Bobby Clampett
Encyclopedia
Robert Daniel Clampett, Jr. (born April 22, 1960) is a television golf
analyst, golf course architect, writer
, and professional golfer
, who played on the PGA Tour
from 1980 to 1995. Clampett began playing on the Champions Tour
in April 2010.
. He attended Stevenson School
in Pebble Beach, California
. He based his early golf training on the groundbreaking and controversial book "The Golfing Machine", by Homer Kelley
, who he worked with closely. From 1978 – 1980, he was a three-time All-American and two-time Collegiate Golfer of the Year at Brigham Young University
. His important amateur titles included the Porter Cup
, the Sunnehanna Amateur
, and the Western Amateur
. He also won the 1978 World Amateur medal, in team competition for the Eisenhower Trophy
. He was the low amateur at the 1978 U.S. Open
and 1979 Masters.
was a T-3 at the 1982 U.S. Open
. He was a member of the 1982 World Cup team.
At the 1982 Open Championship
played at Royal Troon
, Clampett opened with rounds of 67 and 66 and held a five shot lead going into Saturday's play. His lead had increased two shots by the fifth hole. Then Clampett drove the ball into a pot bunker at the sixth hole. It took him three shots to get out. This sparked the beginning of a precipitous collapse by Clampett that saw him finish with rounds of 78 and 77 and finish in a tie for 10th.
Clampett became eligible for the Champions Tour in April 2010. On May 14, 2010, he tied for the first round lead in his second tournament on that tour.
as an on-course reporter for the 1991 PGA Championship
, and joined CBS Sports full-time in 1995. He competes periodically on the Nationwide Tour
, and qualified into a PGA Tour event in November 2008. Clampett and Andy Brumer co-authored the book "The Impact Zone: How to Hit Like the Pros", published in late 2007. Clampett has become involved in golf course design in recent years.
Clampett lives in Cary
, North Carolina
with his second wife, Marianna, and her two children, Nicholas and Anna Suciu. His daughter from his first marriage is singer Katelyn Clampett.
as "the Chinaman
" during the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club
. Clampett, working the Internet broadcast of Amen Corner, made the comment after Liang missed the cut. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, Clampett was taken off the broadcast after the comment.
PGA Tour playoff record (0-2)
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
analyst, golf course architect, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
, who played on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
from 1980 to 1995. Clampett began playing on the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
in April 2010.
College and amateur standout
Clampett was born in Monterey, CaliforniaMonterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
. He attended Stevenson School
Robert Louis Stevenson School
Schools named "Robert Louis Stevenson School" or similar include:*Robert Louis Stevenson School, Samoa*Stevenson School, Pebble Beach, California*Robert Louis Stevenson School, New York, NY...
in Pebble Beach, California
Pebble Beach, California
Pebble Beach is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California. It lies at an elevation of 3 feet . Pebble Beach is a small coastal resort destination, home to the famous golf course, Pebble Beach Golf Links....
. He based his early golf training on the groundbreaking and controversial book "The Golfing Machine", by Homer Kelley
Homer Kelley
American Homer Kelley was the author of The Golfing Machine, one of the most comprehensive descriptions of the golf swing.- Acknowledgements :Sports Illustrated...
, who he worked with closely. From 1978 – 1980, he was a three-time All-American and two-time Collegiate Golfer of the Year at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. His important amateur titles included the Porter Cup
Porter Cup
The Porter Cup is a 72-hole, medal-play elite amateur golf tournament held annually at the Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston, New York. It was first played in 1959 and over the years has hosted some of the biggest names in golf...
, the Sunnehanna Amateur
Sunnehanna Amateur
The Sunnehanna Amateur, officially the Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions, is a men's amateur golf tournament. Founded in 1954, it is hosted annually at the Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States...
, and the Western Amateur
Western Amateur
The Western Amateur is a leading annual golf tournament in the United States for male amateur golfers. It is organized by the Western Golf Association....
. He also won the 1978 World Amateur medal, in team competition for the Eisenhower Trophy
Eisenhower Trophy
The Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
. He was the low amateur at the 1978 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
and 1979 Masters.
Professional highlights
Clampett turned professional in 1980. From 1980 – 1995, he played on the PGA Tour. Although he won only one tournament, the 1982 Southern Open, he had a moderately successful career. He had almost three dozen top-10 finishes in his career, including nine 2nd or 3rd place finishes, and had over $1 million in career earnings. His best finish in a majorMen's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
was a T-3 at the 1982 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
. He was a member of the 1982 World Cup team.
At the 1982 Open Championship
1982 Open Championship
The 1982 Open Championship was the 111th Open Championship held from 15-18 July at Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, Scotland. Tom Watson won his fourth Open Championship, second consecutive major title, and seventh major title by one stroke over Peter Oosterhuis and Nick Price.-First round:-Second...
played at Royal Troon
Royal Troon Golf Club
Royal Troon Golf Club is a links golf course located in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The club was founded in 1878, initially with five holes. Its Old Course is now one of the host courses for The Open Championship, one of the major championships on the PGA Tour and European Tour...
