Larry Gilbert

Lawrence Allen Gilbert, Sr. (November 19, 1942 – January 21, 1998) was an American professional golfer best known for winning the 1997 Senior Players Championship, one of the major championships on the Senior PGA Tour.

Larry Gilbert
Personal information
Full nameLawrence Allen Gilbert, Sr.
Born(1942-11-19)November 19, 1942
Fort Knox, Kentucky
DiedJanuary 21, 1998(1998-01-21) (aged 55)
Lexington, Kentucky
Nationality United States
Career
CollegeMiddle Tennessee State University
StatusProfessional
Former tour(s)Champions Tour
Professional wins21
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour Champions3
Other18
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA Championship73rd: 1983
U.S. OpenCUT: 1976, 1978, 1979
The Open ChampionshipDNP

Gilbert was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He attended Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and was a distinguished member of the golf team. Gilbert led Middle Tennessee State to victory in the 1965 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships for which Gilbert won the individual medal.

Gilbert spent most of his regular career years as a club pro in Kentucky and Tennessee. He won the PGA Club Professional Championship in 1981, 1982 and 1991. He also won ten Kentucky PGA Championships, three Kentucky Opens, one Tennessee Open and one Tennessee PGA Championship. Gilbert was inducted into the Kentucky Golf Hall of Fame in 1992; he is also a member of the Middle Tennessee State University Athletics Hall of Fame. He joined the Senior PGA Tour (later known as the Champions Tour) upon turning 50 in 1992.

Gilbert died in Lexington, Kentucky of lung cancer at the age of 55. He had started smoking cigarettes at an early age, and was often seen smoking a cigar while playing. He won the Senior Players Championship only 192 days before he died.[1]

Professional wins (21)

Other wins (18)

Senior PGA Tour wins (3)

Legend
Senior PGA Tour major championships (1)
Other Senior PGA Tour (2)
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1 Apr 24, 1994 Dallas Reunion Pro-Am −8 (67-68-67=202) 1 stroke George Archer, Rocky Thompson
2 Oct 2, 1994 Vantage Championship −18 (66-66-66=198) 1 stroke Raymond Floyd
3 Jul 13, 1997 Ford Senior Players Championship −14 (67-68-72-67=274) 3 strokes Isao Aoki, Bob Dickson,
Jack Kiefer, Dave Stockton

Senior PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
1 1997 Home Depot Invitational Jim Dent, Lee Trevino Dent won with birdie on second extra hole
Gilbert eliminated with birdie on first hole

Champions Tour major championships

Wins (1)

YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunners-up
1997Ford Senior Players Championship−14 (67-68-72-67=274)3 strokes Isao Aoki, Bob Dickson,
Jack Kiefer, Dave Stockton

U.S. national team appearances

  • PGA Cup: 1976 (winners), 1977 (tie), 1981 (tie), 1982 (winners), 1983, 1992 (winners)

References

  1. "A Lesson from Gilbert's Death". Sports Illustrated CNNSI.com. January 28, 1998.
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