Jim Colbert

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR Champions: 1991

PGA TOUR Victories (8)

• 1969 Monsanto Open Invitational
• 1972 Greater Milwaukee Open
• 1973 Greater Jacksonville Open
• 1974 American Golf Classic
• 1975 Walt Disney World National Team Championship
• 1980 Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open
• 1983 Colonial National Invitation, Texas Open

PGA TOUR Champions Victories (20)

• 1991 Southwestern Bell Classic, Vantage Championship, First Development Kaanapali Classic
• 1992 GTE Suncoast Classic, Vantage Championship
• 1993 Royal Caribbean Classic, Ford Senior Players Championship
• 1994 Kroger Senior Classic, Southwestern Bell Classic
• 1995 Senior Tournament of Champions, Las Vegas Senior Classic, Bell Atlantic Classic, Energizer SENIOR TOUR Championship
• 1996 Toshiba Senior Classic, Las Vegas Senior Classic, Nationwide Championship, Vantage Championship, Raley's Gold Rush Classic
• 1998 The Transamerica
• 2001 SBC Senior Classic

International Victories (7)

• 1995 Diners Club Matches [with Bob Murphy]
• 1996 Diners Club Matches [with Bob Murphy]
• 1998 Lexus Challenge [with Kevin Costner]
• 2000 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf [with Andy North]
• 2001 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf [with Andy North]
• 2013 Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf Demaret Division (with Bob Murphy)
• 2014 Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf Legends Division (with Jim Thorpe)

Additional Victories (1)

• 1987 Jerry Ford Invitational

PLAYOFF RECORD

PGA TOUR (2-0)

• 1974 Defeated Gay Brewer, Forrest Fezler, Raymond Floyd, American Golf Classic
• 1983 Defeated Fuzzy Zoeller, Colonial National Invitation

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS (3-5)

• 1991 Lost to Chi Chi Rodriguez, Murata Reunion Pro-Am
• 1992 Defeated George Archer, GTE Suncoast Classic
• 1992 Lost to Tommy Aaron, Mike Hill, Vintage Arco Invitational
• 1993 Lost to George Archer, Chi Chi Rodriguez, First of America Classic
• 1994 Lost to Jay Sigel, GTE West Classic
• 1995 Defeated Jim Albus, Senior Tournament of Champions
• 1996 Defeated Bob Charles, Dave Stockton, Las Vegas Senior Classic
• 1998 Lost to Bob Dickson, Larry Nelson, Cadillac NFL Golf Classic

Personal

• Ran his own golf course management company, Jim Colbert Golf, prior to joining the Champions Tour.
• Spent several years as a color analyst for ESPN golf telecasts.
• Made his home in Kansas City from 1952-74 and earned a football scholarship to Kansas State. A close friend of Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder and a big supporter of the school's sports programs. Played a large role in helping the school build its new golf course (Colbert Hills GC) that is the home of the men's and women's teams, The First Tee National Academy and The First Tee facility.
• Had a limited career on the gridiron and turned to golf instead.

Special Interests

Career Highlights

2015 Season

• Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge: Teamed with Jim Thorpe to T3 in the Legends Division at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf in April.

2014 Season

• Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf presented by Bass Pro Shops: Teamed with Jim Thorpe to win the Legends Division at June's Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf by three strokes.

2013 Season

Did not make an official start.

• Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf Demaret Division: Teamed with long-time partner Bob Murphy to defeat Frank Beard and Larry Ziegler in a one-hole playoff to win the unofficial Demaret Division title at the Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf in April.

2012 Season

• Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf Raphael Division: Played in just four events, including the Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf, where he was T5 in the unofficial Raphael Division with his long-time friend Bob Murphy.
• Toshiba Classic: Bettered his age for the second time in his career when he opened with a 2-under-par 69 at age 71 in the opening round of the Toshiba Classic.

2011 Season

Made just four starts before undergoing left knee-replacement surgery in May in Manhattan, Kan.

• Allianz Championship: Made his 500th career Champions Tour start when he teed it up at the Allianz Championship in February.

2009 Season

• Principal Charity Classic: Matched his age for the second time when he carded a final-round 68 at The Principal Charity Classic. Was T17 in Iowa, his best Champions Tour effort since he was T16 at the 2007 Principal event.
• Legends of Golf-Raphael Division: Best finish was a T13 in the unofficial Raphael Division at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf with Bob Murphy.
• Toshiba Classic: Bettered his age for the first time in his career when he opened the Toshiba Classic with a 66.

2008 Season

• Principal Charity Classic: Registered his first top-25 finish since the 2005 season when he shot three consecutive rounds of par/better at Glen Oaks CC in Des Moines and was T16 at The Principal Charity Classic. Final-round 68 was his low 18 of the year.
• The Cap Cana Championship: Earlier, became the ninth player to reach 1,000 combined career TOUR starts when he played in his 475th Champions Tour event, at The Cap Cana Championship in the Dominican Republic (T70).
• Russian Seniors Open: Played in the Russian Seniors Open on the European Seniors Tour.

