Richie Karl
Encyclopedia
Richard Karl is an American
professional golfer
who is best known as the last golf
club professional to win an official PGA Tour
event.
Karl was born in Johnson City, New York
. He played college golf at Florida State University
. He won the Alaska State Amateur twice while stationed in the Army there.
Karl turned professional in 1968. He won the 1974 B.C. Open
by sinking a 35-foot putt on the first hole in a playoff with Bruce Crampton
. Karl, who worked at the En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, New York
where the B.C. Open was played and lived along the 10th fairway, is the last club professional to win on the PGA Tour.
Karl played briefly on the Senior PGA Tour (now Champions Tour
) starting after he turned 50 in September 1994. His best finish in this venue was a T-5 at the ACE Group Classic. In 2007, Karl played as a sponsor's exemption in the inaugural Dick's Sporting Goods Open, a Champions Tour event played on his home course.
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 is best known as the last 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....
club professional to win an official 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...
event.
Karl was born in Johnson City, New York
Johnson City, New York
Johnson City is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 15,535 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. He played college golf at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. He won the Alaska State Amateur twice while stationed in the Army there.
Karl turned professional in 1968. He won the 1974 B.C. Open
B.C. Open
The Dick's Sporting Goods Open is a Champions Tour event. It debuted in July 2007, supplanting the B.C. Open, a now-defunct PGA Tour event, which was held annually from 1971 to 2006. It is sponsored by Dick's Sporting Goods....
by sinking a 35-foot putt on the first hole in a playoff with Bruce Crampton
Bruce Crampton
Bruce Crampton is an Australian professional golfer.Crampton was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and attended Kogarah High School from 1948-1950. He turned professional in 1953....
. Karl, who worked at the En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, New York
Endicott, New York
Endicott is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 13,038 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after Henry B...
where the B.C. Open was played and lived along the 10th fairway, is the last club professional to win on the PGA Tour.
Karl played briefly on the Senior PGA Tour (now 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...
) starting after he turned 50 in September 1994. His best finish in this venue was a T-5 at the ACE Group Classic. In 2007, Karl played as a sponsor's exemption in the inaugural Dick's Sporting Goods Open, a Champions Tour event played on his home course.