Brad Faxon
Sport: Golf
Born: August 1, 1961
Town: Oceanport
Bradford John Faxon Jr. was born August 1, 1961 in Oceanport. The Faxons didn’t stay long in the Garden State; they moved to Rhode Island when Brad was still a baby. Brad took to golf as a boy and early on showed a special talent for reading greens. He would never be considered a big hitter as a pro, but he was always among the most efficient putters.
Brad felt he was good enough to make the Barrington High varsity golf team as a freshman, but did not hear about the tryouts until it was too late. Coach Don McGregor told him that was too bad. An older boy who knew Brad intervened and implored Mac to give him a chance. A bargain was struck—if Brad could beat the best player on the team the following day, he could join the Eagles varsity. Brad actually had to beat the senior twice before the coach took him.
Soon Brad was one of the top young golfers in New England. He won the Rhode Island junior title, and was named All-State as a sophomore, junior and senior. He accepted a golf scholarship to Furman University, where he starred for the South Carolina’s school’s golf team. After coming home and winning the Rhode Island Amateur Championship twice, he turned pro in 1983.
Brad joined the tour as a regular in 1984, and won his first event in 1986, shooting a –19 to win the Provident Classic. His next tour victory did not come until 1991, when he won the Buick Open. Two more wins followed in 1992, and he finished his PGA Tour career with five more victories over the next 13 seasons. Brad’s highest finish in a major was fifth place at the 1995 PGA Championship.
Brad’s final tour win came in 2005 at the Buick Championship, formerly the Hartford Open. It was a gratifying victory as it came after a career-jeopardizing knee injury.
Brad turned 50 and joined the Champions Tour in 2011. He won the Insperity Challenge that fall and notched his second win in 2013 at the Legends of Golf with partnered Jeff Sluman. Brad also helped save the golf program at his alma mater in 2014, rallying Furman alumni to support the Paladins.
Brad’s resume includes two stints on the Ryder Cup squad, and three years as the PGA Tour’s top putter. In 2000, he set a record by averaging just 1.7 putts per hole over the course of a season. Though he only won 8 tour events, Brad was usually among the Top 20 money winners. For many in the golf world, he will always rank #1—he is among the most involved and generous athletes in the country when it comes to his charity work.
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