Ryan Palmer

Early life and amateur career

Born and raised in Amarillo, Texas, Palmer graduated from Amarillo High School in 1995. He played college golf at the University of North Texas (one year) and then transferred to Texas A&M University for his final three years and graduated in 2000.

Professional career

Palmer turned professional in 2000. He played on the mini-tours (Tight Lies Tour and Hooters Tour) from 2000 to 2002; he won several tournaments on the Tight Lies Tour and topped the money list in 2002. He played the Nationwide Tour in 2003, winning the Clearwater Classic and finishing 6th on the money list to earn his 2004 PGA Tour card.

Palmer's first career PGA Tour win came at the 2004 FUNAI Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort, with a three stroke victory over Briny Baird and Vijay Singh. Four years later, he earned his second career win during the PGA Tour Fall Series, at the 2008 Ginn sur Mer Classic where wet, rainy conditions made the course play tough all week. He won by making a ten-foot putt for birdie on the final hole on Sunday to finish seven under par and win by one stroke over five players. He was 143rd on the money list entering the week, but this win secured his playing status on Tour for 2009 and 2010.

In January 2010, Palmer won his third career PGA Tour title at the Sony Open in Hawaii. A final round 66 secured his victory by one stroke over Robert Allenby.

Palmer came close to winning a fourth career title at his hometown event the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Texas in May 2011. Palmer entered the final round leading by one stroke, but as the final round progressed in windy conditions he had to hole a birdie putt on the last to enter a playoff with Keegan Bradley. On the first playoff hole, the 18th, both players hit their tee shots out to the right amongst the trees. Bradley played his approach to just short of the green whereas Palmer hooked his approach shot into the water. Palmer pitched up close to the hole and made bogey but Bradley was able to win with a pitch and putt par.

In March 2014, Palmer lost another sudden-death playoff at the Honda Classic, after missing a five footer for what would have been the win on the 18th green in regulation play. He entered the four-man playoff, having been the only one to shoot an under-par final round. However, in the playoff, after missing the green in two, he could not get up and down, leaving Russell Henley to hole from three feet for victory. This was Palmer's second runner-up finish of the year, after finishing two shots behind Patrick Reed at the Humana Challenge in January 2014.

Palmer started the 2017–18 season on a Major Medical Extension under the family crisis provision as his wife underwent chemotherapy treatment. He met the terms of his medical extension at the CareerBuilder Challenge, then lost in a sudden-death playoff at the Farmers Insurance Open the following week. Trying to end an eight-year winless drought on tour, Palmer, playing in the final group, birdied the 72nd hole to join a playoff with Jason Day and Alex Norén. However, Palmer was eliminated at the first extra hole, as he could only make par to the others' birdies on the 18th.

In April 2019, Palmer won the Zurich Classic with teammate Jon Rahm.

Professional wins (9)

PGA Tour wins (4)

PGA Tour playoff record (0–3)

PGA Tour of Australasia wins (1)

1Co-sanctioned by the Nationwide Tour

Nationwide Tour wins (1)

1Co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia

Tight Lies Tour wins (4)

• 2000 CapRock Charity Classic
• 2002 Valley Open, Sprint PCS Open at Lake Charles, Sprint PCS Open at Shadow Ridge

Results in major championships

Results not in chronological order in 2020.

CUT = missed the half-way cut

"T" = tied

NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

Summary

• Most consecutive cuts made – 5 (twice)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (twice)

Results in The Players Championship

CUT = missed the halfway cut

"T" indicates a tie for a place

C = Canceled after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Results in World Golf Championships

Results not in chronological order before 2015.

1Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play

NT = No tournament

"T" = tied

Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

References

References

1. "Ryan Palmer Foundation - Road to the PGA".
2. (January 18, 2010). "Palmer holds on to claim Sony Open title". CNN.
3. (May 29, 2011). "Palmer beaten in hometown event by rookie Bradley". Sky Sports.
4. (January 29, 2018). "Jason Day beats Alex Noren on sixth playoff hole to win Farmers Insurance Open". ESPN.