Aaron Baddeley
Encyclopedia
Aaron John Baddeley is an American
-Australian professional golf
er. He was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire
, USA and now plays on the U.S.-based PGA Tour
, has joint U.S. and Australian citizenship and was raised in Australia from the age of two. He represents Australia in international golf.
and he won the Holden Australian Open as an amateur in 1999 and retained his title in 2000, by which time he had turned professional. In 2001, he won the Greg Norman Holden International
in Australia. He won the PGA Tour of Australasia
's Order of Merit in 2000/01. However of the following few years he came to be overshadowed by his Australian contemporary Adam Scott, who is less than a year older than Baddeley but reached the world top 10
in 2005.
In 2002, Baddeley played on the second tier Nationwide Tour
in the U.S. and placed tenth on the money list to earn a PGA Tour card for 2003. He had second place finishes on the PGA Tour in 2003 at the Sony Open in Hawaii
and 2004 at the Chrysler Classic of Tucson
. However he struggled for consistency, and after a solid rookie season, when he finished 73rd on the money list, he only just retained his card in 2004, when he came 124th. In 2005 he moved back up the rankings to 78th and in 2006 he won his first PGA Tour title at the Verizon Heritage
.
Baddeley won his second PGA Tour tournament in early 2007 and reached the top 50 of the world rankings. By September, he had entered the top 20.
Baddeley was the leader after the third round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club
on 16 June 2007 with a two over par score of 212 (72-70-70). He finished with an 80 and ended T-13.
After a lull in form over the following few seasons, where he was finishing only in the lower reaches of the top-125 on the money list, Baddeley returned to the winner's circle when he won the 2011 Northern Trust Open in California
. He defended a one-shot third round lead over Kevin Na
and veteran Fred Couples
, completing a steady closing round of 69 to beat another veteran, Vijay Singh
, by two strokes.
In October 2011, Baddeley was selected by Greg Norman
as one of his two wildcard picks for the 2011 Presidents Cup
team. He was selected along with fellow Australian Robert Allenby
to compete at Royal Melbourne in November.
Statistically speaking, Baddeley frequently ranks as one of the very best putters on the PGA Tour. As of 2010, he has qualified for the Tour's end-of-season statistical rankings 8 times; of those, he finished among the circuit's top 10 in putts per green in regulation five times, and among the top 15 seven times. The only qualified season in which Baddeley was not among the PGA Tour's top 15 putters by that metric came in 2004, when he finished 64th out of 196 players.
and has confessed that it was his faith that prevented him giving up professional golf on numerous occasions. Baddeley's wife Richelle, whom he married on Easter
Sunday 2005, sums up Baddeley's faith in God, saying: "It never faltered. He never asked, 'What are you trying to teach me? I want you to be the man you want me to be. I will go through these [bad] times if that is Your will'." Richelle has also been pivotal to Baddeley's resurgence. "I had to learn the balance of letting him be alone when he comes home sometimes upset. It's sheer frustration from him. He's played his best, and it just hasn't happened," she said. Baddeley and his wife Richelle have a daughter Jewell Kalaih (2008).
He attended Luther College (Melbourne).
PGA Tour playoff record (0-1)
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10
* Through the 2011 season.
Note: Baddeley did not join the PGA Tour until 2003 so he was not ranked on the money list until then.
Professional
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-Australian professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er. He was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire
Lebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
, USA and now plays on the U.S.-based PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
, has joint U.S. and Australian citizenship and was raised in Australia from the age of two. He represents Australia in international golf.
Professional career
When he was in his late teens, Baddeley was seen as one of the most promising talents in world golf. He was the youngest player ever to represent Australia in the Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower Trophy
The Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
and he won the Holden Australian Open as an amateur in 1999 and retained his title in 2000, by which time he had turned professional. In 2001, he won the Greg Norman Holden International
Greg Norman Holden International
The Greg Norman Holden International was a men's professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia. It was played from 1993 to 2001. It was also co-sanctioned with the European Tour in 2000 and 2001...
in Australia. He won the PGA Tour of Australasia
PGA Tour of Australasia
The PGA Tour of Australasia is a professional golf tour for men. Official events on the tour count for World Golf Ranking points. The tour was formed in 1973 as the PGA Tour of Australia and adopted its current name in 1991....
's Order of Merit in 2000/01. However of the following few years he came to be overshadowed by his Australian contemporary Adam Scott, who is less than a year older than Baddeley but reached the world top 10
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
in 2005.
