Who's who: Carlos Franco

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Carlos Franco

  • Name:

    Carlos Daniel Franco
  • Country:

    Paraguay
  • Born:

    May 24, 1965 in Asunción, Paraguay.
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    1986

Roll of Honour

Multiple PGA Tour and international tour winner.

Did you know?

Carlos Franco came from a poor background, grewing up in a one-room, dirt-floor dwelling, in Paraguay's capital Asunción. Influenced by his father, a greenkeeper and caddie, Carlos and his five brothers all became golf professionals.

Top tournaments won by Carlos Franco

2017
America
93 (-15)
$232,500
Bass Pro Shops

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Score

93 (-15)

Prize money

$232,500

Title sponsor

Bass Pro Shops

Played as the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge (Apr 21-23; 54-hole, two-man alternate shot & better-ball team event). Second-placed Jeff Sluman & Fred Funk, Corey Pavin & Duffy Waldorf and Paul Goydos & Kevin Sutherland (all USA players) finished 1 shot behind Carlos Franco (Para) & Vijay Singh (Fiji). Reduced to 36-holes due to bad weather, and both rounds played on the Top of the Rock par-3 course. [Top of the Rock, Big Cedar Lodge, Branson, Missouri].

2016
America
Canyon Meadows
192 (-18)
$352,000
Shaw Comms

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Venue

Canyon Meadows

Score

192 (-18)

Prize money

$352,000

Title sponsor

Shaw Comms

Played as the Shaw Charity Classic (Sept 2-4). Second-placed Michael Allen (USA) and Bernhard Langer (Ger) finished 2 shots behind 50-year-old Carlos Franco (Para), who recorded his first PGA Tour Champions win with a final round 63 (-7). [Canyon Meadows G&CC, Calgary, Alberta].

2004
America
267 (-13)
$630,000
US Bank

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Score

267 (-13)

Prize money

$630,000

Title sponsor

US Bank

Played as the US Bank Championship in Milwaukee (July 22-25; previously known as the Greater Milwaukee Open). Second-placed Fred Funk (USA) and Brett Quigley (USA) finished 2 shots behind Carlos Franco (Para), who recorded his second win in this event and the last of his four PGA Tour wins. [Brown Deer Park GC, Brown Deer, nr Milwaukee, Wisc.].

2003
America
281 (-3)
US18,000
Trump

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Score

281 (-3)

Prize money

US18,000

Title sponsor

Trump

Played as the Trump Aberto do Brasil (Brazil Open) (Nov 27-30; Tr de las Américas event). Defending champion Carlos Franco (Para) beat Eduardo Argiro (Arg) at the second playoff hole. [Sao Fernando GC, Cotia, nr Sao Paulo].

2001
America
273 (-11)
$18,000
Chevrolet

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Score

273 (-11)

Prize money

$18,000

Title sponsor

Chevrolet

Played as the Chevrolet Brazil Open (Aberto do Brasil) (Nov 29-Dec 2; Tour de las Américas event). Second-placed Michael Guzman (Arg) finished 4 shots behind Franco (Para). [Sao Paulo GC, Santo Amoro, Sao Paulo, Brazil].

2000
America
270 (-18)
$612,000
Compaq

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Score

270 (-18)

Prize money

$612,000

Title sponsor

Compaq

Played as the Compaq Classic of New Orleans (May 4-7). Defending champion Carlos Franco (Para) beat Blaine McCallister (USA) with a par at the second playoff hole. [English Turn G&CC, New Orleans, LA].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Venue

Score

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Paraguay Open (Abierto del Paraguay). Won by Franco (Para).

1999
America
264 (-16)
$414,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Score

264 (-16)

Prize money

$414,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Greater Milwaukee Open (July 8-11). Second-placed Tom Lehman (USA) finished 2 shots behind Carlos Franco (Para), who recorded his second PGA Tour win. [Brown Deer Park GC, Brown Deer, nr Milwaukee, Wisc.].

1999
Awards
$1,864,584
see Score
PGA Tour

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Venue

Score

$1,864,584

Prize money

see Score

Title sponsor

PGA Tour

Franco (Para) won the PGA Tour 1999 Rookie of the Year Award as the leading first-season player. He finished 11th on the Tour's money list, with earnings of $1,864,584. The first PGA Tour player to exceed $1 million in his rookie year.

1999
America
269 (-19)
$468,000
Compaq

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Score

269 (-19)

Prize money

$468,000

Title sponsor

Compaq

Played as the Compaq Classic of New Orleans (May 6-9). Second-placed Harrison Frazar (USA) and Steve Flesch (USA) finished 2 shots behind 33-year-old Carlos Franco (Para), who recorded his first PGA Tour win. [English Turn G&CC, New Orleans, LA].

1994
Asia
Manila Southwoods
280 (-8)
US$51,646
Manila Southwoods

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Venue

Manila Southwoods

Score

280 (-8)

Prize money

US$51,646

Title sponsor

Manila Southwoods

Played as the Manila Southwoods Philippine Open (Asian Tr event). Franco (Para) beat Sang-ho Choi (S Kor) at the first playoff hole. [Masters course, Manila Southwoods G&CC, Carmona, nr Manila, Philippines].

1994
Awards
827 pts
Asia Circuit

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Venue

Score

827 pts

Prize money

Title sponsor

Asia Circuit

Franco (Para) won the Asia Golf Circuit 1994 Order of Merit, accumulating 827 pts from Asia's top 10 professional events. Brandt Jobe (USA) was second with 708 pts; Jim Rutledge (Can) was third with 686 pts.

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Venue

Score

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Paraguay Open (Abierto del Paraguay). Won by Franco (Para).

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Franco, Carlos

Venue

Score

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Chile Open (Abierto de Chile). Won by Franco (Para).

Find a course

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

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Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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