Raymond Floyd

Raymond Loran "Ray" Floyd (born September 4, 1942) is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments and four major titles on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1989.

Born at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Floyd was raised in Fayetteville. His father L.B. had a 21-year career in the U.S. Army, much of it at Fort Bragg as the golf pro at its enlisted men's course. He also owned a nearby driving range where Raymond and younger sister Marlene, a future LPGA tour pro, honed their games. From an early age, Floyd could play equally well left-handed, and used his skills to enhance his allowance, winning money from soldiers on the course, as well as civilians in nearby towns.

Floyd graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1960. Skilled in golf and baseball, he had an offer to pitch in the Cleveland Indians organization, but chose to attend the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, but only stayed for a semester.

After leaving college, Floyd turned professional in 1961, and quickly established himself on the PGA Tour. His first victory came two years later at age 20 in March 1963 at the St. Petersburg Open Invitational, the first of his 22 wins on the PGA Tour, including four major championships.

Floyd won his first major title at the PGA Championship in 1969. His second major victory came in 1976 at The Masters, by an eight-stroke margin and was won wire-to-wire. Floyd won his second PGA Championship in 1982, after shooting a brilliant opening round of 63 in sweltering hot conditions at Southern Hills Country Club. Floyd's round of 63 is, to date, still tied for the lowest round in a major championship. Floyd finished 1982 ranked second in Mark McCormack's world golf rankings, behind only Tom Watson who had won two majors that season; had those rankings been calculated over just two seasons, on a par with the system in place at the end of 2012, Floyd would have been ranked world number one in 1982, as he had earned more points from all events in total than Watson in both 1981 and 1982.

Floyd's fourth and final major title came at the U.S. Open in 1986 at Shinnecock Hills. After three rounds, he was tied for fifth place, three shots behind leader Greg Norman, who held the 54-hole lead at all four majors in 1986. Norman faltered on Sunday with a 75 (+5), but Floyd shot 66 to win by two strokes and became the then-oldest U.S. Open champion by a few months at 43 years and nine months. (The record was Ted Ray's since 1920, and is now held by Hale Irwin, a champion at age 45 in 1990.)

The one major title that eluded Floyd, which prevented him from completing the career grand slam, was the British Open. His best result was in 1978 at St Andrews; he tied for second place, behind three-time winner Jack Nicklaus.

Floyd came very close to becoming the first to win a major championship in four different decades at the 1990 Masters, where he lost in a playoff to Nick Faldo. On the second playoff hole, Floyd pulled a 7-iron shot into the pond left of the 11th green. Afterward, he said, "This is the most devastating thing that's ever happened to me in my career. I've had a lot of losses, but nothing like this."

In 1992, Floyd again finished runner-up at The Masters, two strokes behind the winner Fred Couples. Floyd's final win on the PGA Tour came at the Doral-Ryder Open in 1992 at age 49, making him one of the oldest players to win a PGA Tour event. The Doral-Ryder Open victory also gave him the distinction of winning PGA Tour events in four decades, joining Sam Snead as the only other player to achieve that feat. Floyd also won on the Senior PGA Tour (now Champions Tour) later that season, making him the first player to win on both tours in the same year.

At the end of 1992, Floyd was ranked 14th on the Official World Golf Ranking at the age of 50, one of the highest positions ever attained by a player of that age. Floyd's successful run continued on the Senior Tour, with 14 wins between 1992 and 2000, including four senior majors and two Senior Tour Championships.

In addition to Floyd's victories on the PGA and Champions Tours, he won at least 24 additional tournaments around the world, taking his total victory tally to at least 60 events. While active, Floyd was considered by most golf experts to be the best at chipping the golf ball. He holed many shots from just off the green, the most famous may have come at the 1980 Doral-Eastern Open where his successful birdie chip on the second hole of a sudden death playoff defeated Jack Nicklaus.

On his decision to continue playing professional golf on the Senior Tour, Floyd spoke with Golf Digest and mused aloud: "Why do I enjoy golf after 31 years, going out there and doing things that are necessary to be competitive—having practice, having to work, having to dedicate yourself? I guess it comes down to the competition. My personality...I'm not going to play if I'm not competitive."

Floyd won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour in 1983 and played for the U.S. on eight Ryder Cup teams (1969, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1991, and 1993).

Floyd was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1989. He captained the U.S. Ryder Cup team at The Belfry in England in 1989. At a gala dinner held before the start of the matches, Floyd famously introduced his American side as "The 12 greatest players in the world." This irritated European player Nick Faldo who later said that he felt Floyd's comment was inappropriate.

Floyd was an assistant Ryder Cup captain in 2008.

On April 6, 2010, on the eve of the 2010 Masters Tournament, Floyd announced his retirement from competitive golf.

He was the honoree at Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament in 2013.

