Roland Thatcher
Encyclopedia
Roland Churchill Thatcher IV (born April 11, 1977) is an American professional golfer
who has played on the PGA Tour
and Nationwide Tour
.
, but has lived off the fifth hole at TPC at The Woodlands
in The Woodlands, Texas
since age 2. He played at Auburn University
where he earned All-SEC
honors all four years of his career. In 1997 and 1998, the Tigers finished 16th and 10th respectively in the NCAA championships. Thatcher shined in his senior year by winning the SEC Individual Championship and leading Auburn to a second-place finish in the SEC. In 2000 the Tigers won three regular season tournaments and ultimately placed 14th at the NCAA championship. Thatcher earned first team All-SEC and second-team All-American honors.
. He joined the Buy.com Tour (now known as the Nationwide Tour
) in 2002 after finishing 47th at the PGA Tour Qualifying School
. In April he recorded his first top-10 finish at the Louisiana Open. In October at the Bank of America Monterey Peninsula Classic he won with a final round of 74 for his first Nationwide Tour victory. He took home $81,000 and a 2-year Nationwide Tour exemption. He had to withdraw from the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament in December and therefore remained on the Nationwide Tour.
where he earned $48,200. He finished off the year making 11 consecutive cuts. He continued his good play with a tie for 28th at the PGA Qualifying Tournament which earned him fully exempt status on the PGA Tour in 2004.
, Thatcher started off the first half of 2004 with little success but things improved in the second half of the year. At the Reno-Tahoe Open
at Montreaux Golf Club he shot 66-68-68 in the first three rounds to hold the third-round lead. He then shot a final round five-over par 77 to finish tied for 6th and took home $109,000. At the Bell Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Course
in Oakville, Ontario
, he finished tied for 26th but had one of the best final rounds. He then finished in a tie for 25th place at the 84 Lumber Classic
and tied for 27th at the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro
. Because of his rough start, Thatcher finished out of the top-125 on the PGA Tour money list and therefore had to go back to Q-School. He played very well at the PGA Qualifying Tournament finishing in the top-10 and retained his card for 2005.
where he fired a final round 69 and took home the largest paycheck of his career at $142,100. At the Buick Open
in Grand Blanc, Michigan
one of his best moments was being the closest to the pin in the final round at the infamous par-3 17th which is surrounded by some of the rowdiest fans on Tour. He finished tied for 22nd and earned $92,604. Things looked good for Thatcher at this point as he was leading the Tour in the important stat of "Greens in Regulation". However he had a poor finish to the year and ended up 173rd on the money list and therefore had to go back to Q-School. He failed to keep his card finishing outside the top-30.
in Adelaide, Australia. He received a sponsor's exemption to the PGA Tour's Shell Houston Open
and did well finishing 19th and receiving a $74,000 paycheck. Back on the Nationwide Tour, Thatcher also had top-10 finishes at the Xerox Classic
and the PalmettoPride Classic
. He ended up in 55th on the final 2006 Nationwide Tour money list. At the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament he failed to earn his PGA Tour card for 2007.
where he earned $33,600. After another missed cut, he then had another three top-25 finishes, including a tie for 3rd at the LaSalle Bank Open
in Chicago earning him another $43,500. On July 1, he won the 2007 Peek'n Peak Classic
and set a new tournament record at 15-under-par. His victory was worth $108,000 and moved him from 10th into 4th place on the Nationwide Tour money list. He was also awarded the Nationwide Tour Player of the Month for June. Thatcher continued his hot play in July as he won for the second time in 2007. With a final score of 24-under-par, he won the Cox Classic
by one stroke over Australian Jason Day. The victory earned him $117,000 and moved him into first place on the Nationwide Money list. Thatcher was not able to hold on to the number one spot on the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list though. After his win at the Cox Classic he played in 10 tournaments and only made five cuts. He led the money list going into the Nationwide Tour Championship at Barona Creek but finished in a tie for 29th place while Richard Johnson
went on to win the tournament and money list crown. In 28 tournaments he recorded six top-10 finishes and fifteen top-25 finishes. Thatcher finished in 2nd place on the final 2007 Money List, earning his PGA Tour card for 2008. He also became only the third player in Nationwide Tour history to earn at least $400,000 in one year.
earning $179,733, the largest payday of his career. He had arthroscopic surgery on his wrist that sidelined him for the remainder of the 2008 season.
in the Buick Open
. This result meant that Thatcher had earned enough to complete the rest of the season on a medical extension. He finished the season ranked 121st on the money list to retain his tour card for 2010.
Nationwide Tour playoff record (0-1)
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
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;...
who has played on the 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...
and 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...
