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By Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator

It's safe to say that Bobby Wadkins has officially left his brother's shadow.

Bobby Wadkins celebrates his win at the 2007 ACE Group Classic. (Greenwood/WireImage)

To be sure, his younger brother Lanny Wadkins earned the PGA Championship in 1977 at Pebble Beach and won 20 other times on the PGA TOUR, something full-time TOUR player Bobby was never quite able to do.

But Bobby was a consistent presence in his own right, making 465 cuts on the PGA TOUR from 1975-1998. And wouldn't you know it, not 10 days after turning 50 did he finally shake that winless monkey off his back, notching his first victory and setting a Champions Tour record by becoming the youngest to win a Tour event at the 2001 Lightpath Long Island Classic.

"Winning my first one was very special. I did a lot of preparation to get ready. Talked to Lanny about what was going on out here, how the guys were playing, what I had to do to get better, and I worked very hard," said Wadkins, who went on to win once more at the 2006 Boeing Championship at Sandestin but still hadn't captured a major win.

So imagine his delight when Bobby -- the elder of the duo by two years -- finally earned a major on the Champions Tour at the 2006 Ford Senior Players Championship and evened the score with his little brother.

"Any time you get to play in a major championship and get lucky enough to win, then that is something beside your name that wasn't there before. And with Lanny having won a major on the PGA TOUR, now we are both tied. I was telling him this is a major because he has one and I have one. It's really big," said Wadkins, who won in Dearborn, Mich., by one stroke over Jim Thorpe.

Not to mention the pretty sweet perks that came with the victory, like winning a car at last year's event. An added bonus with that car -- it's all his. "My 17-year-old can't drive a stick, so I can't worry about that," joked Wadkins, whose son Casey detoured from the golfing family's career path to become quite the baseball star, playing in several national baseball tournaments.

To tee it up in a major brings added pressure, tough courses and a strong field, so Wadkins was pleased to finally earn one. The best finish he had on the PGA TOUR in a major was a tie for fourth at the 1987 U.S. Open Championship at the Olympic Club, a tournament he enjoys watching to this day. In fact, he offered his take on the 2007 edition held at Oakmont Country Club last week.

"It's kind of neat (being) on a golf course I had played. I had played the Open there when Larry Nelson won [in 1983]. So I knew the golf course and what the USGA likes to do to the golf course," said Wadkins, who tied for 65th there in 1983. Being a professional golfer didn't keep the Richmond, Va. native from having a little U.S.A biases, though.

"I'm kind of a fan and also I'm very proud to be an American. I was pulling for (Jim) Furyk and Tiger. I was hoping that one of our guys was going to come through."

The 55-year-old has already added another trophy to the mantle, winning the 2007 ACE Group Classic. Wadkins sits at No. 16 on the Charles Schwab Cup points list after that win and two other top-10 finishes.

He didn't slack off after getting his first four Tour wins, continuing to train and play golf during the off-season even if that meant giving up on some prime hunting and fishing. The self-proclaimed "redneck" enjoys NASCAR, as well, but none of those hobbies detract from his love for playing golf.

"I love to practice. I think that's why I've been able to be as competitive so far as I have. I just love to play golf. I love to win any golf tournament. If we're going to go play downtown and go play in the City Juniors I'm going to go try and win that, too. I just want to win and love to play hard."

Though that hard work never lead to a victory on the PGA TOUR, he did win the Dunlop Phoenix -- an event on the Japan Golf Tour that has always attracted top names -- as well as the 1978 European Open.

"I was lucky enough to win the two biggest tournaments in Japan in '79 and in '86 with (Jack) Nicklaus and (Tom) Watson playing in them and (also) beat them over there at the European Open, but there was so much time between victories," said Wadkins.

"I've been lucky enough out here (on the Champions Tour) to get it going and keep it going, but I do believe winning makes you want to win again."

This year, Wadkins will try to successfully defend the now Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship at a different venue, as the Champions Tour's final major moved from Michigan to Baltimore, Md. But being so close to his home state might make things a little easier on the 1971 Virginia State Amateur winner and two-time Virginia State Open champion.

He expects to get in five practice rounds at Baltimore Country Club before the tournament and sees the course as straightforward with the greens a "very fair test".

"I think you hate to leave any place, but obviously me being from the East Coast and being right down the road, I was very pleased with it. And you're always pleased to get a new sponsor with Constellation Energy. They stepped up to the plate and we are so proud to have them. Now it's up to us to put on a good show for the people."

Until then, Wadkins is looking forward to a tough Tour stretch with three majors before he defends his title in October.

"We have a little stretch that can really help my year by playing great next four weeks. I have been playing pretty solid all year and just like every golfer need to make more putts."