Lanny Wadkins

Lanny Wadkins

Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. (born December 5, 1949) is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988.

Wadkins was born in Richmond, Virginia. He attended Wake Forest University. He won the U.S. Amateur in 1970 and turned professional in 1971. His first win on the PGA Tour arrived quickly at the 1972 Sahara Invitational in Las Vegas and he was later voted 1972 PGA Rookie of the Year. Two more wins followed in 1973 before his form dipped for three years. He bounced back to record his only major championship victory in the 1977 PGA Championship courtesy of a three hole sudden-death playoff at Pebble Beach Golf Links against Gene Littler. Although second in four subsequent major championships (U.S. Open 1986, PGA Championship 1982, 1984, 1987), this remained his only victory. On three occasions, he finished third in the Masters Tournament (1990, 1991, 1993). In The Open Championship, his best finish was fourth at St. Andrews in 1984. On the PGA Tour, he won The Players Championship at Sawgrass in 1979 and was voted PGA Player of the Year in 1985. Over his career, he picked up a win more seasons than not until 1992, when he achieved his twenty-first and final PGA Tour victory at the Canon Greater Hartford Open. He has also won in Australia, Canada, Japan and South America in his career. He played for the United States in the Ryder Cup eight times between 1977 and 1993, which ties the highest number of appearances in the competition by an American, alongside Raymond Floyd and Billy Casper. Wadkins collected 21½ points during his Ryder Cup career, one of the very best records on either side in the history of the competition. He also captained the team in 1995.

Wadkins began play on the Champions Tour in 2000, and picked up a win in his first event at the ACE Group Classic in a four-way playoff. As a senior, he divided his time between competition and broadcasting work with CBS Sports and did not become a regular winner at senior level. Wadkins worked as an analyst for CBS from 2002 until 2007 when he was replaced by Nick Faldo.

Wadkins was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.

Wadkins' younger brother Bobby currently plays on the Champions Tour. Lanny has two children, Travis and Jessica, also Wake Forest alumni. In 2011, Travis played on the eGolf Tour and made it to the final stage of the PGA Tour's Qualifying School but failed to earn a card. Wadkins has a nephew, Ron Whittaker, who is a professional golfer on the second-tier Nationwide Tour with 77 PGA Tour starts.