James Driscoll
Encyclopedia
James Driscoll is an American
professional golfer
and current player on the PGA Tour
.
Driscoll was born in Boston
, Massachusetts
, the youngest of seven children. He grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts
outside of Boston. He started golf at a young age and won the Club Championship at his home club of Charles River age 15. James won the Massachusetts Junior Championship a year later. He then went on to defeat the state's best golfers at the Massachusetts State Amateur Championship
in 1996 at the age of 18 and then again in 1998. He was the youngest winner ever of the Massachusetts Amateur and showed much promise at a young age. By the summer of 1996 James was the second-ranked junior in the country, and that is when he made his first cameo on the national stage, losing the final of the U.S. Junior
to Scott Hailes.
Driscoll attended The Taft School
in Watertown, Connecticut, and went on to the University of Virginia
where he was named to the Virginia
first-team All-State golf team his senior year. He lost to Jeff Quinney
in the finals of the 2000 U.S. Amateur at Baltusrol Golf Club
in Springfield, New Jersey. He had upset Englishman Luke Donald
in the semifinals 2&1 and made an inspiring comeback in the final being 3 down with three to play. Driscoll was eventually defeated on the 39th hole by Quinney. His runner-up finish gave him an invitation to the 2001 Masters Tournament
. He was member the 2001 Walker Cup
team. At the 2001 Masters Driscoll fired a 68 in the first round, marking the best opening round by an amateur since Ken Venturi
's 66 in 1956. His playing partner Tom Watson
said, "This was the best round I've seen here by an amateur." Driscoll would go on to miss the cut.
Driscoll turned professional in 2001. He won his first and only professional event at the 2004 Nationwide Tour
event the Virginia Beach Open
. He has been on and off the PGA Tour
for a couple years, but his top 25 finish on the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list has given him PGA Tour membership for 2008. Driscoll was runner-up at the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic of New Orleans
in 2005. James lost to Tim Petrovic
in a sudden-death playoff after missing a birdie putt on the final green of regulation for the win. He had his second runner-up finish on the 2009 Valero Texas Open
, losing to Zach Johnson
in a sudden-death playoff.
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;...
and current player 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...
.
Driscoll was born in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, the youngest of seven children. He grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
outside of Boston. He started golf at a young age and won the Club Championship at his home club of Charles River age 15. James won the Massachusetts Junior Championship a year later. He then went on to defeat the state's best golfers at the Massachusetts State Amateur Championship
Massachusetts State Amateur Championship
The Massachusetts State Amateur Championship or Massachusetts Amateur is a golf championship held in Massachusetts for the state's top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the Massachusetts Golf Association in mid-July each year. The amateur championship is the biggest and most subscribed...
in 1996 at the age of 18 and then again in 1998. He was the youngest winner ever of the Massachusetts Amateur and showed much promise at a young age. By the summer of 1996 James was the second-ranked junior in the country, and that is when he made his first cameo on the national stage, losing the final of the U.S. Junior
U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship
The United States Junior Amateur Championship is one of the thirteen U.S. national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association. It is open to amateur boys who are under 18 on the last day of the competition and have a USGA Handicap Index of 6.4 or less. The competition was...
to Scott Hailes.
Driscoll attended The Taft School
The Taft School
The Taft School is a private, coeducational prep school located in Watertown, Connecticut, USA. The school was founded by Horace Dutton Taft in 1890. It has 570 students, about 470 of whom live on the campus. Taft is a member of the Ten Schools Admissions Organization...
in Watertown, Connecticut, and went on to the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
where he was named to the Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
first-team All-State golf team his senior year. He lost to Jeff Quinney
Jeff Quinney
Jeffrey Michael Quinney is an American professional golfer.Quinney was born in Eugene, Oregon. He had a successful amateur career, winning the U.S. Amateur in 2000, and represented the USA in the Walker Cup in 2001....
in the finals of the 2000 U.S. Amateur at Baltusrol Golf Club
Baltusrol Golf Club
The Baltusrol Golf Club is a private 36-hole golf club located in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey. Among the many prestigious tournaments it has hosted, Baltusrol was most recently the site of the 2005 PGA Championship. The course architect is A. W...
in Springfield, New Jersey. He had upset Englishman Luke Donald
Luke Donald
Luke Campbell Donald is an English professional golfer who is the current World Number One. He plays mainly on the U.S. based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. In 2006 he reached the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. In January 2007, he...
in the semifinals 2&1 and made an inspiring comeback in the final being 3 down with three to play. Driscoll was eventually defeated on the 39th hole by Quinney. His runner-up finish gave him an invitation to the 2001 Masters Tournament
2001 Masters Tournament
The 2001 Masters Tournament was the 65th Masters Tournament held from April 5-8 at Augusta National Golf Club. Tiger Woods won his second Masters and sixth overall major championship by two strokes over David Duval. This championship marked the completion of the Tiger Slam with Woods having won the...
. He was member the 2001 Walker Cup
Walker Cup
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
team. At the 2001 Masters Driscoll fired a 68 in the first round, marking the best opening round by an amateur since Ken Venturi
Ken Venturi
Kenneth Venturi is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.-Early years and amateur career:Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area...
's 66 in 1956. His playing partner Tom Watson
Tom Watson (golfer)
Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
said, "This was the best round I've seen here by an amateur." Driscoll would go on to miss the cut.
Driscoll turned professional in 2001. He won his first and only professional event at the 2004 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...
event the Virginia Beach Open
Virginia Beach Open
The Virginia Beach Open was a regular golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It was played annually at The TPC of Virginia Beach in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.The 2006 purse was $450,000, with $81,000 going to the winner.-Winners:...
