Philip Golding
Encyclopedia
Philip Keith Golding is an English
professional golf
er.
Golding was born in Luton
, Bedfordshire
. He was a promising cricket
er who played for Middlesex Colts
before he took up golf at the age of 17. He turned professional
in 1981, becoming an assistant at his local golf club.
Golding has been a regular fixture at the European Tour
's qualifying school
, where in 2007 he stretched his record to 18 appearances. He has often won a tour card, but up to the age of forty he had never done well enough on the Tour to retain his card automatically.
In 2003 Golding won the Open de France
, one of Europe's most prestigious events, on his 201st tour start. His prize of €
416,660 was more than twice as much as he had ever won in a complete season before that year, and he went on to finish the season in a career best 32nd place on the Order of Merit. After falling away again in 2004 he had a solid season in 2005, with a pair of top ten finishes, but he has struggled since, returning to qualifying school again in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, he was again unable to retain his place on the elite tour, and dropped back down to the second tier Challenge Tour
for 2009.
Having won the Open de France in 2003, Golding is looking to use the two year exemption to play on the European Seniors Tour
in 2012.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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.
Golding was born in Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
. He was a promising cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played for Middlesex Colts
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
before he took up golf at the age of 17. He turned professional
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
in 1981, becoming an assistant at his local golf club.
Golding has been a regular fixture at the European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
's qualifying school
Qualifying school
In professional golf the term qualifying school is used for the annual qualifying tournaments for leading golf tours such as the U.S. based PGA and LPGA Tours and the European Tour. A fixed number of players in the event win membership of the tour for the following season, otherwise known as a...
, where in 2007 he stretched his record to 18 appearances. He has often won a tour card, but up to the age of forty he had never done well enough on the Tour to retain his card automatically.
In 2003 Golding won the Open de France
Open de France
The Open de France is a European Tour golf tournament. Inaugurated in 1906 it is the oldest national open in Continental Europe and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since the tour's inception in 1972....
, one of Europe's most prestigious events, on his 201st tour start. His prize of €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
416,660 was more than twice as much as he had ever won in a complete season before that year, and he went on to finish the season in a career best 32nd place on the Order of Merit. After falling away again in 2004 he had a solid season in 2005, with a pair of top ten finishes, but he has struggled since, returning to qualifying school again in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, he was again unable to retain his place on the elite tour, and dropped back down to the second tier Challenge Tour
Challenge Tour
The Challenge Tour is the second tier men's professional golf tour in Europe. It is operated by the PGA European Tour and as with on the main European Tour and the European Seniors Tour, some of the events are played outside of Europe...
for 2009.
Having won the Open de France in 2003, Golding is looking to use the two year exemption to play on the European Seniors Tour
European Seniors Tour
The European Seniors Tour is a professional tour for male golfers aged 50 and over run by the PGA European Tour.The Tour was founded in 1992. In 2008 it had a total prize fund of €7,729,284, so it is much further behind the U.S.-based Champions Tour in relative prize money than the main European...
in 2012.
European Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 Jun 2003 2003 European Tour The 2003 European Tour was the 32nd season of golf tournaments since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2003 season consisted of 46 official money events, which included the four major championships and three World Golf Championships which were also sanctioned by the PGA Tour... |
Open de France Open de France The Open de France is a European Tour golf tournament. Inaugurated in 1906 it is the oldest national open in Continental Europe and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since the tour's inception in 1972.... |
1 stroke |  David HowellDavid Howell (golfer) David Alexander Howell is an English professional golfer from Swindon. His career to date peaked in 2006, when he was ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for a short time.... |
Challenge Tour wins (3)
- 1990 Brussels Pro-Am
- 1993 Rolex Pro-Am
- 1999 Open des VolcansOpen des VolcansThe Open des Volcans was a golf tournament on the Challenge Tour, played in France. It ran annually from 1992 to 2007 and was always played at the Golf des Volcans.-Winners:AGF-Allianz Open des Volcans – Challenge de France*2007 Gareth Paddison...