Former Gator Men's Golfers Excede $100 Million Mark On PGA Tour
Thursday, February 14, 2008 | Men's Golf
Former University of Florida men's golfers eclipsed the $100 million plateau in PGA Tour all-time combined earnings with Dudley Hart's third-place finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am last Sunday.
Hart, who was an All-American for the Gators from 1987-90, solidified a paycheck of $312,000 and ranks third in UF history in career PGA Tour earnings with nearly $10,500,000.
Entering the 2008 season, former Florida golfers had accumulated $99,274,002.84 in career earnings. In 2007, former Gators cashed in on $7,679,766.99 led by Mark Calcavecchia's $2,993,333.76 winnings that ranked as the 13th-highest total on tour.
Calcavecchia, who was a first-team All-SEC selection in 1990, ranks first in school history in earnings and is ninth all-time in PGA Tour career winnings with over $22,500,000. Calcavecchia is a 12-time winner with his most notable victory coming at the 1989 British Open in a playoff at Royal Troon. He has also been a member of four U.S. Ryder Cup teams.
Chris DiMarco is second in career tour earnings among former UF golfers. DiMarco has amassed nearly $20 million since his first start on tour in 1994. DiMarco is currently 18th all-time in career PGA Tour winnings with notable runner-up finishes at the 2006 British Open and 2005 Masters.
DiMarco, who was the 1990 SEC Player of the Year, was clutch for the U.S. at the 2005 Presidents Cup as he posted a 4-0-1 record and clinched the match with a 13-foot birdie putt. He has been a member of two Ryder Cup teams and aims for a third opportunity this September in Louisville, Ky.
Camilo Villegas is the quickest former Gator to reach the $3 million plateau. Villegas, who was a four-time All-American from 2001-04, is closing on the $4 million mark after already racking up $120,267 in 2008. Villegas posted three top-10 finishes during the 2007 PGA Tour Playoffs for the FedEx Cup.
