Russell Henley

Exempt status

• PGA TOUR: Top 125 in 2020-21 FedExCup standings (thru 2021-22)

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR: 2013

PGA TOUR Victories (3)

• 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii
• 2014 The Honda Classic
• 2017 Shell Houston Open

Korn Ferry Tour Victories (3)

• 2011 Stadion Classic at UGA
• 2012 Chiquita Classic, Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open Presented by Planters

PLAYOFF RECORD

PGA TOUR (1-0)

• 2014 Defeated Russell Knox, Rory McIlroy, Ryan Palmer, The Honda Classic

KORN FERRY TOUR (2-0)

• 2012 Defeated Patrick Cantlay, Morgan Hoffmann, Chiquita Classic
• 2012 Defeated B.J. Staten, Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open Presented by Planters

National Teams

• 2010, 2011 Arnold Palmer Cup
• 2010 Porter Cup
• 2011 Walker Cup

Personal

• Wife, Teil Duncan, is a well-known painter based out of Charleston, South Carolina.
• Is an avid guitar player himself and has played onstage with O.A.R. and Darius Rucker at PGA TOUR events.
• Superstitions include never talking about a score in an upcoming round.
• Bucket list includes skydiving, visiting Italy and winning the Masters.
• Established Kevin Brown Celebrity Classic Golf Tournament to benefit the Macon Rescue Mission and FCA which gives medical care to those in need in his hometown.

Special Interests

• Movies, music, all sports

Career Highlights

2021 Season

Qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, advancing to the BMW Championship for the sixth time and finishing No. 56 in the standings for the second season in a row. Recorded five top-10s and made 19 cuts in 25 starts.

• Wyndham Championship: Held the outright lead after each of the first three rounds of the Wyndham Championship before carding a 1-over 71 in the final round to miss the six-man playoff and finish T7. Fell to 1-for-5 (0-for-3 on the season) when converting the 54-hole lead/co-lead to victory.
• U.S. Open: Held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds of the U.S. Open in June before finishing T13. Became the third player since 2000 to be T1 or better after each of the first three rounds of the U.S. Open and not go on to win, joining Phil Mickelson (2013) and Dustin Johnson (2018).
• THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK: Held the 54-hole lead at THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK before finishing T3. Marked the third 54-hole lead/co-lead of his PGA TOUR career (fell to 1-for-3). Led the field in Par-4 Scoring Average (3.75).

2020 Season

Qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs for the eighth consecutive season, advancing to the BMW Championship and finishing No. 56 in the FedExCup standings. Marked his fifth appearance in the BMW Championship and first since the 2016-17 season. Recorded four top-10s, matching his total from the previous two seasons combined, and made 13 cuts in 20 starts.

2019 Season

Qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, finishing at No. 87 in the FedExCup standings. Claimed one top-10 and made 13 cuts in 25 starts.

• John Deere Classic: Shot a final-round 61 to earn a runner-up at the John Deere Classic, his best finish since winning the 2017 Houston Open. The 61 represented the first sub-62 score of his career and first in the final round by any player in the history of the John Deere Classic. Led the field in Birdies with 28.

2018 Season

Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for the sixth consecutive time. In 23 starts, made 16 cuts with eight top-25s and three top-10s to end his season No. 96 in the FedExCup.

• A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier: Closed with a 7-under 63 to finish 10th at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier. Had finished fifth in his last two starts at The Greenbrier (2015, 2017), with 11 of 12 rounds in that time yielding under-par scores.
• Travelers Championship: Played 62 holes without a bogey (from No. 5 in round one through No. 12 in the final round) at the Travelers Championship to finish T6 with rounds of 66-65-67-69. Ranked T1 in fairways hit (47 of 56) and No. 1 in Greens in Regulation (62 of 72). Hit 18 of 18 greens in second-round 65.
• Houston Open: Making his title defense at the Houston Open, drained a 44-foot putt for birdie at the 72nd hole, his eighth birdie of the day, to close with a 7-under 65 and finish T8. In relation to par, the 65 marked his lowest score on TOUR since posting the same number in the final round of the 2017 Houston Open.

