Michael Connell

JOINED TOUR

• Korn Ferry Tour: 2011

Personal

• Lists Pebble Beach GL and the Dunes as his favorite golf courses. Would most like to play Pine Valley GC, Augusta National and St. Andrews.
• First car was a 1968 Ford Mustang.
• Would round out his dream foursome with his dad, uncle and brother.
• Wife, Janette, swam competitively for the University of Texas.
• Favorite college teams are Mississippi State and the U. of Texas. Favorite pro team is the Texas Rangers. Favorite athlete is Peyton Manning. Favorite books are "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand and anything by Vince Flynn. Favorite city is Chicago.
• Would like to trade places with the Director of the CIA for a day "to learn what is really going on."
• Bucket list includes the Kentucky Derby, traveling overseas and to finish going to all 50 states.
• Favorite quote is "They don't put a picture on the scorecard."
• Charities he supports are M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the American Heart Association.
• Made five of 13 cuts in Nationwide Tour events from 1999-2006, with one top-25 finish.

Special Interests

• Outdoors, reading

Career Highlights

2013 Season

Made the cut in seven of 13 Korn Ferry Tour starts and had a pair of top-25 finishes. Finished the season No. 100 on the Korn Ferry Tour money list, with $54,799 in official earnings.

• Cox Classic Presented by Lexus of Omaha: Missed the cut in the final Regular Season event, the Cox Classic, to drop from the bubble position of No. 75 and out of a place in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.
• Albertsons Boise Open Presented by Kraft: Recorded his second top-25 at the Albertsons Boise Open (T12).
• Mexico Championship Presented by Banamex: Had a hole-in-one on the par-3 15th in the final round of the Mexico Championship. It was his second consecutive year making an ace on the Korn Ferry Tour.

2012 Season

Made 12 cuts in 23 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour.

• Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship presented by Samsung: His best result was a solo 10th in his first start at the Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship in February.

2011 Season

Failed to record a top-10 finish in a career-high 26 starts. Wound up making the cut 12 times.

• Albertsons Boise Open Pres'd by Kraft: Also missed the cut at the Albertsons Boise Open, his only Korn Ferry Tour start.
• Viking Classic: Four rounds in the 60s led a season-best T13 finish at the Viking Classic.

2010 Season

Entered the season having not played on the PGA TOUR or Nationwide Tour since 2006. Played 25 PGA TOUR events, making 19 cuts. Enjoyed two top-10 finishes. After posting three top-15 finishes in four Fall Series starts, had a top-10 finish, and jumped from No. 129 to No. 115 on the final money list. Finished the year 144th in the FedExCup standings and 115th on the money list ($846,459).

• Children's Miracle Network Classic: Finished T7 at the season-ending Children's Miracle Network Classic. Posted rounds of 67-67 on the weekend en route to securing TOUR card for 2011 campaign.
• WNB Golf Classic: Opened with a 68 at the WNB Golf Classic in September in his lone Korn Ferry Tour start. Made the cut but struggled on the weekend (78-75) to finish 61st.
• The Honda Classic: Made his 29th career start on the PGA TOUR, posted his first top-10 finish with a T6 at The Honda Classic. Shared the first-round lead with Nathan Green after a 5-under 65, with former Mississippi State teammate Alex Rocha just one stroke back.

2009 Season

• PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament: Earned status for 2010 after finishing T19 at the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament.

2006 Season

Rookie on the PGA TOUR after finishing T26 at the 2005 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. Made it through all three stages of Q-School that year and made it to finals for the first time since he began trying to qualify in 1998. Went on to record one top-25 finish (T17 at the John Deere Classic) among four made cuts in 22 starts. Prior to that, had made the cut in one of three previous TOUR events, a T76 at the 2002 Verizon Byron Nelson Classic.

• John Deere Classic: T17 at the John Deere Classic.
• LaSalle Bank Open: Had his career-best finish on the Korn Ferry Tour, a T16 at the LaSalle Bank Open.

2005 Season

Made it to the finals for the first time since he began trying to qualify in 1998.

• PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament: Earned rookie card on PGA TOUR for 2006 after finishing T26 at the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament.

2002 Season

Played on Hooters and Tight Lies Tours and was named Hooters Tour Player of the Year in 2002. Two-time winner that season and edged out current PGA TOUR player Zach Johnson by less than $2,200 for the money title.

• Verizon Byron Nelson Classic: Finished T76 at the Verizon Byron Nelson Classic on the PGA TOUR.

Amateur Highlights

• Won seven collegiate tournaments and was named the 1997 SEC Player of the Year.
• Two-time All-American at Mississippi State, where he graduated with a degree in Banking and Finance.