Derek Gillespie

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR Latinoamérica: 2013
• Forme Tour: 2014
• Korn Ferry Tour: 2014

International Victories (2)

• 2002 Barefoot Championship [Can]
• 2003 Ixtapa Classic [Can]

Personal

• Attended Paul Dwyer Catholic High School in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
• Wayne Gretzky is the most famous person he has ever met.
• Would like to trade places with Brad Pitt for a day.
• Earliest golf memory was Fred Couples speaking to the Canadian junior team at the Canadian Open.
• If not a professional golfer, would be a hockey player.
• Favorite athletes are Roger Federer and Wayne Gretzky. Favorite teams are the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Arizona Wildcats. Favorite TV show is "Breaking Bad." Favorite movies are "Slap Shot," "Happy Gilmore," and "Rocky." Favorite entertainer is The Tragically Hip. Favorite books are Talent in Overrated and Tipping Point. Enjoys visiting Las Vegas. Favorite country in Latin America is Colombia.
• Favorite course played is National GC of Canada. Would like to one day play St. Andrews.
• His dream foursome would include Gretzky, Couples and Jessica Alba.
• Not many know he's a "mama's boy."
• Supports his good friend Ricky Barnes' charitable foundation.
• Magazine he would like to be featured in is Men's Fitness because "I've always wanted to lose my love handles."
• First-tee intro song would be "Vertigo" by U2.

Special Interests

• Yoga

Career Highlights

2020 Season

Closed the Canada Life Series campaign No. 10 on the points list on the strength of one top-10.

• Canada Life Series at TPC Toronto: Heathlands Course (Canada Life Series): Opened with a 66 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s Heathlands Course and was two shots off the lead after the opening round. Stumbled to a 3-over 74 but rebounded with a 70 on the final day to T9 with five others.
• Canada Life Series at Bear Mountain: Mountain Course (Canada Life Series): Shot a pair of 71s to go with a second-round, 4-under 67 to finishing T3 with Yi Cao, four shots behind winner Evan Holmes at Bear Mountain’s Mountain Course in mid-August.
• PTLA Qualifying Tournament-Mexico: Shot a final-round 66 to T29 with Sonny Michaud at Estrella del Mar Golf and Beach Resort in Mazatlan in mid-January. Earned conditional exemption for the first half of the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica season.

2019 Season

Played in seven Mackenzie Tour events using conditional status but missed the cut in all seven.

• Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada Q-School-Central: Picked up conditional status with his T14 finish in Comox.

2018 Season

Played in 13 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica tournaments, with four made cuts and one top-10 that left him 104th on the Order of Merit.

• Neuquen Argentina Classic: Earned a surprising top-10 in Argentina. After opening 70-71-73, shot a final-round 66 to T10.

2017 Season

Finished 53rd on the final PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Order of Merit. Made the cut in eight of 15 starts, recording two top-10s.

• 64 Aberto do Brasil: Second top-10 of the year also was a T9. Weekend scores of 69-66 in Brazil led to the top-10.
• BMW Jamaica Classic: First top-10 of the campaign came in Jamaica, thanks to a third-round 64 that left him T9.

2016 Season

Made the cut in nine of 15 starts, recording two top-10s and two other top-25s to finish the season ranked 31st on the Order of Merit.

• Shell Championship: Finished in the top 10 at the season-ending event, posting a T9.
• Argentina Classic presentado por NEC: Best finish was a two-way T2 at the rain-shortened Argentina Classic, where he finished one shot behind winner Samuel Del Val.
• Travelers Championship: Made one PGA TOUR start, missing the cut at the Travelers Championship.
• PTLA Qualifying Tournament-Colombia: Shot 69-68 the last two days to share runner-up honors in January to secure PGA TOUR Latinoamérica status.

2015 Season

Made the cut in five of 13 starts, recording one top-25 on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. Finished the season ranked 103rd on the Order of Merit. Made the cut in two of six starts on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada.

• PTLA Qualifying Tournament-South America: Finished T17 at the Lima, Peru Q-School to earn PGA TOUR Latinoamérica status in January.

2014 Season

Made the cut in two of three starts on PGA TOUR Canada. Made the cut in all three of his starts on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica late in the year. Also made three cuts in eight Korn Ferry Tour appearances.

• Lexus Peru Open: Best finish was T7 in Lima, where he shot 66-64 the second and third days.

2013 Season

Had one top-10, two top-25s and two cuts made in 10 starts on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, where he finished 75th on the Order of Merit. Made the cut in three of his nine starts on PGA TOUR Canada, with one top-10. Finished the season ranked No. 60 on the Order of Merit to become the last player among those who kept their Tour cards for 2014.

• Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament: Earned Korn Ferry Tour status with a T67 finish at the final stage in December.
• Lexus Peru Open: Carded a bogey-free 65 (7-under) to hold the opening-round lead at Los Inkas GC, an event that saw him eventually finish T19 in November.
• The Players Cup: A T9 finish in Winnipeg was his only top-10 on the Mackenzie Tour.
• Mundo Maya Open: Best finish was T9 in Merida, Mexico in May.
• PTLA Qualifying Tournament-North America: Joined PGA TOUR Latinoamérica with a T25 at the Sebring, Fla., event in February.
• Southern Ontario Open: Made eagle on the 54th hole to win the Southern Ontario Open by one shot for his second win in Canada's Great Lakes Tour.

2012 Season

Posted a splendid comeback season after recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident. Made every cut and posted two Canadian Tour top-10s. Finished 60th on the Order of Merit.

• Dakota Dunes Open: Shot a 10-under 62 in the third round before placing fifth.
• Times Colonist Island Savings Open: Grabbed the 36-hole lead before finishing fourth.

2011 Season

Broke his femur, punctured a lung and had five broken ribs in a car crash in Arizona that had many wondering if he'd be able to play again. Made three starts at the end of the Canadian Tour season, at Seaforth and the Canadian Tour Championship. Also played in California, at the Desert Dunes Open.

2010 Season

Made five cuts in nine Canadian Tour appearances.

• ATB Financial Classic: His best finish of the season when he T3 in Calgary.

2009 Season

Made seven cuts in 11 Canadian Tour starts.

• The Players Cup: Enjoyed his best result of the year when he T6.
• Great Lakes Tour Championship: Won the Great Lakes Tour Championship at Brantford Golf & Country Club in Ontario, Canada in February.

2008 Season

Had three Top-10s in 14 starts on the Canadian Tour.

• Seaforth Country Classic: Finished fifth at Seaforth.
• Saskatchewan Open: Earned a top-10 by finishing T10 in Saskatchewan.
• Greater Vancouver Charity Classic: Finished T9 in Vancouver.

2007 Season

Had a brilliant season on the Canadian Tour despite having no victories. Posted five top-10s and added four top-three finishes. Ended in the top-25 in 10 of 14 starts. Led the Tour in both Birdies (225) and Eagles (13).

• Roxul Jane Rogers Championship: Finished one stroke behind the winner at the 2007 Roxul Jane Rogers Championship.
• Free Press Manitoba Classic: Finished one stroke behind the winner at the the 2007 Free Press Manitoba Classic.
• Iberostar Maya Open: Finished one stroke behind the winner at the 2007 Iberostar Riviera Maya Open.

2006 Season

Made five cuts in eight Canadian Tour starts.

2005 Season

Made eight cuts in 11 Canadian Tour starts.

• Bell Canadian Open: Missed the cut in the Bell Canadian Open.
• MTS Classic: Finished 6th at the MTS Classic.
• Times Colonist Open: Was 3rd at the Times Colonist Open.
• Corona Mazatlan Classic: Was in the top-ten at the Corona Mazatlan Classic (7th).
• Barton Creek Austin Challenge: Finished 2nd at the Barton Creek Austin Challenge.

2004 Season

Made seven cuts in 10 starts on the Canadian Tour, including three top-10s.

• Bell Canadian Open: Missed the cut in the Bell Canadian Open.
• Greater Vancouver Classic: Was 3rd at the Greater Vancouver Classic.
• Corona Ixtapa Classic: Finished third at the Corona Ixtapa Classic.
• Barton Creek Challenge: Was 9th at the Barton Creek Challenge.

2003 Season

Had one top-10 on the Korn Ferry Tour. A two-time winner on the Great Lakes Tour.

• Samsung Canadian PGA Championship: Finished 4th at the Korn Ferry Tour's Samsung Canadian PGA Championship in 2003.
• Corona Ixtapa Classic: Won the Canadian Tour's Corona Ixtapa Classic by eight shots.

2002 Season

Won his first Canadian tour title at the Myrtle Beach Barefoot Championship. Also had two runner-up finishes.

• Awards: Won the Agnico Eagle Award for Most Improved Canadian, one year after taking home Canadian Rookie of the Year honors.
• Awards: Won the Agnico Eagle Award for PGA TOUR Canada's Most Improved Canadian.
• Scottsdale Swing at Eagle Mountain: Finished runner-up at the Scottsdale Swing at Eagle Mountain.
• Greater Toronto Open: Was runner-up at the Greater Toronto Open.

2001 Season

Named the Canadian Tour Rookie of the Year.

Q SCHOOL GRADUATE

• PGA TOUR Latinoamérica: 2020