Kevin Stadler

Kevin Stadler (born February 5, 1980) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and formerly on the European Tour.

Kevin Stadler
Personal information
Full nameKevin Stadler
NicknameSmallrus
Born (1980-02-05) February 5, 1980
Reno, Nevada
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight250 lb (110 kg; 18 st)
Nationality United States
ResidenceScottsdale, Arizona
Career
CollegeUniversity of Southern California
Turned professional2002
Current tour(s)PGA Tour
Former tour(s)European Tour
PGA Tour of Australasia
Professional wins10
Highest ranking52 (April 27, 2014)[1]
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour1
European Tour1
Asian Tour1
PGA Tour of Australasia1
Korn Ferry Tour4
Challenge Tour1
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentT8: 2014
PGA ChampionshipT64: 2014
U.S. OpenT63: 2014
The Open ChampionshipT39: 2014

Early life

Stadler, the son of former Masters champion and 13-time PGA Tour winner Craig Stadler (known affectionately by pros and fans as The Walrus) and Susan Barrett, was born in Reno, Nevada. He moved with his family to Denver, Colorado, where he attended Kent Denver School, excelling on the school's golf team. He graduated from the University of Southern California and turned professional in 2002.

Professional career

In 2004 Stadler won twice on the second tier Nationwide Tour, and finished 13th on the money list to win a place on the 2005 PGA Tour. In his rookie season on the elite tour he came 168th on the money list, thus losing his playing status.

Early in 2006 Stadler won the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia, gaining a two-year exemption on the European, Asian, and Australasian tours. Stadler commented, "I am honestly baffled by this win.... It was my intention this year just to play the Nationwide Tour and get my PGA Tour card back but now I have no idea what I will do".[2] His dilemma was that the European Tour, on which he became eligible to play, is much more prestigious and lucrative than the Nationwide Tour, but unlike the Nationwide Tour it did not offer a direct route to his objective of regaining his playing privileges on the PGA Tour. For the remainder of 2006 he divided his time between the two tours, winning twice on the Nationwide Tour, and finishing twelfth on the money list to regain his PGA Tour card with effect from the start of the 2007 season.

During the 2009 season Stadler lost in a playoff at the Wyndham Championship to Ryan Moore. At the time Moore and Stadler were both trying to capture their first PGA Tour title.

On February 2, 2014, Stadler won the Waste Management Phoenix Open marking his first PGA Tour victory.[3] Stadler won after Bubba Watson made bogey on the 18th hole. The event was Stadler's 239th PGA Tour start and would ensure him of his first Masters invitation. Craig and Kevin were the first father-son duo to play at Augusta in the same tournament.[4] Kevin is also the first son of a Masters champion to play in that tournament. Kevin is nicknamed as "Smallrus," a play on his father's nickname of "Walrus." Kevin finished T8 in his Masters debut, ensuring him of making the 2015 field. He missed the cut in 2015. His career-best world ranking was 52nd in 2014.

Stadler was one of the few golfers to employ the use of an anchor putter, which the PGA Tour banned on January 1, 2016. In preparation for the ban, Stadler started putting left-handed.

A broken bone in his left hand limited Stadler to five events during the 2014−15 season. Stadler attempted a comeback on the Web.com Tour's Digital Ally Open in 2017, but he withdrew after the first round. He entered the 2017–18 season with a Major Medical Extension that requires him to earn 454.420 FedEx Cup points or $717,890 in 26 starts in order to retain his PGA Tour privileges. Due to the date of his injury, Stadler can attempt to retain his PGA Tour privileges through earnings.

Amateur wins (1)

  • 1997 Doug Sanders Junior World Championship

Professional wins (10)

PGA Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runners-up
1 Feb 2, 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open −16 (65-68-67-68=268) 1 stroke Graham DeLaet, Bubba Watson

PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
1 2009 Wyndham Championship Jason Bohn, Ryan Moore Moore won with birdie on third extra hole
Bohn eliminated with par on first hole

European Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1 Feb 12, 2006 Johnnie Walker Classic1 −20 (64-69-66-69=268) 2 strokes Nick O'Hern

1Co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia

Nationwide Tour wins (4)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1 Jun 27, 2004 Lake Erie Charity Classic at Peek 'n Peak Resort −9 (66-70-69-74=279) Playoff Michael Long, Bubba Watson
2 Jul 11, 2004 Scholarship America Showdown −11 (69-65-67-68=269) Playoff Mathew Goggin, Kyle Thompson,
Chris Tidland
3 Aug 13, 2006 Xerox Classic −9 (69-68-69-65=271) 1 stroke Glen Day
4 Sep 17, 2006 Albertsons Boise Open −20 (64-64-70-66=264) 1 stroke Glen Day

Nationwide Tour playoff record (2–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
1 2004 Lake Erie Charity Classic at Peek 'n Peak Resort Michael Long, Bubba Watson Won with par on fourth extra hole
Long eliminated with par on first hole
2 2004 Scholarship America Showdown Mathew Goggin, Kyle Thompson,
Chris Tidland
Won with birdie on third extra hole
Thompson eliminated with par on second hole
Goggin eliminated with par on first hole

Challenge Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1 Dec 11, 2005
(2006 season)
Abierto Visa de la Republica1 −6 (69-66-67-72=274) 2 strokes Ángel Cabrera

1Co-sanctioned by the Tour de las Américas

Other wins (3)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runners-up
1 Jun 29, 1999 Champions Challenge
(with father Craig Stadler)
−12 (60) 1 stroke Juli Inkster and Mike Reid
2 Sep 1, 2002 Colorado Open −8 (276) Playoff Gary Hallberg, Brian Kortan
5 Dec 15, 2002 Office Depot Father/Son Challenge
(with father Craig Stadler)
−24 (60-60=120) Playoff Hale Irwin and son Steve Irwin

Other playoff record (2–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
1 1982 Colorado Open Gary Hallberg, Brian Kortan Won with birdie on first extra hole
2 2002 Office Depot Father/Son Challenge
(with father Craig Stadler)
Hale Irwin and son Steve Irwin Won with birdie on first extra hole

Results in major championships

Tournament 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Masters Tournament T8 CUT
U.S. Open 65 CUT T63
The Open Championship T51 T58 T39
PGA Championship CUT CUT T64
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament 2008200920102011201220132014
The Players Championship T15 T58 CUT T25 CUT CUT
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Results in World Golf Championships

Tournament200620072008200920102011201220132014
Match Play R64
Championship T68 T47
Invitational T13 T19
Champions WD
  Did not play

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
WD = withdrew
"T" = Tied
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

See also

References

  1. "Week 17 2014 Ending 27 Apr 2014" (pdf). OWGR. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  2. "Stadler wins with last-hole eagle". BBC Sport. February 12, 2006. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  3. McEwan, Michael (February 3, 2014). "Stadler claims maiden win at last". Bunkered. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  4. "Kevin Stadler wins 1st PGA Tour title". ESPN. Associated Press. February 3, 2014.
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