Rocco Mediate

Exempt status

• PGA TOUR Champions: Top 36 Charles Schwab Cup Points (27th), PGA TOUR Points List (6), PGA TOUR Champions Points List (5), All-Time Money List (37th)

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR: 1986
• PGA TOUR Champions: 2013

PGA TOUR Victories (6)

1991 Season

• Doral-Ryder Open

1993 Season

• KMart Greater Greensboro Open

1999 Season

• Phoenix Open

2000 Season

• Buick Open

2002 Season

• Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic

2010 Season

• Frys.com Open

PGA TOUR Champions Victories (4)

2013 Season

• Allianz Championship
• Shaw Charity Classic

2016 Season

• Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid

2019 Season

• Sanford International

International Victories (1)

• 1992 Perrier French Open

Additional Victories (4)

• 1984 South Florida Invitational
• 1999 Callaway Pebble Beach Invitational
• 2002 Franklin Templeton Shootout [with Lee Janzen]
• 2003 CVS Charity Classic [with Jeff Sluman]

PLAYOFF RECORD

PGA TOUR (2-1)

• 1991 Defeated Curtis Strange, Doral-Ryder Open
• 1993 Defeated Steve Elkington, KMart Greater Greensboro Open
• 2008 Lost to Tiger Woods, U.S. Open Championship

National Teams

• 2003 UBS Cup

Personal

• Started using long putter to save his back and became the first player to win on TOUR using a long putter when he won the 1991 Doral-Ryder Open. Currently putts conventionally. Finished 600th out of 5,619 players in his first appearance at the 2005 World Series of Poker's Main Event. Began playing poker in 2004.
• Grew up in Greensburg, Pa., just miles from Arnold Palmer's home in nearby Latrobe. Played with Palmer for the first time when he was 19, at Latrobe CC.
• Worked early in his career with former Champions Tour member Jim Ferree, who was a club professional in Pennsylvania.

Special Interests

• Music, tennis, home theater

CURRENT YEAR HIGHLIGHTS

• Hoag Classic: Finished T8 after carding 5-under 208 at the Hoag Classic.

Career Highlights

2022 Season

• Hoag Classic: Finished T8 after carding 5-under 208 at the Hoag Classic.

2021 Season

• Ascension Charity Classic: Carded rounds of 69-67-70 – 206 to finish T6 at the 2021 Ascension Charity Classic.
• Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship: Recorded his second top-10 of the season after carding 74-71-69-70 – 284 to finish T7 at 4-over at the 2021 Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship.
• Principal Charity Classic: Finished the 2021 Principal Charity Classic T6 after carding rounds of 71-69-67.

2020 Season

• Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National: Carded rounds of 64-66-69 at the Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National and finished T5, his first top-10 since he won the 2019 Sanford International.

2019 Season

Recorded three top-10s, including a win at the Sanford International, and finished 27th in the Charles Schwab Cup. Finished 25th on the money list ($740,911), his best since finishing 10th as a rookie in 2013.

• Sanford International: Birdied the last two holes and won the Sanford International when Ken Duke double bogeyed the 18th hole. Started the day three shots off the lead and tied for ninth, and the win was his first since the 2016 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, a span of 71 starts without a victory.
• Mitsubishi Electric Classic: At the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, played in Sunday’s final group for the first time since the 2016 Invesco QQQ Championship. Carded a final-round 72 and finished T10.

2018 Season

Tallied seven top-10s, tying for his most in a season (2013), en route to a 35th-place finish in the Charles Schwab Cup. His four-consecutive top-10s in February-March tied the longest streak of his career.

• Sanford International: Carded rounds of 66-70-68 for a T9 finish at the inaugural Sanford International, his seventh top-10 finish of the season.
• The Ally Challenge: Closed with a bogey-free 66 to finish T5 (11-under) at The Ally Challenge. Was one of three players to post just one bogey on the week.
• Regions Tradition: Finished T8 at the Regions Tradition to notch his fifth top-10 of the season. It was his fourth top-10 in 19 major championship starts, and first since he won the 2016 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.
• Toshiba Classic: Mediate's resurgence continued at the Toshiba Classic, as he finished T6 and extended his top-10 streak to four. Before this stretch, he had four top-10s in his previous 32 starts, dating back to his wire-to-wire victory at the 2016 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. This top-10 streak matches his longest on PGA TOUR Champions, as he also had top-10s in his first four starts in 2013, which included a win in his debut at the Boca Raton Championship.
• Cologuard Classic: Aided by a second-round 65, Mediate finished at 10-under and tied for fifth at the Cologuard Classic. It was his third consecutive top-10, marking just the second time he has put together a streak of three or more. During his rookie year in 2013, Mediate started his career with four straight top-10s, including a win in his debut at the Boca Raton Championship.
• Chubb Classic: Mediate posted his second straight top-10 of the year at the Chubb Classic, posting rounds of 68-68-69 to finish T10.
• Boca Raton Championship: Mediate, winner of the 2013 Boca Raton Championship, posted a sixth-place finish in the 2018 tournament. It was his first top-10 since he finished T8 at the 2017 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.

