2 - PGA TOUR Media

SECTION 2 PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES
2-106
winning 54-hole score on the circuit last year. Started the
final round at Valencia CC six strokes behind second-round
leader Keith Fergus, but closed with a 4-under-par 68 to
hold off Weibring and McNulty, who both missed chances
to tie him on the final hole…Claimed a second title just
two starts later at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. The
$382,000 first-place check in Savannah was the largest of
his career. With winds gusting up to 35 mph, came from
two strokes back on the final day to edge Tom Jenkins by
two. His 1-under 71 was the only score under par among
the 52-man field on Sunday and equaled the highest finish
by a winner in relation to par…Also made a spirited run at
the Senior British Open crown before losing to Tom
Watson on the third playoff hole at Royal Aberdeen in
Scotland…Also made the cut on the number (6-over, T57)
at the Senior PGA Championship and then vaulted into an
eventual T6 at Laurel Valley, thanks to a final-round 68,
the lowest score on Sunday among the 71 professionals…Shot
a career-low round on Champions Tour with
second-round 7-under 63 at the Blue Angels Classic. It
bettered his previous low round of 64 at the event the year
before. Withdrew from the SBC Championship prior to the
start of the event when he had to have two stents inserted
into his coronary artery Friday evening in San
Antonio…Had third-best Final-Round Scoring Average
(69.90) on the circuit last year…Made two appearances
on the European Seniors Tour, including win at Arcapita
Seniors Tour Championship in November in Bahrain.
CHAMPIONS TOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
2004: Best overall effort was a T5 at the Kroger Classic
near Cincinnati in early September. Was just one stroke
off the lead after 36 holes, but slipped back after an evenpar
72 on Sunday at the TPC at River's Bend. Was the
opening-round co-leader with Gary McCord after firing a
7-under 65 on Friday…Played in the National Qualifying
CHAMPIONS TOUR CAREER SUMMARY PLAYOFF RECORD: 0-1
Year Events Played 1st 2nd 3rd Top 10 Top 25 Earnings Rank
2003 23 1 2 10 18 $959,600 18
2004 27 4 14 536,904 35
2005 21 2 1 7 14 1,238,876 10
Total 71 2 2 2 21 46 2,735,380
COMBINED ALL-TIME MONEY (3 TOURS): $2,869,519
Des Smyth (Continued)
Tournament during the fall in an attempt to improve his
conditional status. Finished in a tie with Lonnie Nielsen
after six rounds, but placed 10th after electing not to participate
in a playoff. 2003: One of three rookies to finish in
the top 30 on the money list, joining Craig Stadler and D.A.
Weibring. Also joined 2002 Q-School graduates David
Eger and Dave Barr among the top 30 moneywinners…Raised
eyebrows in his Champions Tour debut
at The ACE Group Classic. Closed the Naples event with
birdies on five of his last six holes and T2 in the event with
Tom Watson…Three consecutive rounds in the 60s helped
him to a T3 finish at the Columbus Southern Open…Was
the 54-hole leader at the Senior PGA Championship, but
closed with a 4-over-par 74 to slip to a T5 at Aronimink GC.
Fired a course-record 5-under-par 65 in the third round.
2002: Joined Doug Dalziel of Scotland (1987), Simon
Hobday of South Africa (1990) and Masaru Amano (1995)
as the fourth international player to earn medalist honors
at the Champions Tour's National Qualifying Tournament
at World Woods GC in Brooksville, FL. Overcame a fourstroke
deficit on the last day at World Woods and made an
eight-foot birdie putt on the final hole to overtake Japan's
Seiji Ebihara for top honors. His 72-hole score of 13-under
275 earned him a check for $42,000…Advanced to the
finals after being the low man at the regional site at
Marsh Creek CC in St. Augustine, FL. Shot 11-under 277
over 72 holes, six shots better than Bill Thorpe and Doug
Johnson.
OTHER CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Played 29 years on the European PGA Tour and won eight
official tournaments on the circuit…Best known as the
European Tour's oldest winner. Won the 2001 Madeira
Island Open in Portugal by two strokes over John
Bickerton at 48 years, 1 month and 4 days, 20 days older
than the previous-oldest champion, Neil Coles…Finished
Champions Tour 2006 Guide
seventh on the European PGA Tour Order of Merit in 1988
with £171,951…T4 at the 1982 British Open
Championship at Troon…Shot a final-round 62 in the 1990
Mitsubishi Austrian Open and placed third in the
event…Played on the European Ryder Cup team in 1979
and 1981 and represented Ireland on five World Cup
teams (1979, 1980, 1982, 1988, 1989)…Will serve as vicecaptain
to Ian Woosnam on 2006 European Ryder Cup
team… Has made eight holes-in-one in competition.
PERSONAL:
Started playing golf at age 6…Lists Jack Nicklaus as his
hero and the birth of his children as his biggest thrill outside
of golf…Favorite golf course is Carnoustie in
Scotland and favorite entertainer is singer Neil
Diamond…Enjoys Italian food…Favorite athlete is boxer
Muhammad Ali…Designed Ballykisteen G&CC in Limerick
Junction, Ireland.
PLAYER STATISTICS
MISCELLANEOUS CHAMPIONS TOUR STATISTICS
2005 Low Round: 63–Blue Angels Classic/2
Career Low Round: 63–2005 Blue Angels Classic/2
Career Largest Paycheck: $382,000–2005 Liberty Mutual
Legends of Golf/1
MISCELLANEOUS PGA TOUR STATISTICS
Career Low Round: 65–2001 British Open/2
Career Largest Paycheck: $57,310–2001 British Open /T13
CHAMPIONS TOUR MAJOR TOURNAMENT SUMMARY
Year 03 04 05
Senior PGA Championship T5 T57 T6
Ford Senior Players T48 T51 T72
Senior British Open 13 T13 2
U.S. Senior Open T19 T29 T9
JELD-WEN Tradition T14 T40 T16
SEE SECTION 6 FOR COMPLETE PGA TOUR SUMMARY
CHAMPIONS TOUR YEAR-BY-YEAR STATISTICS (TOP 50 ON 2005 MONEY LIST)
Scoring Average Putting Average Greens in Regulation Driving Distance Driving Accuracy
2003 70.19 (13) 1.786 (33) 69.8 (23) 275.7 (T26) 70.9 (T33)
2004 71.41 (33) 1.813 (T49) 69.5 (T25) 272.7 (36) 72.0 (T28)
2005 70.74 (19) 1.790 (38) 70.4 (T23) 276.1 (36) 73.1 (T25)
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