Christian Dean DiMarco (born August 23, 1968) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions. DiMarco has won eight tournaments as a pro, including three PGA Tour events.
Early life
Born in Huntington, New York, DiMarco moved to Florida with his family at age seven. He attended Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, where he played for the Patriots golf team and began dating his future wife at the age of 17. He shot a three-round score of 209 to win the Southeastern Conference (SEC) individual title in 1989, while leading the Gators to an SEC team championship.
Professional career
DiMarco turned professional in 1990, won the Canadian Tour's Order of Merit as its money leader in 1992, and finished ninth on the second-tier Nike Tour in 1993 to earn his PGA Tour card for 1994. However, he was not always able to maintain his place on the PGA Tour, and he won his first professional tournament on the Nike Tour at the 1997 Nike Ozarks Open. As he moved into his 30s, he continued to improve, capturing his first trophy on the PGA Tour at the 2000 SEI Pennsylvania Classic.
His second PGA Tour victory was the 2001 Buick Challenge, where he sank a birdie on the 18th hole to tie leader David Duval, and then won on the first hole of a sudden death playoff. He won his third PGA Tour event at the 2002 Phoenix Open, which featured an infamous moment—as DiMarco was addressing a pressure putt at TPC Scottsdale's 16th hole, one of the fans yelled "Noonan!" (a reference from the movie Caddyshack). DiMarco maintained his concentration and sank the putt, then pointed at the fan and demanded that a tournament official eject him.
In 2005, DiMarco lost a sudden-death playoff with Tiger Woods to finish second in The Masters. The final round pairing of Woods and DiMarco featured a famous chip from Woods which took an incredibly long time to drop into the hole for a birdie on the par three 16th, and stretch his lead to two. The Masters result moved DiMarco into the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings. DiMarco achieved his four-round score of 70-65-69-68 (272, −16) less than three weeks after the death of his mother.
Arguably, DiMarco enjoyed his most consistent success from 2002 to 2006, when he was ranked in the top ten of the world rankings for 61 weeks, going as high as number six in the world in 2005. DiMarco was also a member of the U.S. national team in the 2003 and 2005 Presidents Cup, and the Ryder Cup competitions in 2004 and 2006. DiMarco sank a putt to beat Stuart Appleby and clinch the 2005 Presidents Cup.
In 2007, he disclosed that he was suffering from a chronic shoulder injury, and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder later that year. Notwithstanding the injury, DiMarco still finished among the top 25 in six tournaments and earned more than $950,000 in fewer than nine months in 2007. Cristian turned professional in 2018.
DiMarco hosts his own annual charity golf tournament at his local course, Heathrow Country Club in Heathrow, Florida. The "Norma DiMarco Tee Up For Life Golf Tournament" is named in honor of his mother. It raises funds for R.O.C.K (Reaching Out to Cancer Kids), and features celebrities and amateurs.
Amateur wins
- 1988 Monroe Invitational, Western Amateur
Professional wins (8)
PGA Tour wins (3)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!To par!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|Sep 17, 2000
|SEI Pennsylvania Classic
|align=right|68-67-66-69=270
|align=center|−14
|6 strokes
| Mark Calcavecchia, Brad Elder,<br> Scott Hoch, Jonathan Kaye,<br> Chris Perry
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|Oct 28, 2001
|Buick Challenge
|align=right|67-64-71-65=267
|align=center|−21
|Playoff
| David Duval
|-
|align=center|3
|align=right|Jan 27, 2002
|Phoenix Open
|align=right|68-64-66-69=267
|align=center|−17
|1 stroke
| Kenny Perry, Kaname Yokoo
|}
PGA Tour playoff record (1–2)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result
|- style="background:#d0f0c0;"
|align=center|1
|align=center|2001
|Buick Challenge
| David Duval
|Won with par on first extra hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|2
|align=center|2004
|PGA Championship
| Justin Leonard, Vijay Singh
|Singh won three-hole aggregate playoff;<br>Singh: −1 (3-3-4=10),<br>DiMarco: x (4-3-x=x),<br>Leonard: x (4-3-x=x)
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|3
|align=center|2005
|Masters Tournament
| Tiger Woods
|Lost to birdie on first extra hole
|}
European Tour wins (1)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!To par!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|Jan 22, 2006
|Abu Dhabi Golf Championship
|align=right|71-67-63-67=268
|align=center|−20
|1 stroke
| Henrik Stenson
|}
European Tour playoff record (0–2)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result
|- style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|1
|align=center|2004
|PGA Championship
| Justin Leonard, Vijay Singh
|Singh won three-hole aggregate playoff;<br>Singh: −1 (3-3-4=10),<br>DiMarco: x (4-3-x=x),<br>Leonard: x (4-3-x=x)
|- style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|2
|align=center|2005
|Masters Tournament
| Tiger Woods
|Lost to birdie on first extra hole
|}
Nike Tour wins (1)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!To par!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|Aug 17, 1997
|Nike Ozarks Open
|align=right|66-70-68=204
|align=center|−12
|1 stroke
| Robin Freeman
|}
Nike Tour playoff record (0–1)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|1
|1993
|Nike Yuma Open
| Ron Streck
|Lost to par on second extra hole
|}
