Dave Eichelberger

Dave Eichelberger
Dave Eichelberger
Personal information
Full name	Martin Davis Eichelberger Jr.
Born	September 3, 1943 (age 81); Waco, Texas, U.S.
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13.9 st)
Sporting nationality	United States
Residence	Honolulu, Hawaii
Children	4
Career
College	Oklahoma State University
Turned professional	1966
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour; Champions Tour
Professional wins	12
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	4
PGA Tour Champions	6
Other	1 (regular); 1 (senior)
Best results in major championships;
Masters Tournament	T20: 1971
PGA Championship	T34: 1971
U.S. Open	T19: 1971
The Open Championship	DNP
Achievements and awards
Senior PGA Tour; Comeback Player of the Year
Senior PGA Tour; Comeback Player of the Year	1994

Martin Davis Eichelberger Jr. (born September 3, 1943) is an American professional golfer who has won several tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour levels.

Early life and amateur career

Eichelberger was born in Waco, Texas. He started in the game at the age of 13 in the junior programs at his family's golf club in Waco. He attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma; and while there blossomed into an outstanding amateur. He led the Oklahoma State Cowboys to the 1963 NCAA Championship. He graduated in 1965.

Professional career

Eichelberger turned pro in 1966. He has twelve professional victories four of which came on the PGA Tour, plus six Senior PGA Tour triumphs. In 1971, he finished 9th on the PGA Tour money list.^[1]

Eichelberger made 784 PGA Tour starts, as of February 2022, 4th most in the history of the tour, and made the cut in 457 of them. Only Mark Brooks, Jay Haas and Davis Love III had more starts.^[2]

In addition, Eichelberger added 456 cuts made in 476 starts on the PGA Tour Champions.^[3] On his way to a win at the 2002 Emerald Coast Classic, Eichelberger made a hole-in-one from 185 yards at the par 3 eighth hole during the first round of play.

Personal life

Although he is a native Texan, Eichelberger lived most of his adult life in New Canaan, Connecticut. In 2003, he moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he lives today with his wife, son and daughter – fraternal twins.

Professional wins (12)

PGA Tour wins (4)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Jul 11, 1971	Greater Milwaukee Open	−14 (64-70-68-68=270)	1 stroke	Bob Shaw
2	Jul 3, 1977	Greater Milwaukee Open (2)	−10 (71-68-69-70=278)	2 strokes	Morris Hatalsky, Gary McCord, Mike Morley
3	Mar 2, 1980	Bay Hill Classic	−5 (69-66-70-74=279)	3 strokes	Leonard Thompson
4	Apr 19, 1981	Tallahassee Open	−17 (66-66-69-70=271)	Playoff	Bob Murphy, Mark O'Meara

PGA Tour playoff record (1–1)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponents	Result
1	1971	Greater Greensboro Open	Buddy Allin, Rod Funseth	Allin won with birdie on first extra hole
2	1981	Tallahassee Open	Bob Murphy, Mark O'Meara	Won with birdie on first extra hole

Other wins (1)

1979 JCPenney Mixed Team Classic (with Murle Breer)

Senior PGA Tour wins (6)

Legend
Senior major championships (1)
Other Senior PGA Tour (5)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Sep 11, 1994	Quicksilver Classic	−7 (71-67-71=209)	2 strokes	Homero Blancas, Raymond Floyd
2	Aug 4, 1996	VFW Senior Championship	−10 (64-68-68=200)	2 strokes	Jim Colbert
3	Oct 12, 1997	The Transamerica	−11 (67-68-70=205)	4 strokes	Frank Conner, Terry Dill, John Jacobs, DeWitt Weaver
4	Jul 11, 1999	U.S. Senior Open	−7 (71-69-73-68=281)	3 strokes	Ed Dougherty
5	Aug 1, 1999	Novell Utah Showdown	−19 (66-63-69=197)	Playoff	Dana Quigley
6	Mar 31, 2002	Emerald Coast Classic	−10 (65-65=130)*	2 strokes	Doug Tewell

*Note: The 2002 Emerald Coast Classic was shortened to 36 holes due to rain.

Champions Tour playoff record (1–2)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent	Result
1	1994	Raley's Senior Gold Rush	Bob Murphy	Lost to bogey on fifth extra hole
2	1995	FHP Health Care Classic	Bruce Devlin	Lost to birdie on second extra hole
3	1999	Novell Utah Showdown	Dana Quigley	Won with par on first extra hole

Other senior wins (1)

1994 Diners Club Matches (with Raymond Floyd)

Results in major championships

Tournament	1965	1966	1968	1969
Masters Tournament	CUT	CUT
U.S. Open			T43	T64
PGA Championship

Tournament	1971	1972	1973	1974	1976	1977	1978	1979
Masters Tournament	T20	CUT					CUT
U.S. Open	T19	T29	CUT	T40	T21		59	CUT
PGA Championship	T34	CUT		T71		CUT	T42

Tournament	1980	1981	1982	1986	1987	1989
Masters Tournament	CUT		CUT
U.S. Open		CUT		T24	T75	CUT
PGA Championship	T65	CUT	CUT

Tournament	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open											T57
PGA Championship

Note: Eichelberger never played in The Open Championship.

Did not play

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

Champions Tour major championships

Wins (1)

Year	Championship	Winning score	Margin	Runner-up
1999	U.S. Senior Open	−7 (71-69-73-68=281)	3 strokes	Ed Dougherty

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

Walker Cup: 1965 (tied, cup retained)
Americas Cup: 1965

References

^ "1972 PGA Tour Media Guide" (PDF). PGA Tour. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
^ Hamel, Riley (February 10, 2022). "The 10 players who have made the most starts in PGA Tour history". Golfweek. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
^ "PGA Tour Champions, Players, Dave Eichelberger, Career, Achievements". PGA Tour Champions. Retrieved February 15, 2024.

External links

Dave Eichelberger at the PGA Tour official site
Dave Eichelberger at the Official World Golf Ranking official site

[1] "1972 PGA Tour Media Guide" (PDF). PGA Tour. Retrieved November 8, 2023.

[2] Hamel, Riley (February 10, 2022). "The 10 players who have made the most starts in PGA Tour history". Golfweek. Retrieved February 13, 2024.

[3] "PGA Tour Champions, Players, Dave Eichelberger, Career, Achievements". PGA Tour Champions. Retrieved February 15, 2024.

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