2017 Season

After a T8 finish in the first event of the year at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai did not register another top-10 in 17 additional starts. Struggled with his putting during the year, falling from 40th to 63rd in putting average from his previous year.

• Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge: Made an ace in the opening round of the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge. Drained a sand wedge from 109 yards on No. 11 at Top of the Rock. Teamed with former college teammate Lee Janzen for a T13 finish in April.
• Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai: Posted rounds of 67-66 to claim a T8 finish at the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai in an event shortened to 36 holes doe to heavy winds in the final round.

2016 Season

Enjoyed his best season since his rookie campaign in 2013 and returned to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship for the first time in three years.

• PowerShares QQQ Championship: Was one stroke off the lead after 36 holes at the PowerShares QQQ Championship after rounds of 69-65 but a closing-round 75 led to a T6 finish. Earned $68,000 with his finish which moved him over the $20 million mark in overall career earnings.
• Barracuda Championship: Finished T23 at the PGA TOUR's Barracuda Championship in July.
• Principal Charity Classic: Followed up his victory in Michigan with a T6 effort at the Principal Charity Classic the following week in Iowa.
• Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid: Ended a nearly three-year victory drought when he went wire-to-wire to win the Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores in Michigan. Tied the tournament record for best opening-round score (9-under-par 62), and then shattered records for best 36-hole score (14-under-par 128) and best 54-hole total (14-under-par 199). His 72-hole score of 19-under-par 265 surpassed the previous mark of 268 by Sam Snead in 1973. He became the first player to go wire-to-wire in the event since Jack Nicklaus in 1991. The win ended a 55-event victory drought on PGA TOUR Champions.

2015 Season

Dropped three spots down the money list from his 2014 effort, finishing 34th overall.

• Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge: He and former college teammate Lee Janzen finished T10 at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf in April.
• Greater Gwinnett Championship: Was third at the Greater Gwinnett Championship after rounds of 68-67 at TPC Sugarloaf. Was three strokes back after 36 holes before heavy rain canceled the final round.
• Puerto Rico Open: Made a start at the PGA TOUR's Puerto Rico Open but missed the cut.
• Allianz Championship: Ended T11 at the Allianz Championship after being three strokes off the lead through 36 holes.
• Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai: Got his season off to a nice start at the year's first event, the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. Was the 18-hole leader and shared the 36-hole lead with eventual winner Miguel Angel Jimenez. Saw his chances slip away in a four-hole stretch Sunday, with bogeys on Nos. 8, 9 and 11 and eventually, finished fourth.

2014 Season

Made three starts on the PGA TOUR, missing the cut at the Frys.com Open and the Wyndham Championship. Also withdrew at the Farmers Insurance Open after one round.

• Charles Schwab Cup Championship: Narrowly missed a berth in the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship, finishing 31st in single-season earnings.
• Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach: Was among the top 30 through the first eight months of the season but slipped outside after the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach in late September and was never able to regain a spot. At one point in Sunday's final round at the AT&T Championship, the year's final full-field event, it appeared he'd climbed back into the top 30 after finishing with birdies on five of his final six holes.
• Boeing Classic: Posted a 7-under-par 65 the final day at the Boeing Classic, which resulted in a T10 finish. Had 22 birdies in the event, the most by a player in the event history. The previous mark was 21 by Jack Ferenz (2006) and Tom Kite (2008).
• Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf presented by Bass Pro Shops: Was T7 along with teammate Steve Elkington in the Champions Division of the Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf in June.
• Regions Tradition: At the Regions Tradition, solid play on the weekend, with rounds of 69-70, led to a T6 finish at Shoal Creek.
• Allianz Championship: Was T7 in his next start in defense of his title at the Allianz Championship.
• Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai: Fired a 9-under 63 in the opening round of the year to take the first-round lead at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. Eventually finished solo fifth, his best finish of the year. Married Jessica Somers the day after the tournament at Hualalai.