, Clampett opened with rounds of 67 and 66 and held a five shot lead going into Saturday's play. His lead had increased two shots by the fifth hole. Then Clampett drove the ball into a pot bunker at the sixth hole. It took him three shots to get out. This sparked the beginning of a precipitous collapse by Clampett that saw him finish with rounds of 78 and 77 and finish in a tie for 10th.
Clampett became eligible for the Champions Tour in April 2010. On May 14, 2010, he tied for the first round lead in his second tournament on that tour.
Broadcaster, author, designer
Clampett joined CBS SportsCBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
as an on-course reporter for the 1991 PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
, and joined CBS Sports full-time in 1995. He competes periodically on the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
, and qualified into a PGA Tour event in November 2008. Clampett and Andy Brumer co-authored the book "The Impact Zone: How to Hit Like the Pros", published in late 2007. Clampett has become involved in golf course design in recent years.
Clampett lives in Cary
Cary, North Carolina
Cary is a large town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located almost entirely in Wake County, it is the second largest municipality in that county and the third largest municipality in The Triangle after Raleigh and Durham...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
with his second wife, Marianna, and her two children, Nicholas and Anna Suciu. His daughter from his first marriage is singer Katelyn Clampett.
Controversy
On April 11, 2008, Clampett apologized for referring to golfer Liang Wen-ChongLiang Wen-Chong
Liang Wen-Chong is a Chinese professional golfer. He is the highest ranked golfer from the People's Republic of China and the only Chinese golfer in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking. He has succeeded his mentor Zhang Lian-wei as the top Chinese player.Liang plays on the Asian Tour, ...
as "the Chinaman
Chinaman
Chinaman is a contentious term referring to a Chinese person* whether of Han Chinese ethnicity* or a citizen of China, Chinese people.Or the term may also refer to:* A colloquial term for a square hay baler overhead feeding plunger...
" during the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
. Clampett, working the Internet broadcast of Amen Corner, made the comment after Liang missed the cut. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
, Clampett was taken off the broadcast after the comment.
Amateur wins (6)
- 1978 California State Amateur, Western AmateurWestern AmateurThe Western Amateur is a leading annual golf tournament in the United States for male amateur golfers. It is organized by the Western Golf Association....
, Porter CupPorter CupThe Porter Cup is a 72-hole, medal-play elite amateur golf tournament held annually at the Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston, New York. It was first played in 1959 and over the years has hosted some of the biggest names in golf...
, Western JuniorWestern JuniorThe Western Junior is the oldest national junior golf tournament in the United States. It was founded in 1914 and is organized by the Western Golf Association. It is played at a different course each year, primarily in the midwest. From 1914 to 1998, it was played with stroke play qualifying... - 1980 California State Amateur, Sunnehanna AmateurSunnehanna AmateurThe Sunnehanna Amateur, officially the Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions, is a men's amateur golf tournament. Founded in 1954, it is hosted annually at the Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States...
PGA Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 26, 1982 1982 PGA Tour The 1982 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to October 31. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Calvin Peete, Craig Stadler, and Tom Watson won the most tournaments, four, and there were five first-time winners... |
Southern Open | 2 strokes |  Hale IrwinHale Irwin Hale S. Irwin is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was... |
PGA Tour playoff record (0-2)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1981 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | John Cook John Cook (golfer) John Neuman Cook is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour.... , Ben CrenshawBen Crenshaw Ben Daniel Crenshaw is an American professional golfer.Crenshaw was born in Austin, Texas. He attended and played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas, where he won three NCAA Championships from 1971 to 1973... , Hale IrwinHale Irwin Hale S. Irwin is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was... , Barney Thompson |
Cook won with par on third extra hole Clampett, Crenshaw, and Thompson eliminated with birdie on first hole |
| 2 | 1981 | Buick Open Buick Open The Buick Open was a PGA Tour golf tournament from 1958 to 2009. In 2007, the tournament was held at the end of June, a change from its traditional spot between The Open Championship and the PGA Championship... |
Hale Irwin Hale Irwin Hale S. Irwin is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was... , Peter JacobsenPeter Jacobsen Peter Erling Jacobsen is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He has won seven events on the PGA Tour and two events on the Champions Tour, both majors.-Early years:... Gil MorganGil Morgan Gilmer Bryan Morgan II, OD is an American professional golfer.Morgan was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma. He graduated from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma in 1968. In 1972, Morgan earned a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee before turning... |
Irwin won with birdie on second extra hole |
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur- Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower TrophyThe Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
: 1978 (team winners and individual winner)