.
Early years through college
Thatcher was born in Hampton, VirginiaHampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
, but has lived off the fifth hole at TPC at The Woodlands
TPC at The Woodlands
The Woodlands Country Club is a private golf club in The Woodlands, Texas. The club comprises three courses, the Palmer Course, the Tournament Course and the Player Course.From 1985 to 2004, the Tournament Course was known as the TPC at The Woodlands...
in The Woodlands, Texas
The Woodlands, Texas
The Woodlands is a master-planned community and a Census-designated place in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population of the CDP was 55,649 at the 2000 census—a 90 percent increase over its 1990 population. According to the 2010 census, The Woodlands' population rose...
since age 2. He played at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
where he earned All-SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
honors all four years of his career. In 1997 and 1998, the Tigers finished 16th and 10th respectively in the NCAA championships. Thatcher shined in his senior year by winning the SEC Individual Championship and leading Auburn to a second-place finish in the SEC. In 2000 the Tigers won three regular season tournaments and ultimately placed 14th at the NCAA championship. Thatcher earned first team All-SEC and second-team All-American honors.
2000-2002
Thatcher turned pro in 2000 and played on the Golden Bear TourGolden Bear Tour
The Golden Bear Tour was an American third-tier professional golf tour.The tour existed from 1996 through 2005, when it purchased by the Gateway Tour. It was run by the 'Golden Bear', golfing legend Jack Nicklaus....
. He joined the Buy.com Tour (now known as the 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 2002 after finishing 47th at the PGA Tour 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...
. In April he recorded his first top-10 finish at the Louisiana Open. In October at the Bank of America Monterey Peninsula Classic he won with a final round of 74 for his first Nationwide Tour victory. He took home $81,000 and a 2-year Nationwide Tour exemption. He had to withdraw from the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament in December and therefore remained on the Nationwide Tour.
2003
In 2003 Thatcher had four top-10finishes on the Nationwide Tour including a tie for 2nd at the Price Cutter Charity ChampionshipPrice Cutter Charity Championship
The Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper is a regular golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It is played at the Highland Springs Country Club in Springfield, Missouri, USA...
where he earned $48,200. He finished off the year making 11 consecutive cuts. He continued his good play with a tie for 28th at the PGA Qualifying Tournament which earned him fully exempt status on the PGA Tour in 2004.
2004
As a rookie on the PGA TourPGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
, Thatcher started off the first half of 2004 with little success but things improved in the second half of the year. At the Reno-Tahoe Open
Reno-Tahoe Open
The Reno-Tahoe Open is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in northwestern Nevada. Founded in 1999, it is an alternate event played annually in August at the , located midway between Reno and Lake Tahoe. Opened in 1997, the par-72 course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and plays at ; its...
at Montreaux Golf Club he shot 66-68-68 in the first three rounds to hold the third-round lead. He then shot a final round five-over par 77 to finish tied for 6th and took home $109,000. At the Bell Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Course
Glen Abbey Golf Course
Glen Abbey Golf Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1976, is one of Canada's most famous golf courses and is home to the Royal Canadian Golf Association and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. It has hosted 25 Canadian Open Championships, more than any other course, with the first having...
in Oakville, Ontario
Oakville, Ontario
Oakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
, he finished tied for 26th but had one of the best final rounds. He then finished in a tie for 25th place at the 84 Lumber Classic
84 Lumber Classic
The 84 Lumber Classic was an golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 2000 to 2006. The event's title sponsor was lumber company 84 Lumber. The host course from 2003 to 2006, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania, was owned by 84 Lumber founder Joseph Hardy.-History of the 84 Lumber...
and tied for 27th at the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro
Chrysler Classic of Greensboro
The Wyndham Championship is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is played annually in Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S. and was originally called the Greater Greensboro Open. In 2007, the event was renamed the Wyndham Championship when Wyndham Hotels & Resorts took over from...
. Because of his rough start, Thatcher finished out of the top-125 on the PGA Tour money list and therefore had to go back to Q-School. He played very well at the PGA Qualifying Tournament finishing in the top-10 and retained his card for 2005.
