Garrett Willis
Encyclopedia
Garrett Michael Willis is an American
professional golfer
who plays on the PGA Tour
and the Nationwide Tour
.
Willis was born in Charlotte, North Carolina
. He attended East Tennessee State University
where he was member of the golf
team, a first-team All-American his senior year. He won the Canadian Amateur Championship
in 1995. He graduated and turned professional in 1996.
Willis began his career in professional golf playing on the Hooters Tour and in selected international events. He then moved up to the BUY.COM Tour (the precursor of the Nationwide Tour). Willis made his debut on the PGA Tour at the Touchstone Energy Tucson Open in 2001, and became the fourth Tour player to win in his first start as a member joining Marty Fleckman
(1967), Ben Crenshaw
(1973) and Robert Gamez (1990).
In recent years, Willis has split his playing time between the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He posted a Nationwide Tour victory in 2005 at the Envirocare Utah Classic. He came close to winning again on the Nationwide Tour in 2007, when he and Justin Bolli
finished tied for second, a single stroke behind Jay Williamson
in the Fort Smith Classic.
Willis won again in 2009 on the Nationwide Tour at the WNB Golf Classic by one stroke over Chad Collins
. He finished 12th on the money list to earn his 2010 PGA Tour card.
Willis lives in Knoxville, Tennessee
with his wife, Jennifer.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 plays 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...
and 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...
.
Willis was born in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. He attended East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University is an accredited American university located in Johnson City, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system of colleges and universities, the nation's sixth largest system of public education, and is the fourth largest university in the state...
where he was member of the golf
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....
team, a first-team All-American his senior year. He won the Canadian Amateur Championship
Canadian Amateur Championship
The Canadian Amateur Championship, begun in 1895, is the men's amateur golf championship of Canada. It is staged annually by the Royal Canadian Golf Association. It was played at match play until 1968, went to stroke play beginning in 1969, and reverted to match play in 1995...
in 1995. He graduated and turned professional in 1996.
Willis began his career in professional golf playing on the Hooters Tour and in selected international events. He then moved up to the BUY.COM Tour (the precursor of the Nationwide Tour). Willis made his debut on the PGA Tour at the Touchstone Energy Tucson Open in 2001, and became the fourth Tour player to win in his first start as a member joining Marty Fleckman
Marty Fleckman
Martin A. Fleckman is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s.Fleckman was born in Port Arthur, Texas. He credits Byron Nelson, Carl Lohren and Jim Hardy with teaching him how to play golf. At the age of 20 in 1964, Fleckman won the individual title at the...
(1967), Ben Crenshaw
Ben 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...
(1973) and Robert Gamez (1990).
In recent years, Willis has split his playing time between the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He posted a Nationwide Tour victory in 2005 at the Envirocare Utah Classic. He came close to winning again on the Nationwide Tour in 2007, when he and Justin Bolli
Justin Bolli
Justin Bolli is an American professional golfer.Bolli was born in Portland, Oregon. He is currently a member of the Nationwide Tour. He started playing on the Nationwide Tour full-time in 2004 and moved up to the PGA Tour in 2005...
finished tied for second, a single stroke behind Jay Williamson
Jay Williamson
Justin Arch "Jay" Williamson IV is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.Williamson was born in St. Louis, Missouri...
in the Fort Smith Classic.
Willis won again in 2009 on the Nationwide Tour at the WNB Golf Classic by one stroke over Chad Collins
Chad Collins (golfer)
Chad Steven Collins is an American professional golfer.Collins was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He graduated from Methodist College in 2001 with a degree in Business Administration...
. He finished 12th on the money list to earn his 2010 PGA Tour card.
Willis lives in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
with his wife, Jennifer.
PGA Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 15, 2001 2001 PGA Tour The 2001 PGA Tour season was played from January 3 to November 4. The season consisted of 47 official money events and two events were cancelled due to the terrorist attacks on September 11. Tiger Woods won the most tournaments, five, and there were 10 first-time winners... |
Touchstone Energy Tucson Open | 1 stroke |  Kevin SutherlandKevin Sutherland Kevin John Sutherland is an American professional golfer.Sutherland was born in Sacramento, California and graduated from Christian Brothers High School. He attended Fresno State University and made the golf team as a walk-on freshman... |
Nationwide Tour wins (2)
- 20052005 Nationwide TourThe 2005 Nationwide Tour season ran from January 27 to October 30. The season consisted of 31 official money golf tournaments; five of which were played outside of the United States...
Envirocare Utah Classic - 20092009 Nationwide TourThe 2009 Nationwide Tour was the 20th Nationwide Tour season. It ran from February 5 to October 25. The season consisted of 29 official money golf tournaments; six of which were played outside of the United States. The top 25 players on the year-end money list earned their PGA Tour card for 2010.-...
WNB Golf Classic
Other wins (3)
- 1996 Decatur Dailey Hooters Tour Championship (NGA Hooters TourNGA Hooters TourThe National Golf Association Pro Golf Tour is a developmental men's professional golf tour in the United States. It includes approximately twenty 72-hole Pro Series events and three 54-hole Qualifying School Prep Series events each year throughout the US South and Midwest. The NGA Pro Golf Tour...
) - 1997 Panama Open
- 2000 Tennessee OpenTennessee OpenThe Tennessee Open is the Tennessee state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Tennessee Golf Association...
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP |
| 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... |
CUT | CUT |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP |
| 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... |
DNP | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.