Mark Wilson is a professional golfer who resides in Elmhurst, Ill. Wilson admires Ben Hogan, in part because both Wilson and Hogan are both 5 feet 8 inches tall. Wilson emulated Hogan's swing as a young golfer. He succeeded very early in the game of golf, winning a state championship as a high school freshman. Wilson is also known for his philanthropy.
Early Years
Mark Joseph Wilson was born to Les and Virginia Wilson on Oct. 31, 1974 in Monomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Les, a scratch golfer, introduced his son to the game. Wilson attended Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee and was a state champion golfer his freshman year. He was defeated by Tiger Woods in the 1992 U.S. Junior Golf Championship.
Collegiate Career
Wilson received a golf scholarship from the University of North Carolina. In 1996, he won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and was named the winner for the Ben Hogan Award, which recognizes athletic and academic excellence among collegiate golfers. During his junior and senior years at UNC, Wilson was an honorable mention All-American and was named to the All-ACC golf team. He earned a mathematics degree in 1997, graduating with a 3.7 grade point average.
PGA Tour Victories
Wilson turned professional in 1997. He joined the PGA Tour in 2004. His first victory on the Professional Golf Association Tour was at the Honda Classic in 2007. Wilson won despite conceding strokes after admitting he had committed a rules violation during the tournament's second round. His second victory came at the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun in 2009. At the time of publication, Wilson has won the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Career Summary
Wilson has won four PGA Tour events and, as of July 2011, is the only two-time winner on the 2011 PGA Tour. Wilson has had two hole-in-ones, both while partnered with professional golfer Doug Labelle II. As of July 2011, he has earned more than $10 million on the PGA Tour.
References
- PGA Tour: Mark Wilson
- "GM Today"; On Course; Cathy Breitenbucher; 2008
- "Exegolf Magazine"; Mark Wilson Wanted to be a Basketball Player; Susanne Kemper; 2011
- databaseGolf.com: Mark Wilson
- TarheelBlue.CSTV.com: Former Tar Heel Mark Wilson Wins Waste Management Phoenix Open
- "PGATour.com"; My Husband, the Tour Pro; Amy Wilson; 2011
Member Comments