Canadian Tour wins (1)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!To par!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|Aug 18, 1996
|Montclair Quebec Open
|align=right|67-65-65-69=266
|align=center|−18
|1 stroke
| Duane Bock
|}
Other wins (2)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!To par!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runners-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|Jun 25, 2002
|CVS Charity Classic<br>(with Dudley Hart)
|align=right|60-62=122
|align=center|−20
|Playoff
| Stewart Cink and David Toms
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|Jun 28, 2005
|CVS Charity Classic (2)<br>(with Fred Funk)
|align=right|61-62=123
|align=center|−19
|2 strokes
| Brad Faxon and Sergio García,<br> Brett Quigley and Dana Quigley
|}
Other playoff record (1–0)
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponents!!Result
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|1
|2002
|CVS Charity Classic<br>(with Dudley Hart)
| Stewart Cink and David Toms
|Won with birdie on third extra hole
|}
Results in major championships
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !! 1998 !! 1999 !! 2000 !! 2001 !! 2002 !! 2003 !! 2004 !! 2005 !! 2006 !! 2007 !! 2008
|-
|align=left|Masters Tournament
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:yellow;"|T10
|T12
|WD
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|CUT
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|U.S. Open
|T32
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T16
|T24
|T35
|style="background:yellow;"|T9
|CUT
|CUT
|T45
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|The Open Championship
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|T47
|T66
|CUT
|T63
|T67
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|T23
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|PGA Championship
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T41
|T15
|T16
|T39
|56
|style="background:yellow;"|T2
|CUT
|T12
|CUT
|T31
|}
WD = withdrew<br>
CUT = missed the half-way cut<br>
"T" = tied for place
Summary
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Tournament !! Wins !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Top-5 !! Top-10 !! Top-25 !! Events !! Cuts made
|-
|align=left|Masters Tournament || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 3 || 4 || 7 || 4
|-
|align=left|U.S. Open || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 3 || 8 || 6
|-
|align=left|The Open Championship || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 8 || 6
|-
|align=left|PGA Championship || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 4 || 10 || 8
|-
!Totals !! 0 !! 3 !! 0 !! 3 !! 6 !! 13 !! 33 !! 24
|}
- Most consecutive cuts made – 9 (2000 PGA – 2002 PGA)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (twice)
Results in The Players Championship
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!1995!!1996!!1997!!1998!!1999
|-
|align=left|The Players Championship
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T46
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!2000!!2001!!2002!!2003!!2004!!2005!!2006!!2007!!2008
|-
|align=left|The Players Championship
|CUT
|T55
|T36
|T21
|CUT
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T54
|}
CUT = missed the halfway cut<br>
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Results in World Golf Championships
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Tournament!!2000!!2001!!2002!!2003!!2004!!2005!!2006!!2007
|-
|align="left"|Match Play
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|R64
|R32
|R64
|style="background:yellow;"|R16
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|style="background:yellow;"|R16
|R32
|-
|align="left"|Championship
|T25
|NT<sup>1</sup>
|T11
|T70
|T36
|T64
|T22
|T32
|-
|align="left"|Invitational
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T28
|T33
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|T27
|style="background:yellow;"|T4
|}
<sup>1</sup>Cancelled due to 9/11<br>
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play<br>
"T" = tied<br>
NT = No Tournament
Results in senior major championships
Results not in chronological order
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament!!2019!!2020!!2021!!2022!!2023!!2024!!2025!!2026
|-
|align=left|Senior PGA Championship
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|CUT
|T29
|T31
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|CUT
|CUT
|-
|align=left|The Tradition
|65
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|T56
|T33
|T59
|T44
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|73
|-
|align=left|U.S. Senior Open
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|CUT
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|
|-
|align=left|Senior Players Championship
|T69
|T56
|T58
|74
|T64
|T33
|T63
|
|-
|align=left|Senior British Open Championship
|T42
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|
|}
"T" indicates a tie for a place<br>
CUT = missed the halfway cut<br>
NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic
U.S. national team appearances
Professional
- Presidents Cup: 2003 (tie), 2005 (winners)
- Ryder Cup: 2004, 2006
- Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (representing PGA Tour): 2007
See also
- 1993 Nike Tour graduates
- 1997 Nike Tour graduates
- List of American Ryder Cup golfers
- List of Florida Gators men's golfers on the PGA Tour
- List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members
Notes
References
External links
- Tee Up For Life Golf Tournament – Official webpage for DiMarco's annual charity tournament.
- Golf Channel – Chris DiMarco