In 2002, Baddeley played on the second tier Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
in the U.S. and placed tenth on the money list to earn a PGA Tour card for 2003. He had second place finishes on the PGA Tour in 2003 at the Sony Open in Hawaii
Sony Open in Hawaii
The Sony Open in Hawaii is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, and is part of the tour's FedEx Cup Series. It has been contested at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii since the event's modern-day inception as the Hawaiian Open in 1965. Starting in 1971, the tournament was held...
and 2004 at the Chrysler Classic of Tucson
Chrysler Classic of Tucson
The Chrysler Classic of Tucson was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1945 to 2006. It was played annually in February in Tucson, Arizona. The tournament was last held at the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort....
. However he struggled for consistency, and after a solid rookie season, when he finished 73rd on the money list, he only just retained his card in 2004, when he came 124th. In 2005 he moved back up the rankings to 78th and in 2006 he won his first PGA Tour title at the Verizon Heritage
Verizon Heritage
The RBC Heritage, known for much of its history as the Heritage Classic, is a PGA Tour FedEx Cup event, first played in 1969. The venue has been the Harbour Town Golf Links at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina...
.
Baddeley won his second PGA Tour tournament in early 2007 and reached the top 50 of the world rankings. By September, he had entered the top 20.
Baddeley was the leader after the third round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont Country Club is a country club and the "oldest top-ranked golf course in the U. S.", in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Plum and Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA. The Pennsylvania Turnpike separates the eastern seven holes from the rest of the course....
on 16 June 2007 with a two over par score of 212 (72-70-70). He finished with an 80 and ended T-13.
After a lull in form over the following few seasons, where he was finishing only in the lower reaches of the top-125 on the money list, Baddeley returned to the winner's circle when he won the 2011 Northern Trust Open in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He defended a one-shot third round lead over Kevin Na
Kevin Na
Kevin Sangwook Na is a Korean American professional golfer currently playing on the PGA Tour.-Personal life:Na was born in Seoul, South Korea. His family immigrated to the United States when he was eight years old. He turned professional at age 17 in 2001. He later naturalized as an American citizen...
and veteran Fred Couples
Fred Couples
Frederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship...
, completing a steady closing round of 69 to beat another veteran, Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
, by two strokes.
In October 2011, Baddeley was selected by Greg Norman
Greg Norman
Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s...
as one of his two wildcard picks for the 2011 Presidents Cup
2011 Presidents Cup
United States 19 - International 15The 9th Presidents Cup Matches were held from 17 to 20 November 2011. They were played at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia. The United States team won by a score of 19 to 15 over the International team. Jim Furyk won all five of his...
team. He was selected along with fellow Australian Robert Allenby
Robert Allenby
Robert Allenby is an Australian professional golfer.Allenby was born in Melbourne, Australia. His father was from Leeds, England and emigrated to Australia as a young man.-Professional career:...
to compete at Royal Melbourne in November.
Statistically speaking, Baddeley frequently ranks as one of the very best putters on the PGA Tour. As of 2010, he has qualified for the Tour's end-of-season statistical rankings 8 times; of those, he finished among the circuit's top 10 in putts per green in regulation five times, and among the top 15 seven times. The only qualified season in which Baddeley was not among the PGA Tour's top 15 putters by that metric came in 2004, when he finished 64th out of 196 players.
Personal life
Baddeley is a committed ChristianChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and has confessed that it was his faith that prevented him giving up professional golf on numerous occasions. Baddeley's wife Richelle, whom he married on Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
Sunday 2005, sums up Baddeley's faith in God, saying: "It never faltered. He never asked, 'What are you trying to teach me? I want you to be the man you want me to be. I will go through these [bad] times if that is Your will'." Richelle has also been pivotal to Baddeley's resurgence. "I had to learn the balance of letting him be alone when he comes home sometimes upset. It's sheer frustration from him. He's played his best, and it just hasn't happened," she said. Baddeley and his wife Richelle have a daughter Jewell Kalaih (2008).
He attended Luther College (Melbourne).
