Woody Blackburn
Encyclopedia
Woody T. Blackburn is a former American professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
in the 1970s and 1980s.
Blackburn was born in Pikeville, Kentucky
. He attended the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played for coach Buster Bishop
's Florida Gators men's golf team from 1972 to 1975. Blackburn was a member of the Gators' 1973 Southeastern Conference
(SEC) championship and NCAA Championship
golf team, together with future fellow PGA Tour golfers Phil Hancock
, Gary Koch
and Andy Bean
. Blackburn was a second-team All-SEC selection and an All-American during the Gators' championship season. He graduated from Florida with bachelor's degree
in journalism in 1973, and turned professional in 1975.
Blackburn's first win after turning pro came in 1976 at the Walt Disney World National Team Championship with playing partner Billy Kratzert
. He had a notably bad run of missing the cut in twenty of twenty-one tournaments and lost his PGA card in 1984, and was forced to requalify for the tour with the rookies. His second PGA Tour win came at the 1985 Isuzu-Andy Williams San Diego Open. En route to his first and only individual PGA victory, Blackburn set the 54-hole scoring record at -18 under par (198), which Tiger Woods
tied in 2008. He also finished in a five-way tie for first at the 1981 Quad Cities Open, but lost in a playoff to Dave Barr
. His best finish in a major
was a tie for fortieth at the 1985 PGA Championship
.
Blackburn currently lives in Jacksonville, Florida
.
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...
in the 1970s and 1980s.
Blackburn was born in Pikeville, Kentucky
Pikeville, Kentucky
Pikeville is a city in Pike County, Kentucky. The population was 6,903 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Pike County.-History:On March 25, 1822, the county's government officials decided to build a new county seat named Liberty, one and one-half mile below the mouth of the Russell Fork...
. He attended the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for coach Buster Bishop
Buster Bishop
Bernays Emery "Buster" Bishop was an American college golf coach. Bishop was best known for leading the Florida Gators men's golf team of the University of Florida to National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I championships in 1968 and 1973.- Early life and education :Bishop was born in...
's Florida Gators men's golf team from 1972 to 1975. Blackburn was a member of the Gators' 1973 Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) championship and NCAA Championship
NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships
The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
golf team, together with future fellow PGA Tour golfers Phil Hancock
Phil Hancock
Phillip Ranson Hancock is an American professional golfer who formerly played on the PGA Tour.- Early life :Hancock and his older brother "Bunky" learned the game of golf growing up in Greenville, Alabama from their father, a local dentist. Hancock and his friends would often play 45 or 54 holes...
, Gary Koch
Gary Koch
Gary D. Koch is an American professional golfer, sportscaster and golf course designer, who formerly played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and Champions Tour.- Early years :...
and Andy Bean
Andy Bean
Thomas Andrew Bean is an American professional golfer who previously played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour...
. Blackburn was a second-team All-SEC selection and an All-American during the Gators' championship season. He graduated from Florida with bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in journalism in 1973, and turned professional in 1975.
Blackburn's first win after turning pro came in 1976 at the Walt Disney World National Team Championship with playing partner Billy Kratzert
Billy Kratzert
William August Kratzert is an American professional golfer and sportscaster, who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour....
. He had a notably bad run of missing the cut in twenty of twenty-one tournaments and lost his PGA card in 1984, and was forced to requalify for the tour with the rookies. His second PGA Tour win came at the 1985 Isuzu-Andy Williams San Diego Open. En route to his first and only individual PGA victory, Blackburn set the 54-hole scoring record at -18 under par (198), which Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
tied in 2008. He also finished in a five-way tie for first at the 1981 Quad Cities Open, but lost in a playoff to Dave Barr
Dave Barr (golfer)
David Allen Barr is a Canadian professional golfer who has played on the Canadian Tour, PGA Tour and Champions Tour.Barr was born in Kelowna, British Columbia. He attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was a member of the golf team. He finished as runner-up in the 1972 Canadian...
. 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 a tie for fortieth at the 1985 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...
.
Blackburn currently lives in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
.
PGA Tour wins
- 19761976 PGA TourThe 1976 PGA Tour season was played from January 8 to November 7. The season consisted of 45 official money events. Ben Crenshaw and Hubert Green won the most tournaments, three, and there were eight first-time winners. Hubert Green's wins were in three consecutive weeks in March. Johnny Miller won...
Walt Disney World National Team Championship (with Billy KratzertBilly KratzertWilliam August Kratzert is an American professional golfer and sportscaster, who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour....
) - 19851985 PGA TourThe 1985 PGA Tour season was played from January 10 to October 27. The season consisted of 43 official money events. Curtis Strange and Lanny Wadkins won the most tournaments, three, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed...
Isuzu-Andy Williams San Diego Open
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of Florida Gators golfers
- List of University of Florida alumni