2013 Season

The Champions Tour's Rookie of the Year had an outstanding first-year campaign on Tour, joining Esteban Toledo as the other first-year player with a pair of victories. He also pocketed more than $1.3 million in earnings. That total was the most he's earned since 2008 on the PGA TOUR.

• Shaw Charity Classic: Added a second title during the latter part of the summer, in Canada, when he blitzed the field at the inaugural Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary. Went wire to wire for the victory north of the border. Opened with a course-record, 8-under-par 63 at Canyon Meadows G&CC and then followed with back-to-back, 7-under 64s to run away from the field by seven strokes, the largest margin of victory since Fred Couples won by the same margin in 2011 (AT&T Championship). His winning 54-hole total of 191 matched the Champions Tour 54-hole scoring mark set in 2002 by Bruce Fleisher and later matched by three others. He also tied a Tour record with four eagles in the event. His play on the back nine was the difference, shooting a cumulative 18-under par on the second nine holes for the week at Canyon Meadows. The victory made him the first rookie with multiple wins in a season since Couples in 2010.
• Boeing Classic: Posted a 7-under-par 65 the final day at the Boeing Classic, which resulted in a T10 finish. Had 22 birdies in the event, the most by a player in the 10-year-old event. The previous mark was 21 by Jack Ferenz (2006) and Tom Kite (2008).
• U.S. Senior Open Championship: In contention throughout the U.S. Senior Open before eventually T3 along with Corey Pavin, six strokes behind winner Kenny Perry.
• Regions Tradition: At the Regions Tradition, solid play on the weekend, with rounds of 69-70, led to a T6 finish at Shoal Creek.
• Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf: Was T7 along with teammate Steve Elkington in the Champions Division of the Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf in June.
• Allianz Championship: Became the 16th player in history to win his first Champions Tour event when he was a two-stroke winner over Tom Pernice, Jr., and Bernhard Langer at the Allianz Championship in February. Led after 36 holes by three strokes following a career-best and tournament-record, 11-under-par 61. Eventually held off a final-round charge by Pernice and Langer for the two-stroke victory. Was tied with Pernice heading to No. 17, but took the lead for good when Pernice made a bogey on the second-to-last hole. He added a birdie at No. 18 to finish with a 54-hole total of 17-under-par 199, matching the tournament mark set in 2010 by Langer and John Cook. Ironically, his first PGA TOUR win also came in South Florida, at the 1991 Doral-Ryder Open.
• Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai: Fired a 9-under 63 in the opening round of the year to take the first-round lead at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. Eventually finished solo fifth. Married Jessica Somers the day after the tournament at Hualalai.

2012 Season

Made 13 cuts in 23 PGA TOUR starts. With only a top-25 showing at Sedgefield CC, finished outside the top 125, at No. 167.

• Wyndham Championship: His best finish was a T22 at the Wyndham Championship in his last bid to make the FedExCup Playoffs.

2011 Season

Saw his string of 25 years with at least one top-25 finish come to an end. The streak dated to his rookie season in 1986. Made only seven of 23 cuts.

• Hyundai Tournament of Champions: A 31st-place finish at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions was his best outing.

2010 Season

• PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament: Prior to the Frys.com Open, was sitting at No. 182 on the PGA TOUR official money list, prepared to return to PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. Instead, recorded hole-out eagles in each of the four rounds en route to first victory since 2002. Following the win, said "I now have a job. I signed up for TOUR school, and I was going to go. That's where I belonged about a half an hour ago; I don't belong there anymore." Posed rounds of 64-65-67-73–269. Opened with a 191-yard hole-in-one at the third hole in the first round, then followed in the second round with a 160-yard hole-out for an eagle-2 at the fourth hole. On Saturday, holed a 111-yard wedge for an eagle-3 at the 15th hole. In the final round, made his fourth hole-out of the week with an eagle-2 from 116 yards at No. 17. Knocked in 5-foot par putt on the 72 hole to edge Bo Van Pelt and Alex Prugh by one stroke. At 47 years, 10 months, win made him the oldest wire-to-wire winner on the PGA TOUR since such records began being recorded. Became the oldest winner since Kenny Perry at the 2009 Travelers Championship.

