Texas A&M golfers on PGA Tour are Ryan Palmer, Cameron Champ, Bronson Burgoon, Jeff Maggert, Philip Parkin, Conrad Shindler, and others.
Texas A&M University and its golf programs have always been regarded as one of the best in the country. The Aggies have produced top-notch golfers throughout the years.
They have also performed well in collegiate golf tournaments, winning 11 Conference titles in Men’s Golf and 6 in Women’s Golf. Moreover, they also won the highly coveted 2009 NCAA National Championship.
The PGA Tour has seen hundreds of golfers from different universities in its history. Some of the notable PGA golfers from Texas are listed below.
Ryan Palmer – 46 Years Old
Ryan Hunter Palmer is a Texas A&M University graduate who turned pro in 2000. He has been part of the European and PGA Tour since then.
Palmer was first enrolled at the University of North Texas and played collegiate golf there. After a year, he transferred to Texas A&M University and graduated in 2000.
In his long career, Ryan has recorded 5 professional wins including 4 wins on the PGA Tour. He has not won any major championships in his career. His first PGA win came in 2004 when he won the FUNAI Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort.
His last win came in 2019 when he won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans along with teammate Jon Rahm. His best finish in the majors came at the PGA Championship when he finished T5 in 2014.
Cameron Champ – 28 Years Old
Texas A&M golfer to lead the PGA Tour average driving distance in 2022 was Cameron Champ. The 28-year-old turned professional in 2017.
Since turning pro, Champ has 3 wins on the PGA Tour. He has one Korn Ferry Tour win as well. He reached his highest ranking of 66 in 2021.
The hard and long hitter has played 21 events in the 2022-23 season and has 2 Top 10 finishes. Cameron has averaged 315.8 yards and is in 6th place as of now in the average driving distance rankings.
His best finishes in the majors were T10 in 2020 and 2022 at the PGA Championship and Masters Tournament respectively. He is yet to debut at The Open Championship.
Bronson Burgoon – 36 Years Old
Brunson Burgoon is a Texas A&M famous alumni. He played collegiate golf for the Texas Aggies and turned professional in 2010.
Burgoon was an individual state champion in 2003 and played golf at the junior level while he was enrolled at The Woodlands High School.
He played a vital role in the 2009 NCAA Championship win for the Aggies as he defeated Andrew Landry. The current PGA Tour player is also a Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Famer (2018).
Brunson has 2 professional wins in his career and is yet to win on the PGA Tour. His best finish in major championships was a T48 finish at the PGA Championship in 2019.
Jeff Maggert – 59 Years Old
Jeff Maggert attended his high school in McCullough High School. He played his collegiate golf for the Aggies and turned professional in 1986.
Maggert has been part of the Ben Hogan Tour which is now known as the Korn Ferry Tour. He is no longer a member of the PGA Tour and is currently touring the PGA Tour Champions.
Jeff has amassed quite an incredible 19 professional wins in his career, including 3 PGA Tour wins and 6 wins on the senior golf tour. His best results in the major tournaments include T3 finish at the PGA Championship in 1995 and 1997.
Philip Parkin – 61 Years Old
One of the notable pro golfers from Texas A&M University to be born outside the US is Philip Parkin. He was born in Doncaster, England.
Andrew Philip Parkin is a former member of the PGA Tour. He turned professional in 1984 and has registered one professional win in his career.
The Welshman attended Texas A&M University and became the first European to become the 1st Team All-American. In addition, he also won the Amateur Championship and the British Youths Open Amateur Championship.
His best finish in the major events came in 1986 when he finished T21 at The Open Championship and a cut to the 1984 Masters tournament.
Steve Veriato – 77 Years Old
Steve Veriato turned professional in 1973 and has been part of several golf tours in his career including the PGA Tour.
Born in Hilo, Hawaii, he played collegiate golf for the Aggies and played in the PGA Tour from 1976-1980 whilst registering one win in the circuit.
Veriato has also registered another five wins. Right after turning 50, he joined the senior golf tour and won the Novellah Utah Showdown in 2001.
Conrad Shindler – 34 Years Old
Conrad Shindler was part of the 2009 NCAA Division I Championship-winning golf team. The Texas A&M University alumni turned pro in 2011.
He briefly toured the PGA Tour after earning his PGA Tour card in 2018. He is now a member of the Korn Ferry Tour where he registered his only professional career win in 2017.
In his brief stint on the PGA Tour, his best finish came at the Barbasol Championship. Shindler played in 20 events and made 9 cuts that year.
Martin Piller – 37 Years Old
Martin Piller graduated from Texas A&M University and turned professional in 2008. Piller is a proper Texan, as he was born in Dallas, Texas.
Piller has recorded seven professional wins in his career, with six coming on the Korn Ferry Tour. He is tied 2nd of all time in terms of the most number of wins in the Tour.
Martin earned his PGA Tour card in 2011 and in the same year, tied the knot with fellow LPGA Tour player, Gerina Mendoza Piller.
David Ogrin – 65 Years Old
David Ogrin is a popular golfer who had been part of the PGA Tour for 16 long years. He turned pro in 1980 and registered 6 wins in his career.
Ogrin graduated in Economics in 1980 and has finished in the Top 10, 32 times in his career. Moreover, he also has one win on the PGA Tour.
He has competed in three major championships and his best finish was a T10 finish in 1997 at the U. S. Open. He was 2 ranks shy of cracking the Top 50 of the golf rankings in 1997, which also happens to be his highest ranking.
Bobby Nichols – 87 Years Old
Robert Herman Nichols turned pro in 1960 and started his PGA career. No one actually thought that he would become a professional golf player.
Bobby along with other youths met with an automobile accident that left him with serious injuries. He had a broken pelvis and his legs were paralyzed for two weeks along with other injuries.
Nichols registered 15 professional wins in his career, with 12 of them coming on the PGA Tour. He won the 1964 PGA Championship and finished 2nd in the Masters Tournament in 1967.