Don Pooley
FameRank: 4

"Sheldon George "Don" Pooley, Jr." is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.

Pooley was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He grew up in Riverside, California. He attended the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona/Tucson, where he was a member of the golf team. He turned pro in 1973.

Despite winning the 1980 B.C. Open and the 1987 Memorial Tournament, Pooley is probably best remembered in his PGA Tour career for his dramatic million-dollar hole-in-one at the 1987 Bay Hill Classic. Pooley received $500,000 as did Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children/Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women in Orlando, Florida because of this once-in-a-lifetime shot. In 1985, he won the Vardon Trophy, awarded annually by the PGA to the Tour leader in scoring average. His best finish in a Men's major golf championships/major was T-5 in consecutive major championships – the 1987 PGA Championship and the 1988 Masters Tournament.

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I'm looking forward to this year. I still have a ways to go, but I like where it's going right now. You never know what you're going to shoot in the first round of the year. All of a sudden, things started working just fine.

The conditions were perfect for scoring. It was there to be had if you hit the shots. I got off to a ho-hum start and then I got it going (with a birdie at the par-5 fourth). I thought someone could shoot 59 at the start of the day.

It's been a dream to win the first tournament of the year, some year. I've played for 30 years and haven't done that so this is a great opportunity for me.

Good putting makes up for a lot of mistakes.

He still wants to be the best, ... He keeps himself in great shape, has avoided major injuries and is using the same swing he always has.

It's been a lot of fun hitting a lot of good shots. Hitting most of the greens and making a real good percentage of those putts - that's a good combination.

I guess I had one too many bogeys this week. I had one.

I thought if I made my putt on 18, we'd be in a playoff. He just closed the door on me.

It's a grind out there in conditions like this.