. He has been on and off 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...
for a couple years, but his top 25 finish on the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list has given him PGA Tour membership for 2008. Driscoll was runner-up at the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is played annually in New Orleans, Louisiana; its historic date has been in April, but was moved to March in 2008. Zurich Financial Services is the main sponsor of the tournament.From the event's inception through...
in 2005. James lost to Tim Petrovic
Tim Petrovic
Tim Petrovic is an American professional golfer.Petrovic was born in Northampton, Massachusetts. He has won one PGA Tour tournament, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2005....
in a sudden-death playoff after missing a birdie putt on the final green of regulation for the win. He had his second runner-up finish on the 2009 Valero Texas Open
Valero Texas Open
The Valero Texas Open is an official tournament on the PGA Tour. It dates back to 1922 when it was first called the Texas Open; San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corporation took over naming rights in 2002. It is played at The Oaks Course at the TPC San Antonio. In 2003, it was the site of the...
, losing to Zach Johnson
Zach Johnson
Zach Johnson is an American golfer, winner of the 2007 Masters Tournament.Zach Johnson may also refer to:* Zack "Jick" Johnson, one of the creators of Kingdom of Loathing* Zachary Johnson, former drummer for The Fray...
in a sudden-death playoff.
Amateur wins (9)
- 1993 Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship
- 1994 Hornblower Memorial Tournament
- 1995 New England Amateur, 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...
- 1996 Massachusetts AmateurMassachusetts State Amateur ChampionshipThe Massachusetts State Amateur Championship or Massachusetts Amateur is a golf championship held in Massachusetts for the state's top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the Massachusetts Golf Association in mid-July each year. The amateur championship is the biggest and most subscribed...
- 1998 Massachusetts AmateurMassachusetts State Amateur ChampionshipThe Massachusetts State Amateur Championship or Massachusetts Amateur is a golf championship held in Massachusetts for the state's top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the Massachusetts Golf Association in mid-July each year. The amateur championship is the biggest and most subscribed...
, Golf Digest Invitational - 1999 North and South Amateur, Hornblower Memorial Tournament
Professional wins (1)
PGA Tour playoff record (0-2)| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005 | Zurich Classic of New Orleans Zurich Classic of New Orleans The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is played annually in New Orleans, Louisiana; its historic date has been in April, but was moved to March in 2008. Zurich Financial Services is the main sponsor of the tournament.From the event's inception through... |
Tim Petrovic Tim Petrovic Tim Petrovic is an American professional golfer.Petrovic was born in Northampton, Massachusetts. He has won one PGA Tour tournament, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2005.... |
Lost to par on first hole |
| 2 | 2009 | Valero Texas Open Valero Texas Open The Valero Texas Open is an official tournament on the PGA Tour. It dates back to 1922 when it was first called the Texas Open; San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corporation took over naming rights in 2002. It is played at The Oaks Course at the TPC San Antonio. In 2003, it was the site of the... |
Zach Johnson Zach Johnson Zach Johnson is an American golfer, winner of the 2007 Masters Tournament.Zach Johnson may also refer to:* Zack "Jick" Johnson, one of the creators of Kingdom of Loathing* Zachary Johnson, former drummer for The Fray... |
Lost to birdie on first hole |
Nationwide Tour (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 12, 2004 2004 Nationwide Tour The 2004 Nationwide Tour season ran from February 5 to October 31. The season consisted of 31 official money golf tournaments; five of which were played outside of the United States... |
Virginia Beach Open Virginia Beach Open The Virginia Beach Open was a regular golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It was played annually at The TPC of Virginia Beach in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.The 2006 purse was $450,000, with $81,000 going to the winner.-Winners:... |
4 strokes |  Jason BuhaJason Buha Jason Paul Buha is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Buha joined the PGA Tour in 2000, earning his card through qualifying school. He struggled during his rookie year on Tour and was unable to retain his Tour card. He joined the Nationwide Tour in... , Kyle ThompsonKyle Thompson Kyle Thompson is an American professional golfer.Thompson is currently a member of the PGA Tour. Thompson was a member of the Nationwide Tour from 2003 to 2007. He won two events in 2007 which put him in the top 25 on the money list which earned him a PGA Tour card for 2008... , Jimmy WalkerJimmy Walker (golfer) Jimmy Walker is an American professional golfer.Walker was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is currently a member of the PGA Tour. He played on the Nationwide Tour full-time in 2003 and 2004. In 2004 he was the Nationwide Tour money winner and player of the year. By doing so he earned his PGA... |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 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... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 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 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| 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 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
See also
- 2004 Nationwide Tour graduates2004 Nationwide Tour GraduatesThis is a list of players who graduated from the Nationwide Tour in 2004. The top 20 players on the Nationwide Tour's money list in 2004 earned their PGA Tour card for 2005.*PGA Tour rookie for 2005.T = Tied...
- 2007 Nationwide Tour graduates2007 Nationwide Tour GraduatesThis is a list of players who graduated from the Nationwide Tour in 2007. The top 25 players on the Nationwide Tour's money list in 2007 earned their PGA Tour card for 2008.*PGA Tour rookie for 2008....
- 2010 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates2010 PGA Tour Qualifying School GraduatesThis is a list of the 29 players who earned their 2011 PGA Tour card through Q School in 2010. Note: Michael Putnam and Justin Hicks had already qualified for the PGA Tour by placing in the Top 25 during the 2010 Nationwide Tour season; they did not count among the Top 25 Q school graduates, but...