrenn was born in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. He attended Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
, and was an all-ACC member of the golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
team in each of his four years from 1978–1981. He turned pro in 1981.
Wrenn played in 308 PGA Tour events between 1982 and 1998 with 15 top-10 finishes including a victory at the 1987 Buick Open
Buick Open
The Buick Open was a PGA Tour golf tournament from 1958 to 2009. In 2007, the tournament was held at the end of June, a change from its traditional spot between The Open Championship and the PGA Championship...
. He established the tournament record of 262 (26-under-par), which still stands. In fact, at the time this was only one stroke off the all-time PGA Tour record in a 72-hole tournament. His best finish in a major
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
was T-25 at The Masters in 1988. Toward the end of his playing career, Wrenn played some on the Nationwide Tour. His best two finishes in that venue, both in 1995, were a T-2 at the NIKE South Carolina Classic and a T-3 at the NIKE Tri-Cities Open.
After retiring from professional golf, Wrenn became a golf broadcaster in various forums including ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. He is also active in golf course design consultant work. He has collaborated with Lester George
Lester George
Lester George, born in Wiesbaden, Germany in 1955, is an internationally renowned golf course architect.George, the son of air force personnel, who settled in Richmond, Virginia after attending The University of Richmond, where he founded the school’s orienteering team...
, a golf course architect, to design several award winning courses including The Colonial Golf Club in Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
.
Wrenn is involved with The First Tee, a charitable organization which gives kids an opportunity to play golf who otherwise would not be able to learn the game. He lives in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
Other wins
- 1983 Virginia State Open, Indonesian Open
- 1984 European Tour Qualifying SchoolEuropean Tour Qualifying SchoolThe European Tour Qualifying School is an annual golf tournament which enables professional golfers to gain a place on the European Tour and its official development tour, the Challenge Tour....
- 1989 Virginia State Open
- 1991 Virginia State Open