PGA Tour wins (3)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 Apr 2006 2006 PGA Tour The 2006 PGA Tour was the last season of the PGA Tour before the major reorganization of the season brought about by the introduction of the FedEx Cup in 2007. After being challenged by Phil Mickelson in the first half of the year, when Mickelson won his second straight major at the Masters and was... |
Verizon Heritage Verizon Heritage The RBC Heritage, known for much of its history as the Heritage Classic, is a PGA Tour FedEx Cup event, first played in 1969. The venue has been the Harbour Town Golf Links at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina... |
1 stroke |  Jim FurykJim Furyk James Michael Furyk is an American professional golfer, 2010 FedEx Cup champion, and 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk is known for consistently playing at the top level and for a visibly unconventional, looping golf swing... |
|
| 2 | 4 Feb 2007 2007 PGA Tour The 2007 PGA Tour season ran from January 4, 2007 to November 4, 2007. The season consisted of 47 official money events. This included four major championships and three World Golf Championships, which are also sanctioned by the European Tour. There were also five unofficial events played in... |
FBR Open FBR Open The Waste Management Phoenix Open is a nationally televised golf tournament, a part of the PGA Tour, held at the Tournament Players Club of Scottsdale, Arizona around the last weekend in January... |
1 stroke | John Rollins |
|
| 3 | 20 Feb 2011 2011 PGA Tour The 2011 PGA Tour, the 44th season since the Tour became independent from the PGA of America, will consist of a total of 49 sanctioned events running from early January to late November... |
Northern Trust Open | 2 strokes |  Vijay SinghVijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
PGA Tour playoff record (0-1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 2003 | Sony Open in Hawaii Sony Open in Hawaii The Sony Open in Hawaii is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, and is part of the tour's FedEx Cup Series. It has been contested at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii since the event's modern-day inception as the Hawaiian Open in 1965. Starting in 1971, the tournament was held... |
Ernie Els Ernie Els Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing... |
Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
PGA Tour of Australasia wins (4)
- 1999 Holden Australian Open (as an amateur)
- 2000 Holden Australian Open
- 2001 Greg Norman Holden InternationalGreg Norman Holden InternationalThe Greg Norman Holden International was a men's professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia. It was played from 1993 to 2001. It was also co-sanctioned with the European Tour in 2000 and 2001...
(co-sanctioned with the European Tour) - 2007 MasterCard Masters (co-sanctioned with the European Tour)
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T52 | CUT | T17 |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | T13 | T29 | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | CUT | CUT | CUT | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T57 | DNP | DNP | T55 | CUT | T13 | CUT |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | T47 |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT | CUT |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | CUT |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10
Summary
- Tournaments played: 24
- Wins: 0
- Top 10s: 0
- Top 25s: 3
- Missed cuts: 16
- Most consecutive cuts made: 3
Results in World Golf Championships
| Tournament | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
DNP | R16 2007 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship -Ben Hogan bracket:-Gary Player bracket:-Sam Snead bracket:-Final Four:-Prize money breakdown :-External links:*... |
R16 2008 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship -Ben Hogan bracket:-Gary Player bracket:-Sam Snead bracket:-Final Four:-Championship match: Tiger Woods Stewart CinkYellow background for eagles.Red background for birdies.Blue background for bogeys.... |
| Cadillac Championship | DNP | T6 2007 WGC-CA Championship The 2007 WGC-CA Championship was a golf tournament that was contested from March 22–25 over the Blue Monster Course at Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Doral, Florida. It was the eighth WGC-CA Championship tournament, and the second of three World Golf Championships events held in 2007. It was the... |
T15 |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
T54 | T20 | T43 |
| Tournament | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
R64 | DNP | DNP |
| Cadillac Championship | DQ | DNP | T28 |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | T11 |
| HSBC Champions | DNP | DNP | T23 |
- DNP = Did not play
- DQ = Disqualified
- QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
- "T" = Tied
- Yellow background for top-10.
- Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
PGA Tour career summary
| Year | Wins | Earnings ($ United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... ) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 0 | 19,435 | - |
| 2002 | 0 | 16,380 | - |
| 2003 | 0 | 989,168 | 73 |
| 2004 | 0 | 632,876 | 123 |
| 2005 | 0 | 1,006,006 | 78 |
| 2006 | 1 | 1,516,513 | 55 |
| 2007 | 1 | 3,441,119 | 10 |
| 2008 | 0 | 1,665,587 | 49 |
| 2009 | 0 | 837,065 | 101 |
| 2010 | 0 | 879,317 | 110 |
| 2011 | 1 | 3,094,693 | 20 |
| Career* | 3 | 14,098,158 | 76 |
* Through the 2011 season.
Note: Baddeley did not join the PGA Tour until 2003 so he was not ranked on the money list until then.
Team appearances
Amateur- Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower TrophyThe Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
(representing Australia): 1998, 2000
Professional
- Presidents CupPresidents CupThe Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
(International Team): 20112011 Presidents CupUnited States 19 - International 15The 9th Presidents Cup Matches were held from 17 to 20 November 2011. They were played at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia. The United States team won by a score of 19 to 15 over the International team. Jim Furyk won all five of his...