Who's who: John Cook

  • 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: John Cook

  • Name:

    John Neuman Cook
  • Country:

    USA
  • Born:

    Oct 2, 1957 in Toledo, Ohio.
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer; golf commentator; golf course designer.
  • Turned Pro:

    1979

Roll of Honour

Ryder Cup player (1993). US Amateur champion (1978). PGA Tour wins (11); PGA Champions Tour wins (10).

Did you know?

Cook's excellent amateur career culminated in winning the U.S. Amateur title in 1978, in which he comfortably beat Scott Hoch 5 & 4 in the final. He nearly successfully defended his title the following year, until he came up against the unerring Mark O'Meara in the final match, and lost 8 & 7.

Top tournaments won by John Cook

2014
America
204 (-11)
$285,000
Nature Valley

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

204 (-11)

Prize money

$285,000

Title sponsor

Nature Valley

Played as the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach (Sept 26-28). Second-placed Tom Byrum (USA) finished 1 shot behind John Cook (USA), who claimed his tenth Champions Tour title. [Pebble Beach Golf Links & Poppy Hills GC, Monterey Peninsula, CA. Final round at Pebble Beach].

2013
America
199 (-17)
$309,000
Mitsubishi

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

199 (-17)

Prize money

$309,000

Title sponsor

Mitsubishi

Played as the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai (Jan 18-20; Champions Tour season opener). John Cook (USA) beat David Frost (RSA) with a birdie at the second playoff hole, to win this event for the second time in three years. [Hualālai course, Hualālai Resort, Big Island, Hawaii].

2011
America
194 (-22)
$315,000
Mitsubishi

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

194 (-22)

Prize money

$315,000

Title sponsor

Mitsubishi

Played as the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai (Jan 21-23; Champions Tour season opener). Second-placed Tom Lehman (USA) finished 2 shots behind John Cook (USA), who recorded five straight birdies at the start of his final nine holes. [Hualālai course, Hualālai Resort, Big Island, Hawaii].

2011
America
Fontainebleau, Quebec
195 (-21)
$270,000
Desjardins

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Venue

Fontainebleau, Quebec

Score

195 (-21)

Prize money

$270,000

Title sponsor

Desjardins

Played as the Montreal Championship presented by Desjardins (July 1-3). Second-placed Chien-soon Lu (Taiw) finished 3 shots behind Cook (USA), who recorded his third Champions Tour win in 2011. [Le Fontainebleau GC, Blainville, Quebec].

2011
America
204 (-9)
$255,000
Outback Steakhouse

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

204 (-9)

Prize money

$255,000

Title sponsor

Outback Steakhouse

Played as the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am (April 15-17). Cook (USA) beat Jay Don Blake (USA) with a birdie at the first playoff hole to record his second win in 2011. [TPC Tampa Bay, Lutz, nr Tampa, FL].

2010
America
267 (-17)
$440,000
Charles Schwab

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

267 (-17)

Prize money

$440,000

Title sponsor

Charles Schwab

Played as the Charles Schwab Cup Championship (Nov 4-7; Champions Tour season-ending event). Second-placed Michael Allen (USA) finished 2 shots behind defending champion John Cook (USA), who recorded his fifth win on the Tour. [TPC Harding Park, San Francisco, CA].

2009
America
205 (-11)
$255,000
Administaff

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

205 (-11)

Prize money

$255,000

Title sponsor

Administaff

Played as the Administaff Small Business Classic (Oct 16-18). Second-placed Jay Haas (USA) and Bob Tway (USA) finished 2 shots behind John Cook (USA). [Tournament course, The Woodlands CC, nr Houston, TX].

2009
America
266 (-22)
$442,000
Charles Schwab

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Venue

Sonoma

Score

266 (-22)

Prize money

$442,000

Title sponsor

Charles Schwab

Played as the Charles Schwab Cup Championship (Oct 29-Nov 1; Champions Tour season-ending event). Second-placed Russ Cochran (USA) finished 5 shots behind John Cook (USA). [Sonoma GC, Sonoma, California].

2008
America
197 (-16)
$247,500
AT&T

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

197 (-16)

Prize money

$247,500

Title sponsor

AT&T

Played as the AT&T Championship (Oct 24-26). Second-placed Keith Fergus (USA) finished 3 shots behind defending champion Cook (USA), who claimed his second Champions Tr win. [Oak Hills CC, San Antonio, TX].

2007
America
198 (-15)
$240,000
AT&T

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

198 (-15)

Prize money

$240,000

Title sponsor

AT&T

Played as the AT&T Championship (Oct 19-21). Second-placed Mark O'Meara (USA) finished 2 shots behind first-time Champions Tour winner Cook (USA), playing in only his second start on the Tour. [Oak Hills CC, San Antonio, TX].

