| Fullname | Craig William Perks |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 6 January 1967 (age 59) |
| Birth place | Palmerston North, New Zealand |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st) |
| College | Southwestern Louisiana, Oklahoma |
| Yearpro | 1993 |
| Extour | PGA Tour PGA Tour of Australasia Nike Tour Hooters Tour |
| Prowins | 5 |
| Pgawins | 1 |
| Otherwins | 4 |
| Masters | CUT: 2002, 2003, 2004 |
| Usopen | CUT: 2002 |
| Open | T50: 2002 |
| Pga | T29: 2002 |
Craig William Perks (born 6 January 1967) is a professional golfer from New Zealand who won the 2002 Players Championship.
Early life and amateur career
In 1967, Perks was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand. He was also raised in the town.
Perks attended university in the United States. He played college golf at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Professional career
In 1993, Perks turned professional. He played on the second tier Nike Tour for several seasons. Perks became a member of the PGA Tour after a tie for 35th in the 1999 PGA Tour Qualifying School earned him his tour card for the 2000 season.
At the age of 35, in 2002, Perks unexpectedly won The Players Championship. In the final pairing, he played the final three holes in only nine shots, three under par, with only one putt. Perks chipped in for eagle, sank a 25-foot (7.5-metre) birdie putt on the Island Green, then chipped in for par to win by two strokes. He was even par 72 for the final round, but only had two pars in the last fourteen holes.[1][2][3] Starting the year at 256 in the world rankings, Perks climbed from 203 to 64 with the win,[4][5] and was named the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year for 2002. It granted a five-year exemption on tour, but was his only win in 202 starts.
After making only one cut on the PGA Tour during 2006 and 2007, he announced his retirement in November 2007,[6] and became a commentator on the Golf Channel.
Awards and honors
In 2002, Perks was named the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year
Professional wins (5)
PGA Tour wins (1)
| Legend |
|---|
| Players Championships (1) |
| Other PGA Tour (0) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 Mar 2002 | The Players Championship | 71-68-69-72=280 | −8 | 2 strokes | Stephen Ames |
Hooters Tour wins (4)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 Jul 1993 | Croatan National Classic | 66-67-71-71=275 | −13 | 2 strokes | Mike Brisky |
| 2 | 8 Aug 1993 | Collins Pro Classic | 73-68-67-71=279 | −9 | 1 stroke | Jeff Barlow |
| 3 | 18 Sep 1994 | Boast Classic | 66-69-68=203[a] | −13 | 3 strokes | Andy Morse |
| 4 | 30 Apr 1995 | Coca-Cola Classic | 64-65-69-62=260 | −24 | 2 strokes | Dennis Zinkon |
Playoff record
PGA Tour of Australasia playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000 | Crown Lager New Zealand Open | Michael Campbell | Lost to eagle on second extra hole |
Nike Tour playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1996 | Nike Carolina Classic | Glen Hnatiuk | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open | CUT | ||
| The Open Championship | T50 | CUT | CUT |
| PGA Championship | T29 |
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
The Players Championship
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Players Championship | 1 shot deficit | −8 (71-68-69-72=280) | 2 strokes | Stephen Ames |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Players Championship | 1 | T17 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT |
CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
Results in World Golf Championships
| Tournament | 2002 |
|---|---|
| Match Play | |
| Championship | 61 |
| Invitational | T42 |
"T" = Tied
Team appearances
See also
Notes
- ^ Shortened to 54 holes due to weather.
References
- ^ Van Sickle, Gary (1 April 2002). "Pitched battle". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
- ^ "Drama marks Perks' first title run". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 25 March 2002. p. 2E.
- ^ "Players Championship top finishers' scorecards". ESPN. 24 March 2002. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "A million Perks for TPC champ". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. 25 March 2002. p. 1C.
- ^ "2002: Week 12". Official World Golf Rankings. 24 March 2002. Retrieved 30 April 2002.[dead link]
- ^ "Former Players Championship winner Perks retires". PGA Tour. 25 November 2007. Archived 27 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine.