Stephen Dodd
Encyclopedia
Stephen Dodd is a Welsh
professional golf
er who after a relatively moderate career, unexpectedly won two events on the European Tour
in the 2005 season at the age of 38.
Dodd was born in Cardiff
. He had a successful amateur career highlighted by victory in The Amateur Championship
at Royal Birkdale
in 1989, which qualified him to play in The Open Championship
that year and the U.S. Masters the following year. He was named Welsh sports personality of the year in 1989. He turned professional
in 1990.
Dodd spent the early years of his professional career on Europe's second tier Challenge Tour
. In 1992 he won the Bank Austria Open on that tour, but his results were generally patchy. He first gained his place on the main European Tour in 1995, but found himself returning to qualifying school
every year until 2001, when he finally broke into the top 100 on the Order of Merit to automatically retain his playing status. He then steadily improved, having new personal best seasons in 2003 and 2004, finishing 80th and 58th respectively on the money list.
The 2005 season marked a sudden improvement in Dodd's fortunes. He won the first tournament he entered that season, the Volvo China Open
(actually played in late 2004), which was one of several events co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour
. A few weeks later he picked up a new biggest paycheck of his career by coming tied second in the higher profile Dubai Desert Classic
. He went on to win the Nissan Irish Open in May, and in November he won the WGC-World Cup
for Wales in partnership with Bradley Dredge
. He finished the season ranked a career high 17th on the Order of Merit.
In 2006 Dodd won the Smurfit European Open
, granting him a five year exemption on the European Tour. He finished the season ranked 29th on the Order of Merit. Since then his form has dropped, and in 2008 he made just 4 cuts as he slipped to 245th on the end of season money list.
with his wife Allison and their son Liam.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Professional
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
professional 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....
er who after a relatively moderate career, unexpectedly won two events on the European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
in the 2005 season at the age of 38.
Dodd was born in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. He had a successful amateur career highlighted by victory in The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
at Royal Birkdale
Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Royal Birkdale Golf Club is a golf course in the town of Southport, England, and is one of the clubs in the Open Championship rotation for both men and women. The club has hosted the men's championship nine times since 1954, most recently in July 2008, and has hosted the women's tournament five...
in 1989, which qualified him to play in 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...
that year and the U.S. Masters the following year. He was named Welsh sports personality of the year in 1989. He turned professional
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;...
in 1990.
Dodd spent the early years of his professional career on Europe's second tier Challenge Tour
Challenge Tour
The Challenge Tour is the second tier men's professional golf tour in Europe. It is operated by the PGA European Tour and as with on the main European Tour and the European Seniors Tour, some of the events are played outside of Europe...
. In 1992 he won the Bank Austria Open on that tour, but his results were generally patchy. He first gained his place on the main European Tour in 1995, but found himself returning to qualifying school
Qualifying school
In professional golf the term qualifying school is used for the annual qualifying tournaments for leading golf tours such as the U.S. based PGA and LPGA Tours and the European Tour. A fixed number of players in the event win membership of the tour for the following season, otherwise known as a...
every year until 2001, when he finally broke into the top 100 on the Order of Merit to automatically retain his playing status. He then steadily improved, having new personal best seasons in 2003 and 2004, finishing 80th and 58th respectively on the money list.
The 2005 season marked a sudden improvement in Dodd's fortunes. He won the first tournament he entered that season, the Volvo China Open
Volvo China Open
The Volvo China Open is a men's golf tournament that has been held annually in China since 1995. The event is organised by the China Golf Association and has been co-sanctioned by the European Tour since 2003....
(actually played in late 2004), which was one of several events co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour
Asian Tour
The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore...
. A few weeks later he picked up a new biggest paycheck of his career by coming tied second in the higher profile Dubai Desert Classic
Dubai Desert Classic
The Dubai Desert Classic is an annual professional golf tournament which takes place in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It has been part of the European Tour schedule since its inauguration in 1989, and was the first European Tour event to be staged in the Middle East...
. He went on to win the Nissan Irish Open in May, and in November he won the WGC-World Cup
WGC-World Cup
The World Cup is a men's golf tournament contested by teams of two representing their country. Only one team is allowed from each country. The players are selected on the basis of the Official World Golf Ranking, although not all of the first choice players choose to compete...
for Wales in partnership with Bradley Dredge
Bradley Dredge
Bradley Dredge is a Welsh professional golfer.Dredge was born in Tredegar. He turned professional in 1996.Dredge attempted to gain his card on the European Tour via the qualifying school in 1995 and 1996, the second time doing sufficiently well to gain a place on the Challenge Tour for 1997...