2005
In 2005 Thatcher finished tied for 8th at the FedEx St. Jude ClassicFedEx St. Jude Classic
The FedEx St. Jude Classic is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It has been played annually in Memphis, Tennessee since 1958. It is currently played at TPC at Southwind.In 2011, the total purse was $5,600,000, with $1,008,000 going to the winner....
where he fired a final round 69 and took home the largest paycheck of his career at $142,100. At the Buick Open
Buick Open
The Buick Open was a PGA Tour golf tournament from 1958 to 2009. In 2007, the tournament was held at the end of June, a change from its traditional spot between The Open Championship and the PGA Championship...
in Grand Blanc, Michigan
Grand Blanc, Michigan
Grand Blanc is a city in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb of Flint. The population was 8,242 at the 2000 census. The city is situated within Grand Blanc Charter Township, but is politically independent...
one of his best moments was being the closest to the pin in the final round at the infamous par-3 17th which is surrounded by some of the rowdiest fans on Tour. He finished tied for 22nd and earned $92,604. Things looked good for Thatcher at this point as he was leading the Tour in the important stat of "Greens in Regulation". However he had a poor finish to the year and ended up 173rd on the money list and therefore had to go back to Q-School. He failed to keep his card finishing outside the top-30.
2006
Thatcher was therefore back on the Nationwide Tour in 2006. He started the year off well with a top-10 finish at the Jacob's Creek Open ChampionshipJacob's Creek Open Championship
The Jacob's Creek Open Championship was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and was co-sanctioned by the United States based Nationwide Tour from 2002. It was played annually in Adelaide, South Australia...
in Adelaide, Australia. He received a sponsor's exemption to the PGA Tour's Shell Houston Open
Shell Houston Open
The Shell Houston Open is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is currently played in April at Redstone Golf Club in the Houston suburb of Humble, Texas. Shell and the Houston Golf Association are the main sponsors of the tournament...
and did well finishing 19th and receiving a $74,000 paycheck. Back on the Nationwide Tour, Thatcher also had top-10 finishes at the Xerox Classic
Xerox Classic
The Xerox Classic was a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour from 2005 to 2008. It was played in August at Irondequoit Country Club in Rochester, New York, United States.The 2008 purse was $600,000, with $108,000 going to the winner.-Winners:...
and the PalmettoPride Classic
PalmettoPride Classic
The PalmettoPride Classic was a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It was only played in 2006. It was played at The Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina, USA.The 2006 purse was $500,000, with $90,000 going to the winner.-External links:*...
. He ended up in 55th on the final 2006 Nationwide Tour money list. At the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament he failed to earn his PGA Tour card for 2007.
2007
On the Nationwide Tour in 2007, Thatcher got off to a slow start missing the cut three times in his first four tournaments. Things then improved tremendously as he had five top-25 finishes in a row, including a playoff loss to Nick Flanagan at the Henrico County OpenHenrico County Open
The Henrico County Open was a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour from 1993 to 2008. It was played at The Dominion Club in Richmond, Virginia, USA.The 2008 purse was $500,000, with $90,000 going to the winner.-Winners:Henrico County Open...
where he earned $33,600. After another missed cut, he then had another three top-25 finishes, including a tie for 3rd at the LaSalle Bank Open
LaSalle Bank Open
The Bank of America Open was a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour from 2002 to 2008. It was played at The Glen Club in Glenview, Illinois, USA...
in Chicago earning him another $43,500. On July 1, he won the 2007 Peek'n Peak Classic
Peek'n Peak Classic
The Peek'n Peak Classic was a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It was played from 2002 to 2007 on the Upper Course of Peek'n Peak Resort in Findley Lake, New York, USA.The 2007 purse was $600,000, with $108,000 going to the winner.-Winners:...
and set a new tournament record at 15-under-par. His victory was worth $108,000 and moved him from 10th into 4th place on the Nationwide Tour money list. He was also awarded the Nationwide Tour Player of the Month for June. Thatcher continued his hot play in July as he won for the second time in 2007. With a final score of 24-under-par, he won the Cox Classic
Cox Classic
The Cox Classic presented by Lexus of Omaha is a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It is played annually at Champions Run in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.The 2011 purse was $725,000, with $130,500 going to the winner.-Winners:...
by one stroke over Australian Jason Day. The victory earned him $117,000 and moved him into first place on the Nationwide Money list. Thatcher was not able to hold on to the number one spot on the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list though. After his win at the Cox Classic he played in 10 tournaments and only made five cuts. He led the money list going into the Nationwide Tour Championship at Barona Creek but finished in a tie for 29th place while Richard Johnson
Richard Johnson (golfer)
Richard Johnson is a Welsh professional golfer.Johnson led the Nationwide Tour money list in 2007 to get his PGA Tour card for the 2008 season, but was unable to retain his card...
went on to win the tournament and money list crown. In 28 tournaments he recorded six top-10 finishes and fifteen top-25 finishes. Thatcher finished in 2nd place on the final 2007 Money List, earning his PGA Tour card for 2008. He also became only the third player in Nationwide Tour history to earn at least $400,000 in one year.
