Player Profile - Nick Watney

This week we feature the up and coming American golfer Nick Watney, winner of last week’s World Golf Championships. Born in 1981 in the town of Sacramento, California Watney grew up in the sunny weather and fair climate of the West Coast that makes a round of golf irresistible. Having found his love for the game at a young age, Watney was already playing golf competitively during his years at Davis Senior High School. Moving from high school to college level, he represented California State University in the town of Fresno under the tutelage of his uncle and former PGA Tour professional Mike Watney.

After graduating, Watney began testing his mettle on several second-tier tours in North America, including the Canadian Tour and Nationwide Tour. In 2003 he won his first championship, the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial, on the Canadian Tour. After a few years of consolidation his game improved markedly and in 2007 he was again victorious at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, his first career win on the US PGA Tour. With this successful foray into top-tier professional golf having put him on the map, Watney spread his wings and carded several more victories on the Tour.

In 2009 Watney won the prestigious Buick Invitational, beating John Rollins by one stroke at Torey Pines in his native state of California. Watney has been steadily climbing the world golf rankings, with an all-time high in the world top 30. At the weekend, the young American won the biggest victory of his career to date when he lifted the trophy at the Cadillac WGC in Doral, Florida – beating compatriot Dustin Johnson.

Watney is known to be easy-going and dedicated to the game of golf. Not afraid of showing his fun side, however, he actively encourages his caddy Chad Reynolds to grow his famous nest of messy hair that has become a characteristic of the duo as they thrill fans across the US and abroad.