Michael Christie (golfer)

Michael Christie
Michael Christie
Personal information
Born	June 25, 1969; Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.
Died	April 22, 2004 (aged 34); Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.
Sporting nationality	United States
Career
College	University of South Carolina
Turned professional	1993
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour; Sunshine Tour; Nike Tour; Hooters Tour
Professional wins	6
Number of wins by tour
Korn Ferry Tour	4
Other	2
Best results in major championships;
Masters Tournament	DNP
PGA Championship	DNP
U.S. Open	T52: 1993
The Open Championship	DNP

Michael Christie (June 25, 1969 – April 22, 2004) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and NGA Hooters Tour.

Early life and amateur career

Christie was born in Greenville, South Carolina. He was an All-American at the University of South Carolina in 1992.

Professional career

In 1993, Christie got his start in professional golf by qualifying for the 1993 U.S. Open where he finished T-52. He won his first pro tournament on the Nike Tour at the 1995 Carolina Classic in Raleigh, North Carolina by shooting a tournament record of 22-under-par. He played on the Nike Tour from 1994 to 1996 winning four times and earned his PGA Tour card as a result of his three victories in 1996, finishing second Stewart Cink on the money list. Christie played on the PGA Tour from 1997 to 2000; his best finish was a tie for sixth at the Greater Vancouver Open in 1997.

Christie began experiencing debilitating physical ailments beginning in 1998 which curtailed his golfing career. Through several surgeries, he attempted comebacks to the professional ranks through 2003.^[1]^[2]

In addition to his successes on the PGA and Nationwide Tours, Christie won twice on the Hooters Tour. His teammates at the University of South Carolina included current pros Carl Paulson and Brett Quigley.

Personal life

In 2004, Christie committed suicide at the age of 34.^[1]^[2]

Professional wins (6)

Nike Tour wins (4)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Jun 25, 1995	Nike Carolina Classic	−22 (68-66-66-66=266)	2 strokes	Sean Murphy
2	May 26, 1996	Nike Greater Greenville Classic	−23 (68-65-69-63=265)	6 strokes	Danny Ellis
3	Aug 25, 1996	Nike Permian Basin Open	−18 (68-71-66-65=270)	2 strokes	Anthony Rodriguez
4	Sep 14, 1996	Nike Utah Classic	−20 (66-63-67=196)	4 strokes	R. W. Eaks

Hooters Tour wins (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Jul 24, 1994	Bud Light Golf Classic	−20 (65-68-66-65=264)	4 strokes	Bo Fennell
2	Jun 11, 1995	Chattanooga-Hamilton County Classic	−18 (66-69-65-70=270)	1 stroke	Jack O'Keefe

Results in major championships

Tournament	1993	1994	1995	1996
U.S. Open	T52			T79

Did not play

"T" = tied
Note: Christie only played in the U.S. Open.

References

^ ^a ^b "2004: Newsmakers – Christie tragedy a tale of despair". Golfweek. October 11, 2004.
^ ^a ^b Kann, Kraig (April 30, 2004). "Golf and Life and Death Too". Golf Channel. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2014.

External links

Michael Christie at the PGA Tour official site

[:0-1] "2004: Newsmakers – Christie tragedy a tale of despair". Golfweek. October 11, 2004.

[:1-2] Kann, Kraig (April 30, 2004). "Golf and Life and Death Too". Golf Channel. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2014.

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