Richie Karl

Richie Karl
Richie Karl
Personal information
Full name	Richard Karl
Born	September 28, 1944 (age 80); Johnson City, New York
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st)
Sporting nationality	United States
Career
College	Florida State University
Turned professional	1968
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour; Champions Tour
Professional wins	6
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	1
Other	5
Best results in major championships;
Masters Tournament	46th: 1975
PGA Championship	T55: 1974
U.S. Open	CUT: 1980
The Open Championship	DNP

Richard Karl (born September 28, 1944) is an American professional golfer who is best known as the last golf club professional to win an official PGA Tour event.^[1]

Early life

Karl was born in Johnson City, New York. He played college golf at Florida State University.^[2] He won the Alaska State Amateur twice while stationed in the Army there.^[3]

Professional career

Karl turned professional in 1968.^[2] He won the 1974 B.C. Open by sinking a 35-foot putt on the first hole in a playoff with Bruce Crampton. Karl, who worked at the En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, New York where the B.C. Open was played and lived along the 10th fairway, is the last club professional to win on the PGA Tour.^[1]

Karl played briefly on the Senior PGA Tour (now Champions Tour) starting after he turned 50 in September 1994. His best finish in this venue was a T-5 at the ACE Group Classic. In 2007, Karl played as a sponsor's exemption in the inaugural Dick's Sporting Goods Open, a Champions Tour event played on his home course.^[4]

Amateur wins

1965 Alaska State Amateur
1966 Alaska State Amateur

Professional wins (6)

PGA Tour wins (1)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Jul 21, 1974	B.C. Open	−11 (70-67-68-68=273)	Playoff	Bruce Crampton

PGA Tour playoff record (1–0)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent	Result
1	1974	B.C. Open	Bruce Crampton	Won with birdie on first extra hole

Other wins (5)

1972 Yuma Open (PGA Tour satellite event)
1982 Iowa PGA Championship
1983 Iowa PGA Championship
1984 Iowa PGA Championship
1985 Iowa PGA Championship

References

^ ^a ^b "BC Open". Golf Today. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
^ ^a ^b Richie Karl Golf School profile
^ Elliott, Len; Barbara Kelly (1976). Who's Who in Golf. New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House. p. 109. ISBN 0-87000-225-2.
^ "Champions Tour Notes". PGA Tour.com. July 10, 2007. Retrieved October 19, 2007.

External links

Richie Karl at the PGA Tour official site

[GT-1] "BC Open". Golf Today. Retrieved October 19, 2007.

[richie-2] Richie Karl Golf School profile

[3] Elliott, Len; Barbara Kelly (1976). Who's Who in Golf. New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House. p. 109. ISBN 0-87000-225-2.

[4] "Champions Tour Notes". PGA Tour.com. July 10, 2007. Retrieved October 19, 2007.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]