. He finished the season ranked a career high 17th on the Order of Merit.
In 2006 Dodd won the Smurfit European Open
European Open (golf)
The European Open was a European Tour golf tournament. Founded in 1978, up to 1994 it was played at various courses in England, including Sunningdale and Walton Heath, except for the 1979 event, which was held at Turnberry in Scotland...
, granting him a five year exemption on the European Tour. He finished the season ranked 29th on the Order of Merit. Since then his form has dropped, and in 2008 he made just 4 cuts as he slipped to 245th on the end of season money list.
Personal life
Dodd resides in Barry, WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
with his wife Allison and their son Liam.
Amateur wins (3)
- 1989 The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
, Welsh Amateur Championship, Welsh Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship
European Tour wins (3)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 Nov 2004 2005 European Tour The 2005 European Tour was the 34th golf season since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2005 season consisted of 47 official money events, which was a new record total. This included four major championships and three World Golf Championships, which were also sanctioned by the PGA Tour... (2005 season) |
Volvo China Open Volvo China Open The Volvo China Open is a men's golf tournament that has been held annually in China since 1995. The event is organised by the China Golf Association and has been co-sanctioned by the European Tour since 2003.... |
3 strokes |  Thomas BjørnThomas Bjørn Thomas Bjørn is a professional golfer from Denmark who plays on the European Tour. He is the most successful Danish golfer to have played the game having won thirteen tournaments worldwide on the European Tour. In 1999 he also became the first Dane to qualify for a European Ryder Cup team... |
|
| 2 | 22 May 2005 2005 European Tour The 2005 European Tour was the 34th golf season since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2005 season consisted of 47 official money events, which was a new record total. This included four major championships and three World Golf Championships, which were also sanctioned by the PGA Tour... |
Nissan Irish Open | Playoff |  David HowellDavid Howell (golfer) David Alexander Howell is an English professional golfer from Swindon. His career to date peaked in 2006, when he was ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for a short time.... |
|
| 3 | 9 Jul 2006 2006 European Tour The 2006 European Tour was the 35th golf season since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2006 season consisted of 47 official money events, equalling the record set the previous year. This included seven major championships and World Golf Championships, which are also sanctioned by the... |
Smurfit Kappa European Open | 2 strokes |  José Manuel LaraJosé Manuel Lara José Manuel Lara is a Spanish professional golfer.Lara was born in Valencia, Spain. He turned professional in 1997, and has competed on the European Tour since 2001, having finished 11th in the previous seasons Challenge Tour rankings... , Anthony WallAnthony Wall Anthony David Wall is an English professional golfer.Wall was born in London. He turned professional in 1995 and has played on the European Tour since 1998. He has made the top 100 on the Order of Merit every season since his rookie year. His only European Tour win to date came at the 2000 Alfred... |
Other wins (3)
- 1995 Welsh Professional Championship
- 2001 Welsh Professional Championship
- 2007 Ryder Cup Wales Welsh Open PGA Championship
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1989 |
|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
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 |
| 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... |
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 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
CUT | DNP | 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 | DNP | DNP | 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 | 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 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
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 | 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 | CUT | 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 | CUT | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Team appearances
Amateur- Walker CupWalker CupThe 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...
(representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1989
Professional
- Seve TrophySeve TrophyThe Seve Trophy is a biennial golf tournament between teams of professional male golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It is named after five times major winner Seve Ballesteros, the most successful golfer ever from Continental Europe who was one of the key...
(representing Great Britain & Ireland): 20052005 Seve TrophyThe 2005 Seve Trophy took place between 22-25 September at Wynyard Golf Club, in North East England. The team captain for Great Britain and Ireland was Colin Montgomerie, with the captain for Continental Europe being José María Olazábal. The overall tournament host was Seve Ballesteros as he was...
(winners) - World Cup (representing Wales): 2005 (winners), 20072007 OMEGA Mission Hills World CupThe 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 22 to November 25 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 53rd World Cup. 28 countries competed and each country sent two players. The team purse is $5,000,000 with $1,600,000 going to the winner. The individual purse...
, 20092009 Omega Mission Hills World CupThe 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 26 to November 29 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 55th World Cup. 28 countries competed as two player teams...