2017 Season

Claimed five top-10 finishes in 27 starts, highlighted by his third career PGA TOUR win at the Shell Houston Open. Advanced through all four events in the FedExCup Playoffs, where he ended the season with a T3 finish at the TOUR Championship. Finished a career-best 13th in the FedExCup standings.

• TOUR Championship: After beginning the final round of the TOUR Championship seven strokes off the lead, closed with the low round of the day, a 5-under 65, to finish T3 with Kevin Kisner at 10-under 270.
• THE NORTHERN TRUST: Held 18-hole lead at THE NORTHERN TRUST with course-record 6-under 64, his only sub-70 round for the week, eventually finishing T25 at Glen Oaks Club.
• The Greenbrier Classic: Posted four rounds in the 60s en route to a T5 finish at The Greenbrier Classic, marking his second consecutive top-five at the event (fifth in 2015).
• Shell Houston Open: After entering the final round of the Shell Houston Open trailing Sung Kang by four strokes, posted a 7-under 65 (including 10 birdies) to win by three strokes over Kang (72). It marked his third PGA TOUR victory (and first since 2014 Honda Classic) in his 115th start at the age of 27 years, 11 months, 21 days. With rounds of 67-67-69-65, his last 13 consecutive rounds at the Golf Club of Houston have been under par. In all, he is a collective 57-under at the Golf Club of Houston. With the victory, earned the last "win and you're in" invitation to the following week's Masters Tournament where he finished T11.
• Valspar Championship: In his ninth start of the season, recorded his second top-10, a T9 at the Valspar Championship. Opened with a 7-under 64 to get within two shots of Jim Herman's first-round lead. Fell out of the top 10 with rounds of 71-75 in the second and third rounds, but made birdie at the 72nd hole Sunday to close with a 4-under 67 and move back into the top 10.
• The RSM Classic: Closed with four birdies in his final five holes en route to a 3-under 67 and T10 finish at The RSM Classic. It marked his third-consecutive top-10 finish at The RSM Classic (T4-2014, T6-2015, T10-2016)

2016 Season

Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for a fourth consecutive season with four top-10 finishes in 23 starts through the Wyndham Championship. Improved his position in the standings to No. 78 at The Barclays, but ended his season at No. 87.

• Deutsche Bank Championship: Missed the cut at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
• The Barclays: Finished T48 at the Barclays.
• The Open Championship: Missed the cut in his fourth Open Championship appearance.
• FedEx St. Jude Classic: Picked up his fourth top-10 of the season at the FedEx St. Jude Classic (T7). The finished earned him a spot in The Open Championship field, via the Open Qualifying Series. Was his first top-10 in three starts at TPC Southwind.
• Shell Houston Open: Broke a streak of five consecutive missed cuts with a T5 finish at the Shell Houston Open. It marked his fourth consecutive start at the Shell Houston Open and third consecutive top-10 (2015/4th, 2014/T7 and 2013/T45).
• The RSM Classic: Top-10 finish came at The RSM Classic, where an 11-under 271 total left him T6 and a distant 11 strokes behind runaway-champion Kevin Kisner. Closed with a 5-under 65, which included playing the final 11 holes at 7-under (including an eagle-3 on the par-5 15th hole). It marked his second consecutive top-10 at the event, having finished T4 in 2014.
• Shriners Hospitals for Children Open: Finished 10th in his second appearance in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (missed the cut in 2014) for his first top-10 on TOUR since a fifth-place finish at the 2015 Greenbrier Classic.
• Frys.com Open: T41 in the season-opening Frys.com Open.

2015 Season

Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for a third consecutive season by virtue of 11 top-25 finishes in just 21 starts, through the Wyndham Championship. Played well enough to advance through the third Playoffs event, the BMW Championship. Season ended outside Chicago at No. 63 in the FedExCup standings.

• The Greenbrier Classic: Made nine birdies in the final round of The Greenbrier Classic to post a 7-under 63 and claim fifth place. Birdied the par-3 18th hole all four rounds en route to the top-five finish in White Sulphur Springs.
• Shell Houston Open: Posted four rounds in the 60s at the Shell Houston Open to claim solo possession of fourth place.
• Hyundai Tournament of Champions: The 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii champion finished T3 at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in his bid to become the fifth player to win both the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and the Sony Open in Hawaii while both events were being contested in Hawaii.
• The McGladrey Classic: Finished T4 in his first start of the season, at The McGladrey Classic. Week was highlighted by a second-round 63 (equaling his best round on the PGA TOUR).