2008
Thatcher was back on the PGA Tour after an absence of two years. In February at the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun in Mexico, he shot a career best 61 in the third round. Although he made the cut on the number, he ended up finishing with his first top-10 of the year. In April he finished T-7 at the EDS Byron Nelson ChampionshipEDS Byron Nelson Championship
The HP Byron Nelson Championship is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour. The tournament is held in late April / early May at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas, USA...
earning $179,733, the largest payday of his career. He had arthroscopic surgery on his wrist that sidelined him for the remainder of the 2008 season.
2009
Thatcher's current best PGA Tour finish came in 2009. Thatcher finished runner-up to Tiger WoodsTiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
in the Buick Open
Buick Open
The Buick Open was a PGA Tour golf tournament from 1958 to 2009. In 2007, the tournament was held at the end of June, a change from its traditional spot between The Open Championship and the PGA Championship...
. This result meant that Thatcher had earned enough to complete the rest of the season on a medical extension. He finished the season ranked 121st on the money list to retain his tour card for 2010.
2010
Thatcher was well out of top-125 on the money list for much of the season. He finished second at the Children's Miracle Network Classic and went from 187th to 122nd, just enough to keep his PGA Tour card.2011
After finishing just inside the Top 125 the past two seasons, Thatcher ended 2011 127th, two spots out of retaining full Tour status.Nationwide Tour wins (3)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 6, 2002 2002 Buy.com Tour The 2002 Buy.com Tour season ran from March 7 to November 2. The season consisted of 28 official money golf tournaments; three of which were played outside of the United States. The top 15 players on the year-end money list earned their PGA Tour card for 2003... |
Bank of America Monterey Peninsula Classic | 2 strokes |  Aaron BaddeleyAaron Baddeley Aaron John Baddeley is an American-Australian professional golfer. 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... |
|
| 2 | Jul 1, 2007 2007 Nationwide Tour The 2007 Nationwide Tour season ran from January 25 to November 4. The season consisted of 32 official money golf tournaments; three of which were played outside of the United States. The top 25 players on the year-end money list earned their PGA Tour card for 2008. Nick Flanagan earned his PGA... |
Peek'n Peak Classic Peek'n Peak Classic The Peek'n Peak Classic was a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It was played from 2002 to 2007 on the Upper Course of Peek'n Peak Resort in Findley Lake, New York, USA.The 2007 purse was $600,000, with $108,000 going to the winner.-Winners:... |
3 strokes |  Paul ClaxtonPaul Claxton Paul Claxton is an American professional golfer.Claxton was born and raised in Vidalia, Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia and was a member of the golf team. He majored in Business and graduated in 1992.... |
|
| 3 | Jul 29, 2007 2007 Nationwide Tour The 2007 Nationwide Tour season ran from January 25 to November 4. The season consisted of 32 official money golf tournaments; three of which were played outside of the United States. The top 25 players on the year-end money list earned their PGA Tour card for 2008. Nick Flanagan earned his PGA... |
Cox Classic Cox Classic The Cox Classic presented by Lexus of Omaha is a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It is played annually at Champions Run in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.The 2011 purse was $725,000, with $130,500 going to the winner.-Winners:... |
1 stroke | Jason Day |
|
Nationwide Tour playoff record (0-1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponents | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007 | Henrico County Open Henrico County Open The Henrico County Open was a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour from 1993 to 2008. It was played at The Dominion Club in Richmond, Virginia, USA.The 2008 purse was $500,000, with $90,000 going to the winner.-Winners:Henrico County Open... |
 Chris BarylaChris Baryla Christopher Baryla is a Canadian professional golfer who has played on the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour.Baryla was born in Calgary. He graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso, and turned pro in 2004.... , Nick Flanagan |
Was eliminated on 2nd playoff hole (Flanagan beat Baryla with a birdie on the 3rd playoff hole) |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2003 |
|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
See also
- 2003 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates2003 PGA Tour Qualifying School GraduatesThis is a list of the 34 players who earned their 2004 PGA Tour card through Q School in 2003.*Players in yellow are 2004 PGA Tour rookies.-2004 Results:T = Tied...
- 2004 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates2004 PGA Tour Qualifying School GraduatesThis is a list of the 35 players who earned their 2005 PGA Tour card through Q School in 2004.*Players in yellow are 2005 PGA Tour rookies.-2005 Results:T = Tied...
- 2007 Nationwide Tour graduates2007 Nationwide Tour GraduatesThis is a list of players who graduated from the Nationwide Tour in 2007. The top 25 players on the Nationwide Tour's money list in 2007 earned their PGA Tour card for 2008.*PGA Tour rookie for 2008....