2003 Season

• The Senior Open Championship: Fired an 8-under 62 in the second round of The Senior Open Championship, equaling the competitive course record at Turnberry. Round included 24 putts and made him the youngest player ever to match his age in a Champions Tour major. Score also tied the Champions Tour record as the lowest round ever posted in a Champions Tour major.
• Bruno's Memorial Classic: Was T3 at the Bruno's Memorial Classic, his best performance in almost two years.
• Royal Caribbean Golf Classic: Followed Hugh Baiocchi's ace with a hole-in-one of his own in the final round of the Royal Caribbean Golf Classic. Aced the 178-yard 12th hole at Crandon Park GC with a 6-iron shot.

2001 Season

Oldest winner of the season on the Champions Tour, finishing among the top 31 money-winners for an 11th straight year, the only player over 60 among that select group.

• Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf: Teamed with Andy North to successfully defend their Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf title. Better-ball score of 20-under 124 in the rain-shortened event clipped Bruce Fleisher and David Graham by three strokes.
• SBC Senior Classic: Ended more than a two-year victory drought two days after turning 60 when he held off Jose Maria Canizares by one stroke for the SBC Senior Classic title, his 20th career title on the Champions Tour. Holed an 8-foot birdie putt at the 15th hole to break out of a three-way logjam with Canizares and Gary McCord.

2000 Season

Opened Colbert Hills GC at Kansas State University in Manhattan on May 1.

• TD Waterhouse Championship: Tied his Champions Tour career-low round of 61 on the first day of the TD Waterhouse Championship. Course record 11-under-par score at Tiffany Greens included eight straight birdies (holes 10-17) and equaled the Champions Tour's all-time best birdie streak.
• Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf: Teamed with Andy North for victory in the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. Duo fired a better-ball team score of 25-under 191 and edged David Graham and Bruce Fleisher by one stroke.
• Audi Senior Classic: Was T2 at the Audi Senior Classic, five strokes behind Hubert Green after sharing the 36-hole lead with Jose Maria Canizares.

1999 Season

• MasterCard Championship: Closed with 67 at Hualalai to T2 at the MasterCard Championship, three strokes behind John Jacobs.

1998 Season

Named the Champions Tour's Comeback Player of the Year, making him the first player to have garnered all three of the Champions Tour's major post-season awards.

• The Transamerica: Notched his 19th career victory on the Champions Tour by claiming The Transamerica. Birdied four of his last eight holes for a one-stroke win over David Lundstrom in Napa. Victory capped a successful comeback from prostate cancer surgery a year earlier.

1997 Season

Despite missing four months of the season while recuperating from prostate cancer surgery on June 23, still finished among the top-31 money-winners. Did not win for the first time in six years, but still had five top-five finishes, including a pair of seconds.

• du Maurier Champions: Finished second at the du Maurier Champions.
• Bruno's Memorial Classic: Recorded his third hole-in-one on the Champions Tour and fifth overall at the Bruno's Memorial Classic.
• American Express Invitational: Finished second at the American Express Invitational.

1996 Season

Voted by his peers as Champions Tour Player of the Year for second year in succession. Won $607,495 in his last seven starts, including two wins, a second, a T2 and a T3. Also named Player of the Month for October. Golf Writers Association Player of the Year. Won second Arnold Palmer Award as the leading money-winner with then-record $1,627,890.

• Energizer SENIOR TOUR Championship: Earned title on last day of season when he birdied the final hole at the Energizer SENIOR TOUR Championship to help him to a T3 and a check for $121,000, good enough to beat Hale Irwin for the money crown by $12,121.
• The Transamerica: Claimed Cadillac with hole-in-one at The Transamerica.
• Vantage Championship: Defended his title at the third Vantage Championship.
• Las Vegas Senior Classic: Defended his title at the Las Vegas Senior Classic.

1995 Season

Voted by his peers as the Player of the Year and also was named Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America.

• Energizer SENIOR TOUR Championship: Four victories included wire-to-wire triumph at the season-ending Energizer SENIOR TOUR Championship. Win helped him earn largest check of his career ($262,000) and also helped him to his first money title.
• Senior Tournament of Champions: Started the year with playoff triumph over Jim Albus in Puerto Rico at the Senior Tournament of Champions.

1994 Season

One of a then-record six Champions Tour players to win at least $1 million. July's Player of the Month after 30-day stretch that saw him post two wins and nine straight sub-70 rounds.

• GTE West Classic: Shot the then-lowest 36-hole number in Champions Tour history (126) at the GTE West Classic in Ojai, Calif., but lost in a playoff to Jay Sigel.

1993 Season

• Ford Senior Players Championship: Held off Raymond Floyd for win at Ford Senior Players Championship, his only senior major.
• Royal Caribbean Classic: Won year's first full-field event at the Royal Caribbean Classic, thanks in part to two of the best back-to-back rounds of the year–65-64 in the first two days of the competition.

1992 Season

• Vantage Championship: Became first player to capture second consecutive Vantage Championship.
• GTE Suncoast Classic: Also defeated George Archer in playoff for win at GTE Classic.

1991 Season

Garnered Rookie of the Year honors after winning $880,749 and finishing third on money list.

• First Development Kaanapali Classic: Matched Lee Elder's record at the time for all-time lowest 18-hole score when he fired second-round, 9-under 61 at First Development Kaanapali Classic and then claimed title by two strokes the next day.
• Southwestern Bell Classic: First senior victory came in his hometown of Kansas City at Southwestern Bell Classic, a three-stroke triumph over Al Geiberger and Larry Laoretti.