Bobby Cole (golfer)


Robert Eric Cole is a South African professional golfer.

Early life

Cole was born in Springs, South Africa. As a child, he was influenced by the careers of Bobby Locke and Gary Player.
After suffering a bicycle accident related knee injury, Cole took up golf at the age of eleven. He won both the South Africa junior golf championship and the Vaal Amateur.

Golfing career

Cole made more than 150 cuts in PGA Tour tournament play. In 1966, Cole won the British Amateur at Carnoustie, Scotland, at age 18, the youngest winner to that stage. In 1974 he claimed both the team and the individual wins in the World Cup. Cole is a two-time winner of the South African Open, 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he won the South African PGA Championship.
On the U.S. PGA Tour, Cole won the 1977 Buick Open. He has had eight top-10 finishes in the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and the British Open, and he finished tied for third in the 1975 Open Championship, one stroke back of Tom Watson and Jack Newton, who played off for the win. During the event Cole shot back-to-back rounds of 66, setting and then matching the course record at Carnoustie.
Cole held the record at age 18 for youngest winner of the British Amateur, until Matteo Manassero won the Amateur in 2009, at age 16. Cole also held the record as the youngest player to play in and make the cut at the Masters Tournament, in 1967, at just short of 19 of age, until Manassero, in 2010, again beat his record, becoming the youngest player ever to make the cut at 16 years, 11 months and 22 days.
Cole played on the Champions Tour from 1998 to 2001.

Personal life

Cole is married to author Linda Parker. He resides in Windermere, Florida where he teaches private lessons, corporate retreats, and plays ProAms and other golf events. Cole was twice married to 1971 U.S. Women's Amateur champion and LPGA Tour player Laura Baugh, and the couple had seven children together, including professional golfer Eric Cole, who has played on the Korn Ferry Tour since 2016.

Amateur wins (2)

PGA Tour wins (1)

South African wins (9)

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary

Amateur
Professional