PGA Tour wins (22)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Mar 17, 1963	St. Petersburg Open Invitational	−14 (67-71-67-69=274)	1 stroke	Dave Marr
2	Jun 27, 1965	St. Paul Open Invitational	−14 (66-70-65-69=270)	4 strokes	Tommy Aaron, Gene Littler
3	Mar 23, 1969	Greater Jacksonville Open	−10 (68-71-68-71=278)	Playoff	Gardner Dickinson
4	Jul 27, 1969	American Golf Classic	−12 (67-68-68-65=268)	4 strokes	Bobby Nichols
5	Aug 17, 1969	PGA Championship	−8 (69-66-67-74=276)	1 stroke	Gary Player
6	Jun 8, 1975	Kemper Open	−10 (65-71-73-69=278)	3 strokes	John Mahaffey, Gary Player
7	Apr 11, 1976	Masters Tournament	−17 (65-66-70-70=271)	8 strokes	Ben Crenshaw
8	Sep 12, 1976	World Open Golf Championship	−10 (69-67-67-71=274)	Playoff	Jerry McGee
9	May 8, 1977	Byron Nelson Golf Classic	−8 (69-70-68-69=276)	2 strokes	Ben Crenshaw
10	Jul 17, 1977	Pleasant Valley Classic	−13 (67-68-67-69=271)	1 stroke	Jack Nicklaus
11	Apr 8, 1979	Greater Greensboro Open	−6 (73-71-71-67=282)	1 stroke	George Burns, Gary Player
12	Mar 16, 1980	Doral-Eastern Open	−9 (74-69-70-66=279)	Playoff	Jack Nicklaus
13	Mar 15, 1981	Doral-Eastern Open	−15 (66-68-71-68=273)	1 stroke	Keith Fergus, David Graham
14	Mar 23, 1981	Tournament Players Championship	−3 (72-74-71-68=285)	Playoff	Barry Jaeckel, Curtis Strange
15	Jun 14, 1981	Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic	−9 (70-68-68-69=275)	2 strokes	Bobby Clampett, Gibby Gilbert Craig Stadler
16	May 30, 1982	Memorial Tournament	−7 (74-69-67-71=281)	2 strokes	Peter Jacobsen, Wayne Levi Roger Maltbie, Gil Morgan
17	Jun 13, 1982	Danny Thomas Memphis Classic	−17 (67-68-67-69=271)	6 strokes	Mike Holland
18	Aug 8, 1982	PGA Championship	−8 (63-69-68-72=272)	3 strokes	Lanny Wadkins
19	Apr 28, 1985	Houston Open	−11 (69-70-69-69=277)	1 stroke	David Frost, Bob Lohr
20	Jun 15, 1986	U.S. Open	−1 (75-68-70-66=279)	2 strokes	Chip Beck, Lanny Wadkins
21	Oct 19, 1986	Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic	−13 (68-66-70-71=275)	Playoff	Lon Hinkle, Mike Sullivan
22	Mar 8, 1992	Doral-Ryder Open	−17 (67-67-67-70=271)	2 strokes	Keith Clearwater, Fred Couples

PGA Tour playoff record (5–10)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent(s)	Result
1	1969	Greater Jacksonville Open	Gardner Dickinson	Won with birdie on first extra hole
2	1971	Bob Hope Desert Classic	Arnold Palmer	Lost to birdie on second extra hole
3	1973	Bing Crosby Pro-Am	Orville Moody, Jack Nicklaus	Nicklaus won with birdie on first extra hole
4	1974	American Golf Classic	Gay Brewer, Jim Colbert Forrest Fezler	Colbert won with par on second extra hole Brewer, Fezler eliminated with par on first hole
5	1975	Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational	Bobby Nichols, J.C. Snead	Snead won with birdie on fourth extra hole Nichols eliminated with par on first hole
6	1976	World Open Golf Championship	Jerry McGee	Won with birdie on first extra hole
7	1980	Doral-Eastern Open	Jack Nicklaus	Won with birdie on second extra hole
8	1981	Wickes-Andy Williams San Diego Open	Tom Jenkins, Bruce Lietzke	Lietzke won with birdie on second extra hole Jenkins eliminated with par on first hole
9	1981	Tournament Players Championship	Barry Jaeckel, Curtis Strange	Won with par on first extra hole
10	1982	Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf Classic	Keith Fergus	Lost to birdie on first extra hole
11	1982	World Series of Golf	Craig Stadler	Lost to par on fourth extra hole
12	1985	Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic	George Burns, Roger Maltbie	Maltbie won with birdie on fourth extra hole
13	1986	Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic	Lon Hinkle, Mike Sullivan	Won with par on first extra hole
14	1990	Masters Tournament	Nick Faldo	Lost to par on second extra hole
15	1992	GTE Byron Nelson Classic	Billy Ray Brown, Ben Crenshaw Bruce Lietzke	Brown won with birdie on first extra hole

Major championships shown in bold.

