Gilmer Bryan Morgan II, OD (born September 25, 1946) is an American professional golfer.
Career Morgan was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma. He graduated from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma in 1968.
In 1972, Morgan earned a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee before turning professional at golf later that year. He is a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity.
Morgan won seven events on the PGA Tour between 1977 and 1990. He posted 21 2nd place and 21 3rd place finishes on the PGA Tour in his career. The most prestigious tournament he won on the PGA Tour was the 1978 World Series of Golf. He also played on the 1979 and 1983 Ryder Cup teams.
Although he never won a major title during his time on the PGA Tour, Morgan showed signs of brilliance. For example, during the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Morgan became the first player to reach 10-under-par (−10) during U.S. Open competition when he recorded a birdie on the third hole during the third round. He later added two more birdies to reach −12 after the seventh hole. He would later finish badly to finish at −4. This was good enough for the 54-hole lead. However, a final round 81 left him +5, in a tie for 13th place and eight shots behind eventual winner Tom KiteGOLF; An Ocean of Contenders After Morgan's Cliff Dive Morgan also led the 1976 PGA Championship after 36 holes but finished T8.
He became eligible to play on the Champions Tour in 1996. He has enjoyed much success on the Champion's Tour notching 25 wins. Three of his wins have come in senior majors, namely The Tradition in 1997 and 1998 and the Senior Players Championship in 1998.
Professional wins (41) PGA Tour wins (7) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1 Sep 11, 1977B.C. Open −14 (67-65-69-69=270)5 strokes Lee Elder2Feb 19, 1978Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open−6 (66-69-73-70=278)2 strokes Jack Nicklaus3Oct 1, 1978World Series of Golf−2 (71-72-67-68=278)Playoff Hubert Green4Jul 1, 1979Danny Thomas Memphis Classic−10 (72-71-69-66=278)Playoff Larry Nelson5Jan 9, 1983Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open −9 (65-71-68-67=271)Playoff Curtis Strange, Lanny Wadkins6Jan 16, 1983Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open (2)−14 (71-68-63-68=270)2 strokes Lanny Wadkins7Jun 3, 1990Kemper Open−10 (68-67-70-69=274)1 stroke Ian Baker-Finch
PGA Tour playoff record (3–4) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11978World Series of Golf Hubert GreenWon with par on first extra hole21979Danny Thomas Memphis Classic Larry NelsonWon with birdie on second extra hole31980Pleasant Valley Jimmy Fund Classic Wayne LeviLost to par on fourth extra hole41981Buick Open Bobby Clampett, Hale Irwin, Peter JacobsenIrwin won with birdie on second extra hole51983Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open Curtis Strange, Lanny WadkinsWon with birdie on second extra hole61983 Kemper Open Chen Tze-chung, Fred Couples, Barry Jaeckel, Scott SimpsonCouples won with birdie on second extra holeJaeckel eliminated by par on first hole71990Independent Insurance Agent Open Tony SillsLost to par on first extra hole
PGA of Japan Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up1 Oct 8, 1978Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters−11 (68-67-68-70=273)3 strokes Jerry Pate
Other wins (4) 1979 Heublein Open (Brazil) 1981 Oklahoma Open 1983 Jerry Ford Invitational (tie with Don Pooley) 1997 Oklahoma Open
Champions Tour wins (25) LegendChampions Tour major championships (3) Tour Championships (1)Other Champions Tour (21) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Oct 6, 1996Ralphs Senior Classic−11 (68-68-66=202)1 stroke Jim Colbert, Chi-Chi Rodríguez2Apr 6, 1997The Tradition −22 (66-66-67-67=266)6 strokes Isao Aoki3Jun 1, 1997Ameritech Senior Open −6 (67-69-74=210)1 stroke Hale Irwin4Jun 8, 1997BellSouth Senior Classic−14 (69-66-67=202)2 strokes John Bland5Aug 17, 1997First of America Classic −9 (69-67-71=207)1 stroke Bob Duval6Nov 2, 1997Ralphs Senior Classic (2)−15 (67-66-65=198)1 stroke George Archer7Nov 9, 1997Energizer Senior Tour Championship−16 (69-66-66-71=272)2 strokes Hale Irwin8Jan 18, 1998MasterCard Championship−21 (65-66-64=195)6 strokes Gibby Gilbert, Hale Irwin9Feb 8, 1998LG Championship−6 (69-73-68=210)2 strokes Dale Douglass, Raymond Floyd10Apr 5, 