David Toms

Striking Gold On The Greens

David Toms cut his teeth on Benton's Palmetto Country Club course so he could later take a bite out of the Professional Golfers Association pie. He's taken a big hunk. He's been over the $3-million mark in tournament winnings for the fourth time in his 15 years on tour. In 2006 he finished in the top 15 on the Tour money list for the seventh time in eight seasons. And he exceeded the $2 million mark in winnings for seven straight seasons, pushing him into the PGA Tour's top six all-time money winners with $20-plus million.

The 2001 PGA Championship is the biggest of 12 career titles won by Toms since he joined the PGA tour. His latest victory was in the 2006 Sony Hawaiian Open by 5 strokes over a strong field. He fashioned a course record 61 in the third round.

Included in his victories are back-to-back wins in the FedEx St. Jude Classic in Memphis which benefits the renowned children's hospital. In 2005, he missed by one stroke of making it three wins in a row in the FedEx.

A member of the 2002, 2004 and 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup teams that faced the best European professionals, he fashioned a 3-1-1 match performance in 2002 and won another match in 2004. In 2005, he captured the WGC Accenture Match Play championship and has a 24-8 match record in that tournament, the win total second only to Tiger Woods in the event.

The mild-mannered Louisianan has fared well in numerous major events. In the 2001 Masters, he shot a 29 on the final nine, a back-nine record for the event.

David led Airline High School's golf teams to success and then won All America golf honors at LSU in 1988 and 1989, when he was Southeastern Conference Player of the Year. One of the most ardent supporters of LSU sports, he makes it known wherever he plays that he's proud of the Purple and Gold.

David has given back to his community through the charitable work of the David Toms Foundation, which helps abused, underprivileged  and abandoned children. In 2005, the foundation raised in excess of $1 million for Hurricane Katrina victims. Along with fellow PGA star Hal Sutton, David helped create the CHRISTUS Schumpert Charity Golf Classic. He also supports the First Tee program, helping young people learn the game he loves.

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