Derek Gillespie

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR Latinoamérica: 2013
• Mackenzie Tour - Canada: 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

CURRENT YEAR HIGHLIGHTS

• 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.

Career Highlights

2020 Season

• 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 in 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 in 2012, making every cut and posting two top-10s on PGA TOUR Canada. Finished 60th on the Order of Merit.

• Dakota Dunes Open: Shot a 10-under 62 in the third round before finishing 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 in 2011 that had many wondering if he'd be able to play again. Made three starts at the end of the 2011 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 starts.

• ATB Financial Classic: His best finish of 2010 came at the ATB Financial Classic where he finished T-3.

2009 Season

Made seven cuts in 11 starts.

• The Players Cup: Finished T6 at The Players Cup, his best result that year.
• 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 PGA TOUR Canada.

• Seaforth Country Classic: Finished 5th at Seaforth.
• Saskatchewan Open: Finished T10 at the Saskatchewan Open.
• Greater Vancouver Charity Classic: Finished T9 at the Greater Vancouver Charity Classic.

2007 Season

Had a brilliant season on PGA TOUR Canada despite having no victories, posting five top-10s and four top-3 finishes. Finished in the top-25 in 10 of 14 starts. Led the Tour in both birdies (225) and eagles (13) in 2007.

• 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 starts on PGA TOUR Canada.

2005 Season

Made eight cuts in 11 starts on PGA TOUR Canada.

• 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 PGA TOUR Canada, 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 Nationwide Tour's Samsung Canadian PGA Championship in 2003.
• Corona Ixtapa Classic: Won PGA TOUR Canada's Corona Ixtapa Classic by eight shots.

2002 Season

Won his first PGA TOUR Canada 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 PGA TOUR Canada Rookie of the Year.

Q SCHOOL GRADUATE

• PGA TOUR Latinoamérica: 2020