1998The Tradition (2)−12 (71-66-69-70=276)2 strokes Tom Wargo11Jul 12, 1998Ford Senior Players Championship−21 (69-64-68-66=267)3 strokes Hale Irwin12Aug 2, 1998Utah Showdown−16 (66-67-67=200)4 strokes Isao Aoki, John Mahaffey13Oct 4, 1998Vantage Championship−12 (66-67-65=198)1 stroke Hale Irwin14Sep 12, 1999Comfort Classic−15 (67-65-69=201)2 strokes Ed Dougherty15Sep 26, 1999Kroger Senior Classic−18 (67-68-63=198)2 strokes Ed Dougherty16Mar 26, 2000Emerald Coast Classic−13 (65-65-67=197)4 strokes Larry Nelson17Jul 23, 2000Instinet Classic−17 (67-66-66=199)4 strokes Bruce Fleisher, Bob Murphy18Sep 10, 2000Comfort Classic (2)−13 (64-67=131)1 stroke Jim Ahern19Feb 11, 2001ACE Group Classic (2)−12 (71-67-66=204)2 strokes Dana Quigley20Jun 17, 2001Instinet Classic (2)−15 (63-69-69=201)2 strokes Tom Jenkins, J. C. Snead21Jun 16, 2002BellSouth Senior Classic (2)−14 (67-68-67=202)3 strokes Bruce Fleisher, Mike McCullough, Dana Quigley22Sep 7, 2003Kroger Classic (2)−16 (65-67-68=200)2 strokes Doug Tewell23Mar 14, 2004SBC Classic (3)−14 (67-66-69=202)2 strokes Larry Nelson24Jun 4, 2006Allianz Championship−16 (66-64-67=197)1 stroke Loren Roberts25Sep 2, 2007Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach−14 (70-65-67=202)2 strokes Hale Irwin
Champions Tour playoff record (0–6) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11997Emerald Coast Classic Isao AokiLost to par on second extra hole22000Bruno's Memorial Classic John JacobsLost to par on first extra hole32000Vantage Championship Jim Dent, Larry NelsonNelson won with birdie on sixth extra holeDent eliminated by birdie on first hole42001Toshiba Senior Classic José María CañizaresLost to birdie on ninth extra hole52005Bayer Advantage Classic Dana Quigley, Tom WatsonQuigley won with birdie on first extra hole62007Boeing Classic R. W. Eaks, David Eger, Naomichi Ozaki, Dana Quigley, Craig Stadler, Denis Watson Watson won with eagle on second extra holeEger, Ozaki, Morgan and Quigley eliminated by birdie on first hole
Other senior wins (4) 1997 Diners Club Matches (with Jay Sigel) 1998 Senior Slam at Los Cabos, 1999 Senior Slam at Los Cabos, Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Hubert Green)
Playoff record European Tour playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult11978European Open Bernard Gallacher, Bobby WadkinsWadkins won with birdie on first extra hole
Results in major championships Tournament19751976197719781979Masters TournamentCUTT18T31U.S. OpenT41CUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipCUTPGA ChampionshipT17T8T15T4T28
Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989Masters TournamentT19T21CUTT8T3CUTU.S. OpenT16CUTT223T21T23T51CUTWDThe Open ChampionshipT10CUTT22PGA ChampionshipT3T19T22T55CUTT28CUTT21CUTCUT
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996Masters TournamentCUTT50CUTU.S. OpenT56CUTT13CUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipT64T14CUTPGA Championship3T16T21CUTT39T31T41
CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1979 and 1982 Open Championships) WD = withdrew "T" = tied
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 0 1 1 2 5 12 7U.S. Open 0 0 1 1 1 6 17 9The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 1 3 7 4PGA Championship 0 0 2 3 4 11 22 17Totals 0 0 4 5 8 25 58 37 Most consecutive cuts made – 7 (1982 PGA – 1984 Open Championship) Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (twice)
Results in The Players Championship Tournament197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997The Players ChampionshipT58CUTT65T40T20T12T31T12T47T23T44CUTT58T6T6CUTCUTCUTT3T68T13T53
CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place
Champions Tour major championships
Wins (3) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner(s)-up 1997 The Tradition −22 (66-66-67-67=266) 6 strokes Isao Aoki 1998 The Tradition (2) −12 (71-66-69-70=276) 2 strokes Tom Wargo 1998 Ford Senior Players Championship −21 (69-64-68-66=267) 3 strokes Hale Irwin
U.S. national team appearances Professional Ryder Cup: 1979 (winners), 1983 (winners) Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (representing Senior PGA Tour): 1998 (winners)
See also 1973 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates. List of golfers with most PGA Tour Champions wins List of golfers with most Champions Tour major championship wins
Notes
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