Phil Hancock

Phil Hancock
Personal information
Full namePhillip Ranson Hancock
Born(1953-10-30)October 30, 1953
Greenville, Alabama, U.S.
DiedDecember 12, 2024(2024-12-12) (aged 71)
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight160 lb (73 kg; 11 st)
Sporting nationality United States
ResidenceMontgomery, Alabama
Career
CollegeUniversity of Florida
Turned professional1976
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Professional wins4
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour1
Other3
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentCUT: 1981
PGA ChampionshipT16: 1978
U.S. OpenT20: 1978
The Open ChampionshipDNP
Achievements and awards
Haskins Award1976

Phillip Ranson Hancock (October 30, 1953 – December 12, 2024) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour.

Early life

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Hancock learned to play golf growing up in Greenville, Alabama, from his father a local dentist.[1] Hancock and his friends would often play 45 or 54 holes in the summer time.[2] He won his first tournament at the 1969 Alabama State Junior Championship at age 16.[2]

College career

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After high school, Hancock accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Buster Bishop's Florida Gators men's golf team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 1973 to 1976.[3] During his freshman year, the Gators golf team, which included future PGA Tour members Andy Bean, Gary Koch and Woody Blackburn, won the 1973 NCAA Championship.[4] As a Gator golfer, Hancock received All-SEC honors for four consecutive years (second-team in 1973 and 1974; first-team in 1975 and 1976), and was an All-American in 1974, 1975 and 1976.[5][6] He won the SEC individual championship in 1975 and 1976, and was the winner of the Haskins Award in 1976.[1][3] He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in public relations in 1976, and was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1992.[7][8]

Professional career

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Hancock turned professional in 1976 and played briefly in Europe his first year, after failing to earn a spot on the PGA Tour by a single stroke in qualifying school. He joined the PGA Tour the following year. Hancock played full-time on the PGA Tour from 1977 to 1985; his career was plagued by long absences due to back ailments. After leaving the tour, he held various teaching and club professional jobs in Florida and Alabama.

Personal life and death

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Hancock lived in Montgomery, Alabama, and worked as a club and taught professional at Indian Pines Golf Course in Auburn, Alabama.[1]

Hancock died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) on December 12, 2024, at the age of 71.[9]

Amateur wins

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  • 1969 Alabama State Junior Championship
  • 1975 SEC Championship (individual)
  • 1976 SEC Championship (individual)

Professional wins (4)

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PGA Tour wins (1)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner-up
1 Sep 14, 1980 Hall of Fame −9 (71-67-67-70=275) 1 stroke United States Scott Simpson

Other wins (3)

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Results in major championships

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Tournament 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
Masters Tournament CUT
U.S. Open CUT CUT T44 T20 T58
PGA Championship T16 CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT

Note: Hancock never played in The Open Championship.

  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

U.S. national team appearances

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Newborn, Charles (April 23, 2007). "Phillip Hancock". Golf South. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Thompson, Ian. "Phillip Hancock". Golf South. Archived from the original on November 11, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Florida Men's Golf 2011 Media Supplement" (PDF). Florida Gators. 2010. pp. 34, 35, 37, 39, 41. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  4. ^ Andreu, Robbie (June 18, 2009). "Top 25 Gator teams: #8 1973 Men's golf". The Gainsville Sun. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  5. ^ "SEC Honors". Florida Gators. Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  6. ^ "2008–09 Florida Gators Men's Golf Media Guide" (PDF). Florida Gators. 2008. p. 36. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  7. ^ "Gator Greats". Florida Gators. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  8. ^ "UF inducts seven into Hall of Fame". The Gainesville Sun. Gainesville, Florida. April 3, 1992. p. 20. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  9. ^ "PGA Tour winner Phil Hancock dies at age 71". PGA Tour. December 17, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  10. ^ "Hancock wins in Brazil". The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. November 2, 1981. p. D9. Retrieved May 12, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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