Willie Wood (golfer)
Encyclopedia
Willie West Wood is an American
professional golfer
who has played on the PGA Tour
, Nationwide Tour
, and Champions Tour
.
Wood was born in Kingsville, Texas
. He had an outstanding junior career, winning the 1977 U.S. Junior Amateur, the 1978 PGA Junior, and the 1979 Western Junior
, and was named the 1978 AJGA Rolex Player of the Year. He attended Oklahoma State University
in Stillwater, Oklahoma
and was a star member of the golf
team. In 1983, he played on the Walker Cup
team; and later that same year joined the PGA Tour by being medalist in the PGA Tour qualifying tournament
(Q-school).
Wood has split his playing time between the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He has 23 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour including a win at the 1996 Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic, and 12 top-10 finishes on the Nationwide Tour. His best finish in a major championship
was T12 at The Masters in 1997.
After turning 50 in late 2010, Wood played his first Champion Tour event, the AT&T Championship
, where he finished T13.
Wood has a sister, Deanie, who was a member of the LPGA Tour. He makes his home in Edmond, Oklahoma
and is a member of the "Oak Tree Gang", a group of touring professionals who all play at Oak Tree National in Edmond.
PGA Tour playoff record (0-1)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 has 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...
, 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...
, and Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
.
Wood was born in Kingsville, Texas
Kingsville, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,575 people, 8,943 households, and 6,134 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,848.8 people per square mile . There were 10,427 housing units at an average density of 753.8 per square mile...
. He had an outstanding junior career, winning the 1977 U.S. Junior Amateur, the 1978 PGA Junior, and the 1979 Western Junior
Western Junior
The Western Junior is the oldest national junior golf tournament in the United States. It was founded in 1914 and is organized by the Western Golf Association. It is played at a different course each year, primarily in the midwest. From 1914 to 1998, it was played with stroke play qualifying...
, and was named the 1978 AJGA Rolex Player of the Year. He attended Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater is a land-grant, sun-grant, coeducational public research university located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA. OSU was founded in 1890 under the Morrill Act...
in Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
and was a star 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 1983, he played on the Walker Cup
Walker Cup
The 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...
team; and later that same year joined the PGA Tour by being medalist in the PGA Tour qualifying tournament
Qualifying school
In professional golf the term qualifying school is used for the annual qualifying tournaments for leading golf tours such as the U.S. based PGA and LPGA Tours and the European Tour. A fixed number of players in the event win membership of the tour for the following season, otherwise known as a...
(Q-school).
Wood has split his playing time between the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He has 23 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour including a win at the 1996 Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic, and 12 top-10 finishes on the Nationwide Tour. His best finish in a major championship
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 T12 at The Masters in 1997.
After turning 50 in late 2010, Wood played his first Champion Tour event, the AT&T Championship
AT&T Championship
The AT&T Championship is a golf tournament on the Champions Tour. It is played annually in October in San Antonio, Texas at the Oak Hills Country Club, and is the final full-field event of the Champions Tour season...
, where he finished T13.
Wood has a sister, Deanie, who was a member of the LPGA Tour. He makes his home in Edmond, Oklahoma
Edmond, Oklahoma
Edmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the population was 81,405, making it the sixth largest city in the state of Oklahoma....
and is a member of the "Oak Tree Gang", a group of touring professionals who all play at Oak Tree National in Edmond.
Amateur wins
- 1977 U.S. Junior Amateur
- 1978 PGA Junior
- 1979 Western JuniorWestern JuniorThe Western Junior is the oldest national junior golf tournament in the United States. It was founded in 1914 and is organized by the Western Golf Association. It is played at a different course each year, primarily in the midwest. From 1914 to 1998, it was played with stroke play qualifying...
PGA Tour wins
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 21, 1996 1996 PGA Tour The 1996 PGA Tour season was played from January 4 to October 28. The season consisted of 44 official money events . Phil Mickelson won the most tournaments, four, and there were 13 first-time winners. The season notably featured the first Tour win for Tiger Woods... |
Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic | 1 stroke |  United States Kirk TriplettKirk Triplett Kirk Alan Triplett is an American professional golfer, currently playing on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Triplett was born in Moses Lake, Washington, and grew up in Pullman. He graduated from Pullman High School in 1980 and accepted a golf scholarship to the University of Nevada in Reno,... |
PGA Tour playoff record (0-1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1990 1990 PGA Tour The 1990 PGA Tour season was played from January 4 to October 28. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Wayne Levi won the most tournaments, four, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The following... |
Hardee's Golf Classic | Joey Sindelar Joey Sindelar Joseph Paul Sindelar is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the Champions Tour.Sindelar was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky while his father was serving in the Army, but has lived in New York for most of his life... |
Lost to par on first extra hole |
Other wins
- 1979 Nevada Open (as an amateur)
- 1984 Colorado OpenColorado OpenThe Colorado Open is the Colorado state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Colorado Open Golf Foundation...
- 1990 Oklahoma OpenOklahoma OpenThe Oklahoma Open is the Oklahoma state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Oklahoma Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1910 at a variety of courses around the state...
- 1995 Oklahoma OpenOklahoma OpenThe Oklahoma Open is the Oklahoma state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Oklahoma Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1910 at a variety of courses around the state...