Japan Golf Tour wins (1)

• 1991 Daiwa KBC Augusta

Other wins (10)

• 1978 Brazil Open
• 1979 Friendship Cup (Costa Rica)
• 1981 Canadian PGA Championship, Seiko Point Leader
• 1982 Seiko Point Leader, Million Dollar Challenge (South Africa)
• 1985 Chrysler Team Championship (with Hal Sutton)
• 1988 Skins Game
• 1990 RMCC Invitational (with Fred Couples)
• 1993 Franklin Funds Shark Shootout (with Steve Elkington)

Champions Tour wins (14)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Sep 20, 1992	GTE North Classic	−17 (66-67-66=199)	2 strokes	Mike Hill
2	Oct 25, 1992	Ralphs Senior Classic	−21 (68-65-62=195)	3 strokes	Isao Aoki
3	Dec 13, 1992	Senior Tour Championship	−19 (65-67-65=197)	5 strokes	George Archer, Dale Douglass
4	Mar 21, 1993	Gulfstream Aerospace Invitational	−22 (65-65-64=194)	5 strokes	George Archer
5	Aug 1, 1993	Northville Long Island Classic	−8 (73-70-65=208)	2 strokes	Bob Betley, Bob Charles, Harold Henning, Bruce Lehnhard, Walt Zembriski
6	Apr 3, 1994	The Tradition	−17 (65-70-68-68=271)	Playoff	Dale Douglass
7	May 1, 1994	Las Vegas Senior Classic	−13 (68-70-65=203)	3 strokes	Tom Wargo
8	May 22, 1994	NFL Golf Classic	−10 (68-66-64=198)	1 stroke	Bob Murphy, Gary Player
9	Nov 13, 1994	Golf Magazine Senior Tour Championship	−15 (67-73-67-66=273)	Playoff	Jim Albus
10	Apr 16, 1995	PGA Seniors Championship	−11 (70-70-67-70=277)	5 strokes	John Paul Cain, Larry Gilbert, Lee Trevino
11	Aug 13, 1995	Burnet Senior Classic	−15 (68-65-68=201)	1 stroke	Graham Marsh
12	Nov 5, 1995	Emerald Coast Classic	−7 (69-66=135)	Playoff	Tom Wargo
13	Jul 14, 1996	Ford Senior Players Championship	−14 (71-66-65-73=275)	2 strokes	Hale Irwin
14	Jul 16, 2000	Ford Senior Players Championship	−15 (71-67-69-66=273)	1 stroke	Larry Nelson, Dana Quigley

Champions Tour playoff record (3–1)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent	Result
1	1994	The Tradition	Dale Douglass	Won with birdie on first extra hole
2	1994	Golf Magazine Senior Tour Championship	Jim Albus	Won with birdie on fifth extra hole
3	1995	Royal Caribbean Classic	J. C. Snead	Lost to par on first extra hole
4	1995	Emerald Coast Classic	Tom Wargo	Won with birdie on third extra hole

Senior majors are shown in bold.

Other senior wins (19)

• 1992 Fuji Electric Grandslam
• 1993 Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (with Jack Nicklaus and Chi Chi Rodriguez)
• 1994 Diners Club Matches (with Dave Eichelberger), Senior Skins Game
• 1995 Senior Skins Game, Senior Slam at Los Cabos, Office Depot Father/Son Challenge (with Raymond Floyd Jr.), Lexus Challenge (with Michael Chiklis), Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (with Hale Irwin and Jack Nicklaus)
• 1996 Senior Skins Game, Senior Slam at Los Cabos, Office Depot Father/Son Challenge (with Raymond Floyd Jr.)
• 1997 Senior Skins Game, Office Depot Father/Son Challenge (with Raymond Floyd Jr.), Lexus Challenge (with William Devane)
• 1998 Senior Skins Game
• 2000 Office Depot Father/Son Challenge (with Robert Floyd)
• 2001 Office Depot Father/Son Challenge (with Robert Floyd)
• 2006 Wendy's Champions Skins Game (with Dana Quigley)

Wins (4)

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1969	PGA Championship	5 shot lead	−8 (69-66-67-74=276)	1 stroke	Gary Player
1976	Masters Tournament	8 shot lead	−17 (65-66-70-70=271)	8 strokes	Ben Crenshaw
1982	PGA Championship (2)	5 shot lead	−8 (63-69-68-72=272)	3 strokes	Lanny Wadkins
1986	U.S. Open	3 shot deficit	−1 (75-68-70-66=279)	2 strokes	Chip Beck, Lanny Wadkins

Results timeline

DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.

Summary

• Most consecutive cuts made – 24 (1972 PGA – 1979 Masters)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (1976 Open Championship – 1977 Masters)

Wins (4)

Year	Championship	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1994	The Tradition	−17 (65-70-68-68=271)	Playoff1	Dale Douglass
1995	PGA Seniors' Championship	−11 (70-70-67-70=277)	5 strokes	John Paul Cain, Larry Gilbert, Lee Trevino
1996	Ford Senior Players Championship	−13 (71-66-65-73=275)	2 strokes	Hale Irwin
2000	Ford Senior Players Championship (2)	−15 (71-67-69-66=273)	1 stroke	Larry Nelson, Dana Quigley

1Floyd birdied the first extra hole.

Professional

• Ryder Cup: 1969 (winners), 1975 (winners), 1977 (winners), 1981 (winners), 1983 (winners), 1985, 1989 (non-playing captain), 1991 (winners), 1993 (winners)
• Dunhill Cup: 1985, 1986
• Nissan Cup: 1985 (winners)
• UBS Cup: 2001 (winners), 2002 (winners), 2003 (tie), 2004 (winners)