Tom McGinnis
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Tom or Tommy" McGinnis (born November 27, 1947) is an American
professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
and the Champions Tour
.
McGinnis was born in Memphis, Tennessee
. He attended the University of Tennessee
and was a member of the golf
team from 1967–1969. He turned professional in 1969.
McGinnis had 49 starts in PGA Tour events during his regular career; he earned and lost his Tour card 3 times. His best finish in a PGA Tour event was a solo 5th at the 1976 Ed McMahon-Jaycees Quad Cities Open. His best finish in a major championship
— the only major that he played — was 55th at the 1980 U.S. Open
. He earned his living primarily as a club and teaching pro at various clubs in Tennessee, New York and Florida.
McGinnis has eight top-10 finishes in Champions tour events including one win. The highlight of his career was defeating Hale Irwin
in a playoff at the 1999 BankBoston Classic. With his win, McGinnis deprived Irwin of the chance to match Chi Chi Rodriguez's record of three straight titles in this event.
Today McGinnis works as a teaching pro at Pine Forest Country Club in Summerville, South Carolina
. He is also an assistant coach for the boy's varsity golf team at Pinewood Preparatory School
, the South Carolina 2006 Class AAA champions.
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 played 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 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...
.
McGinnis was born in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. He attended the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
and was a 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 from 1967–1969. He turned professional in 1969.
McGinnis had 49 starts in PGA Tour events during his regular career; he earned and lost his Tour card 3 times. His best finish in a PGA Tour event was a solo 5th at the 1976 Ed McMahon-Jaycees Quad Cities Open. His best finish in a major championship
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
— the only major that he played — was 55th at the 1980 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...
. He earned his living primarily as a club and teaching pro at various clubs in Tennessee, New York and Florida.
McGinnis has eight top-10 finishes in Champions tour events including one win. The highlight of his career was defeating Hale Irwin
Hale Irwin
Hale S. Irwin is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was...
in a playoff at the 1999 BankBoston Classic. With his win, McGinnis deprived Irwin of the chance to match Chi Chi Rodriguez's record of three straight titles in this event.
Today McGinnis works as a teaching pro at Pine Forest Country Club in Summerville, South Carolina
Summerville, South Carolina
Summerville is a town in the U.S. state of South Carolina situated mostly in Dorchester County with small portions in Berkeley, and Charleston counties. It is part of the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area as designated for statistical purposes by the U.S. Office...
. He is also an assistant coach for the boy's varsity golf team at Pinewood Preparatory School
Pinewood Preparatory School
Founded in 1952, Pinewood Preparatory School is an independent, co-educational, college-preparatory day school located in Summerville, South Carolina....
, the South Carolina 2006 Class AAA champions.
Regular career wins
- 1971 Saskatchewan OpenSaskatchewan OpenThe Saskatchewan Open, now known as the Dakota Dunes Casino Open, is a golf tournament on the Canadian Tour. From 1919 to 1984, it was played annually except for minor interruptions. The tournament was not played from 1985 to 2007. It was revived in 2008 and changed its name in 2010...
- 1986 New York State Open
- Long Island PGA Championship
- Long Island Open