2009 Season

Made 18 of 22 cuts on the PGA TOUR, but finished 145th on the money list.

• Legends Reno-Tahoe Open: Had one top-10, a T9 at the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open where he used a putter borrowed from Matt Bettencourt.

2008 Season

• U.S. Open Championship: In a bid to become the oldest U.S. Open champion at age 45, lost in a playoff to Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines GC. Finished regulation at 1-under-par 283 and held the clubhouse lead as Woods and Lee Westwood, both one stroke back, played the par-5 18th hole. Woods made birdie to force an 18-hole playoff. In the Monday playoff, made three consecutive back-nine birdies to take a one-stroke lead to the last hole. Woods made birdie to tie and force sudden death as both players shot even-par 71s. Woods parred the par-4 seventh hole, the first sudden-death hole, as Mediate made bogey after driving into a fairway bunker and missing a 20-foot par putt.

2007 Season

Had best season since 2003, with a runner-up finish, three top-10s and more than $1 million in earnings while playing on a Minor Medical Extension. Spent early part of season as a walking commentator for Golf Channel.

• Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard: Led by three strokes through 36 holes of the Arnold Palmer Invitational after opening 66-65. Rebounded from third-round 76 with a 67 to finish solo second, his best finish since he was runner-up at the 2003 Deutsche Bank Championship–a span of 74 events.

2006 Season

Was limited to 18 events as he battled long-time back injury. Not able to play for one month.

• Masters Tournament: In contention at the Masters Tournament, as he sat T4 through 54 holes. Back problem flared up in final round, when he posted an 8-over-par 80 to finish T36.

2005 Season

Playing on one-time exemption as top-50 all-time money winner, rebounded from subpar 2004 season to finish in the top 125. Rallied down the stretch, with 12 made cuts in final 14 starts.

• U.S. Open Championship: Recorded lone top-10 of the season at the U.S. Open (T6).

2004 Season

Finished outside the 125 on the TOUR money list for the fourth time in his 19-year career and for the first time since he finished No. 155 in 1995.

2003 Season

Finished 31st on money list and was bounced from the field for season-ending TOUR Championship after missing cut in final full-field event, the Chrysler Championship.

• Mercedes Championships: Began season with two top-fives in first three events, highlighted by a T2 at Mercedes Championships and a solo second at the inaugural Deutsche Bank Championship.

2002 Season

Earned more than $2 million for the first time in his career and had best finish on the money list (22nd) since finishing 16th in 1993.

• Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic: Picked up first victory since the 2000 Buick Open with win at the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic. Had two-stroke lead over Mark Calcavecchia through 54 holes. Final-round 71 gained a three-stroke win over Calcavecchia and earned a career-high $684,000 paycheck.

2000 Season

• Buick Open: Earned his fourth career victory the way he won his first TOUR title–with a birdie on the final hole at the Buick Open. It was the first time he had led the Buick Open all week. Birdied two of final three holes for one-stroke victory over 54-hole leader Chris Perry. Victory lifted him over $1-million mark in a single season for first time in his career.

1999 Season

• Phoenix Open: Made clear comeback from 1994 back surgery with victory at the Phoenix Open in only his second start of the season. Held season-best 54-hole lead of six strokes. Final-round 71 earned him two-stroke victory over Justin Leonard.

1997 Season

Made eight consecutive cuts near end of the year to retain full exempt status.

1996 Season

• Phoenix Open: Returned to the TOUR under Special Medical Extension and T6 at Phoenix Open to earn full playing privileges.

1994 Season

Missed most of season with ruptured disc, for which he underwent surgery in July.

1993 Season

• KMart Greater Greensboro Open: Second TOUR win came in playoff at Kmart Greater Greensboro Open, where he birdied fourth playoff hole to defeat Steve Elkington.

1991 Season

• Doral-Ryder Open: Earned first TOUR title in sixth season, at Doral-Ryder Open. Sank 10-foot birdie putts on 71st and 72nd holes, forcing playoff with Curtis Strange. In Monday playoff, birdied first extra hole from 5 feet.

Amateur Highlights

• Gained interest in golf in high school after years of playing baseball. With help from Champions Tour member Jim Ferree during college, began to construct his swing. At Florida Southern, coach Charlie Matlock became large influence on his game.

Q SCHOOL GRADUATE

• PGA TOUR: 1985
• PGA TOUR: 1986