2001
America
271 (-17)
$540,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

271 (-17)

Prize money

$540,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Reno-Tahoe Open (Aug 23-26). Second-placed Jerry Kelly (USA) finished 1 shot behind Cook (USA), who recorded the last of his 11 PGA Tour wins. [Montreux G&CC, Reno, NV].

1998
America
265 (-15)
$450,000
GTE

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

265 (-15)

Prize money

$450,000

Title sponsor

GTE

Played as the GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic (May 14-17). Second-placed Fred Couples (USA), Harrison Frazar (USA) and Hal Sutton (USA) finished 3 shots behind Cook (USA), who recorded his tenth PGA Tour win. [TPC course, Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, Irving, nr Dallas, TX. Early rounds also on the Cottonwood Valley course].

1997
America
327 (-33)
$270,000
Chrysler

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

327 (-33)

Prize money

$270,000

Title sponsor

Chrysler

Played as the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic (Jan 15-19). Second-placed Mark Calcavecchia (USA) finished 1 shot behind Cook (USA), who recorded his second win in this event. [Indian Wells CC, Coachella Valley, CA. Earlier rounds also at: Bermuda Dunes CC; La Quinta CC; Indian Ridge CC].

1996
America
Pleasant Valley, Mass.
268 (-16)
$216,000
CVS

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Venue

Pleasant Valley, Mass.

Score

268 (-16)

Prize money

$216,000

Title sponsor

CVS

Played as the CVS Charity Classic (July 25-28). Second-placed Russ Cochran (USA) finished 3 shots behind John Cook (USA). [Pleasant Valley CC, Sutton, MA].

1996
America
258 (-26)
$243,000
FedEx

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

258 (-26)

Prize money

$243,000

Title sponsor

FedEx

Played as the FedEx St Jude Classic (June 20-23). Second-placed John Adams (USA) finished 8 shots behind Cook (USA). [TPC Southwind, Memphis, TN].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

273

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Mexican Open (Abierto Mexicano de Golf). Scott Verplank (USA) finished in second place behind Cook (USA). [Club de Golf Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico].

1992
America
Bermuda Dunes CC
336 (-24)
$198,000
Chrysler

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Venue

Bermuda Dunes CC

Score

336 (-24)

Prize money

$198,000

Title sponsor

Chrysler

Played as the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic (Jan 15-19). Cook (USA) beat Gene Sauers (USA) with an eagle at the fourth playoff hole. Rick Fehr (USA) was eliminated at the second playoff hole; Mark O'Meara (USA) and Tom Kite (USA) at the first playoff hole. [Bermuda Dunes CC, Coachella Valley, CA. Earlier rounds also at: Indian Wells CC; La Quinta CC; PGA West (Palmer Private)].

1992
America
265 (-23)
$216,000
United Airlines

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

265 (-23)

Prize money

$216,000

Title sponsor

United Airlines

Played as the United Airlines Hawaiian Open (Feb 3-6). Second-placed Paul Azinger (USA) finished 2 shots behind John Cook (USA), who recorded his fifth PGA Tour win. [Waialae CC, Honolulu, Hawaii].

1992
America
334 (-26)
$234,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

334 (-26)

Prize money

$234,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Las Vegas Invitational (Oct 7-11). Second-placed David Frost (RSA) finished 2 shots behind Cook (USA). [TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, NV. Earlier rounds also at: Las Vegas CC and Desert Inn CC (now Wynn G&CC)].

1987
America
11 pts
$180,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

11 pts

Prize money

$180,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as The International (Aug 13-16; modified stableford format). Second-placed and defending champion Ken Green (USA) finished 2 points behind Cook (USA). [Castle Pines GC, Castle Rock, nr Denver, Colorado].

1983
America
277 (-11)
$63,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

277 (-11)

Prize money

$63,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Canadian Open (July 28-31). John Cook (USA) beat Johnny Miller (USA) with a birdie at the sixth playoff hole, to record his second PGA Tour win. [Glen Abbey GC, Oakville, nr Toronto, Ont.].

1981
America
209 (-7)
$40,500
Bing Crosby

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

209 (-7)

Prize money

$40,500

Title sponsor

Bing Crosby

Played as the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am (Jan 29-Feb 1). First-time PGA Tour winner Cook (USA) beat Hale Irwin (USA) with a par at the third playoff hole. Barney Thompson (USA), Bobby Clampett (USA) and Ben Crenshaw (USA) were eliminated at the first playoff hole. Event reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather. [Pebble Beach Links, Monterey Peninsula, CA. Earlier rounds also at: Cypress Point Club and Spyglass Hill GC].

1978
Amateur
5 & 4
amateur
USGA

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Cook, John

Score

5 & 4

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Amateur Championship (78th) (Aug 29-Sept 3). John Cook (USA) beat Scott Hoch (USA) 5 and 4 in the 36-hole final. [Plainfield CC, Edison, NJ].

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