Who's who: Frank Nobilo

  • 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: Frank Nobilo

  • Name:

    Frank Ivan Joseph Nobilo
  • Country:

    New Zealand
  • Born:

    May 14, 1960 in Auckland, North Island, NZ.
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer; golf commentator; ambassador for leading NZ winery Nobilo Wines (Frank is related to founder Nikola "Nick" Nobilo).
  • Turned Pro:

    1979

Roll of Honour

NZ Amateur champion (1978). Total professional wins (14), including European Tour (5), Australasian Tour (2), PGA Tour (1) and Asian Tour (1). Awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in 1998.

Did you know?

Nobilo has the dubious honour of being injured by an errant golf ball. A mishit tee-shot at the exclusive Lake Nona G&CC struck him above the left eye, and required 30 stitches.

Top tournaments won by Frank Nobilo

1997
Asia
267 (-17)
US$58,345
Andersen Consulting

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Score

267 (-17)

Prize money

US$58,345

Title sponsor

Andersen Consulting

Played as the Andersen Consulting Hong Kong Open. Second-placed Wook-soon Kang (S Kor) finished 5 shots behind Nobilo (NZ). [Hong Kong GC, Fanling; composite of 10 holes from Eden course, 8 from the New].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Score

273

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Mexican Open (Abierto Mexicano de Golf). Won by Nobilo (NZ). [Club de Golf Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico].

1997
America
Forest Oaks CC
274 (-14)
$342,000
Chrysler

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Venue

Forest Oaks CC

Score

274 (-14)

Prize money

$342,000

Title sponsor

Chrysler

Played as the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic (April 24-27). Tour rookie Nobilo (NZ) beat Brad Faxon (USA) with a par at the first playoff hole, to record his only win on the PGA Tour. [Forest Oaks CC, Greensboro, NC].

1996
Europe
270 (-18)
£120,830
Deutsche Bank

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Score

270 (-18)

Prize money

£120,830

Title sponsor

Deutsche Bank

Played as the Deutsche Bank Open TPC of Europe (May 30-Jun 2). Second-placed Colin Montgomerie (Scot) finished 1 shot behind Nobilo (NZ), who recorded the last of his five European Tour wins. [Gut Kaden G&LC, Alveslohe, nr Hamburg].

1996
America
Chateau Elan (Legends)
272 (-16)
$342,000
Subaru

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Venue

Chateau Elan (Legends)

Score

272 (-16)

Prize money

$342,000

Title sponsor

Subaru

Played as the Subaru Sarazen World Open (Oct 31-Nov 3; PGA Tr unofficial money event). Scott Hoch (USA) finished in second place behind defending champion Nobilo (NZ). [Legends course, Chateau Elan GC, Braselton, Georgia].

1995
Europe
272 (-16)
£91,660
BMW

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Score

272 (-16)

Prize money

£91,660

Title sponsor

BMW

Played as the BMW International Open (Jun 29-Jul 2). Second-placed Bernhard Langer (Ger) and Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) finished 2 shots behind Frank Nobilo (NZ). [St Eurach L&GC, Iffeldorf, Bavaria, Germany].

1995
America
Chateau Elan (Legends)
208 (-8)
$350,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Venue

Chateau Elan (Legends)

Score

208 (-8)

Prize money

$350,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Sarazen World Open (Nov 3-5; PGA Tr post-season unofficial money event). Second-placed Miguel Ángel Jiménez (Esp) and Mark McNulty (Zim) finished 1 shot behind Nobilo (NZ), who recorded his first win in America. [Legends course, Chateau Elan GC, Braselton, Georgia].

1994
Asia
273 (-15)
US$41,650
Sampoerna

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Score

273 (-15)

Prize money

US$41,650

Title sponsor

Sampoerna

Played as the Sampoerna Indonesia Open (March 23-26; Asian circuit event). Second-placed Jerry Smith (USA) finished 3 shots behind Nobilo (NZ). [Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) course, Damai Indah Golf, nr Jakarta, Indonesia].

1993
Europe
279 (-9)
£66,600
Turespana

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Score

279 (-9)

Prize money

£66,600

Title sponsor

Turespana

Played as the Turespana Open Mediterrania (March 4-7). Second-placed David Feherty (N.Ire) and Gordon Brand Jr (Scot) finished 1 shot behind Nobilo (NZ). [Parador de El Saler, nr Valencia, Spain].

1991
Europe
Saint-Nom-La-Breteche
267
£75,000
Lancome

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Venue

Saint-Nom-La-Breteche

Score

267

Prize money

£75,000

Title sponsor

Lancome

Played as the Trophee Lancome. Won by Frank Nobilo (NZ). [Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche, nr Paris, France].

1988
Europe
270 (-10)
£33,000
PLM

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Venue

Flommen

Score

270 (-10)

Prize money

£33,000

Title sponsor

PLM

Played as the PLM Open (Aug 11-14). Second-placed and defending champion Howard Clark (Eng) finished 1 shot behind Nobilo (NZ), who recorded the first of his five European Tour wins. [Flommens GC, Falsterbo, nr Malmo, Sweden].

Category

Aus/NZ

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Score

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the New Zealand PGA Championship (next played in 2002). Won by defending champion Frank Nobilo (NZ). [Mount Maunganui GC, Tauranga, NZ].

Category

Aus/NZ

Winner (holder)

Nobilo, Frank

Venue

Score

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the New Zealand PGA Championship. Won by Frank Nobilo (NZ).

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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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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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