Larry Gilbert
Encyclopedia
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.
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 Open
s, 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. He was survived by his wife, Brenda, and sons, Larry Jr. and Christopher.
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;...
best known for winning the 1997 Senior Players Championship
Senior Players Championship
The Senior Players Championship is one of the five major championships on golf's Champions Tour. Unlike the U.S. Senior Open, the Senior PGA Championship and the Senior British Open, it is not recognized as a major by the European Seniors Tour, and is not part of that tour's schedule. The inaugural...
, one of the major championships on the Senior PGA Tour.
Gilbert was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He attended Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University, commonly abbreviated as MTSU, is a public university located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States....
in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
and was a distinguished 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. Gilbert led Middle Tennessee State to victory in the 1965 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships
NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships
The NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships, played in late May, is an annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, but there is also an award for the lowest scoring individual competitor. Many of the individual champions have gone on to successful...
for which Gilbert won the individual medal.
Gilbert spent most of his regular career years as a club pro in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He won the PGA Club Professional Championship in 1981, 1982 and 1991. He also won ten Kentucky PGA Championships, three Kentucky Open
Kentucky Open
The Kentucky Open is the Kentucky state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Kentucky Golf Association...
s, one Tennessee Open
Tennessee Open
The Tennessee Open is the Tennessee state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Tennessee Golf Association...
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
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...
) upon turning 50 in 1992.
Gilbert died in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
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
Senior Players Championship
The Senior Players Championship is one of the five major championships on golf's Champions Tour. Unlike the U.S. Senior Open, the Senior PGA Championship and the Senior British Open, it is not recognized as a major by the European Seniors Tour, and is not part of that tour's schedule. The inaugural...
only 192 days before he died. He was survived by his wife, Brenda, and sons, Larry Jr. and Christopher.
Regular career wins
- 1968 Kentucky OpenKentucky OpenThe Kentucky Open is the Kentucky state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Kentucky Golf Association...
- 1970 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...
- 1974 Kentucky PGA Championship
- 1975 Kentucky OpenKentucky OpenThe Kentucky Open is the Kentucky state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Kentucky Golf Association...
- 1976 Kentucky OpenKentucky OpenThe Kentucky Open is the Kentucky state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Kentucky Golf Association...
- 1979 Kentucky PGA Championship
- 1980 Kentucky PGA Championship
- 1981 PGA Club Professional Championship, Kentucky PGA Championship
- 1982 PGA Club Professional Championship, Kentucky PGA Championship
- 1984 Kentucky PGA Championship, Kentucky PGA Match Play Championship
- 1985 Kentucky PGA Championship
- 1986 Kentucky PGA Match Play Championship
- 1990 Kentucky PGA Championship
- 1991 PGA Club Professional Championship
- one Tennessee PGA Championship
Senior PGA Tour wins
- 19941994 Senior PGA TourThe 1994 Senior PGA Tour was the 15th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 37 official money events with purses totalling $29,150,000, including four majors. Lee Trevino won the most tournaments, six...
(2) Dallas Reunion Pro-AmDallas Reunion Pro-AmThe Dallas Reunion Pro-Am was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1985 to 1995. It was played at a number of locations in the greater Dallas, Texas area: Bent Tree Country Club , Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, Texas, and Oak Cliff Country Club .The purse for the 1995 tournament was...
, Vantage ChampionshipRJR ChampionshipThe RJR Championship was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1987 to 2002. It was played in Clemmons, North Carolina at Tanglewood Park.The purse for the 2002 tournament was US$1,600,000, with $240,000 going to the winner... - 19971997 Senior PGA TourThe 1997 Senior PGA Tour was the 18th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 38 official money events with purses totalling $41,750,000, including four majors. Hale Irwin won the most tournaments, nine...
(1) Ford Senior Players Championship
- Senior major championshipSenior major golf championshipsMen's professional senior golf is for players aged 50 and above. Golf differs from all other sports in having lucrative competitions for this age group. The leading senior tour is the U.S. based Champions Tour, which was established in 1980 . It has established a roster of five major championships...
is shown in bold.
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Ford Senior Players Championship | −14 (67−68−72−67=274) | 3 strokes |  Isao AokiIsao Aoki is one of Japan's most successful golfers. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004.Aoki was born in Abiko, Chiba, Japan. He was introduced to golf while caddying at the Abiko Golf Club as a schoolboy. He turned professional in 1964... ,  Bob DicksonBob Dickson Robert B. Dickson is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.Dickson was born in McAlester, Oklahoma. He was introduced to golf at the age of five by his father, Ben, a club pro/manager at the McAlester Country Club, and later club pro at the Muskogee... , Jack KieferJack Kiefer Leo C. "Jack" Kiefer was an American professional golfer who won two Senior PGA Tour events in the 1990s.... , Dave StocktonDave Stockton David Knapp Stockton is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.... |