2014 Season

Sophomore season included his second TOUR victory at The Honda Classic. Made the cut 17 times (equaling his total from 2013) in 29 starts, with three top-10 finishes (also equaling his career-best total).

• TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola: At the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, went on to finish 12th at East Lake GC and No. 19 in the FedExCup.
• BMW Championship: Finished T59 at the BMW Championship to advance to the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola for the first time.
• Deutsche Bank Championship: Opened with rounds of 70-66-65 for a one-stroke lead over Billy Horschel after 54 holes of the Deutsche Bank Championship. Closed with a 1-under 70 Monday, including a 28-foot birdie on the final hole, to finish T2 with Geoff Ogilvy and Horschel, two strokes behind fellow former Georgia Bulldog Chris Kirk. Finish marked his third top-10 of the season and first since a T7 at the Shell Houston Open 15 starts prior.
• Shell Houston Open: Three starts later, at the Shell Houston Open, overcame a 1-over 73 in the first round with a 6-under 66 in the final round to claim a T7 with four others, including Rory McIlroy, one of the three players he beat in The Honda Classic playoff.
• The Honda Classic: After missing the cut in three of his four starts leading up to The Honda Classic, birdied the first extra hole at PGA National, No. 18, to claim his second career PGA TOUR victory, over Russell Knox, Ryan Palmer and 2012 Honda Classic champion Rory McIlroy. Opened the week with a 6-under 64 to trail McIlroy by a stroke. He began the final round two strokes off McIlroy's lead before a birdie at the par-5 72nd hole for a 2-over 72 earned him a spot in the playoff. His two-putt birdie after the quartet returned to No. 18 for sudden death was good for the win. The triumph made him just the third American winner of the event in the last 10 years, joining Mark Wilson (2007) and Michael Thompson (2013). It also made him the 14th of 15 Americans to win on the PGA TOUR to that point in the season. Australia's Jason Day won the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship the week before. Prior to beginning his winner's interview in the media center, made a phone call to his mom to "make sure my dad was alive and survived the drama."

2013 Season

Made 17 of 24 cuts in his rookie season, with three top-10s and a win. Finished No. 44 in the FedExCup standings.

• RBC Heritage: Second career top-10 came 10 starts later, finishing T6 at the RBC Heritage. Was seeking to become just the sixth player to win the event in his first appearance. The others were Boo Weekley (2007), Jose Coceres (2001), Stewart Cink (2000), Bob Goalby (1970) and Arnold Palmer (1969).
• Sony Open in Hawaii: Making just his third official PGA TOUR start (first as a professional), he ran away from the field at the Sony Open in Hawaii, carding three rounds of 7-under 63 and a third-round 3-under 67 for a three-stroke win over Tim Clark. Closing the event with five consecutive birdies helped him become the first rookie to win in his first start as an official member of the PGA TOUR since Garrett Willis at the 2001 Touchstone Energy Tucson Open. In addition to becoming the ninth player to make the Sony Open in Hawaii his first PGA TOUR win (and first since Jerry Kelly in 2002), his 72-hole numerical total of 256 broke the tournament-scoring mark of 260 set by John Huston in 1998 and matched by Brad Faxon in 2001. His 256 was also the third-lowest 72-hole total (tie with Mark Calcavecchia at the 2001 Phoenix Open) in PGA TOUR history. Jumping out of the gate fast, his victory was set up with a Sony Open in Hawaii record for the best opening 36-hole score in event history (63-63, 14-under 126). It broke the record of 12-under 128 set in 1994 by Davis Love III and matched by Huston (1998), Paul Azinger (2000), Faxon (2001) and John Cook (2002). Prior to his victory, the last player to win the Sony Open in his first attempt was Bruce Lietzke (1977).

2012 Season

Ended the year No. 3 on the Korn Ferry Tour money list and was one of five two-time winners on the year. Joined Casey Wittenberg and Luke Guthrie as the only players to top the $400,000 mark in earnings.

• Web.com Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch: Closed his season with a T6 at the Web.com Tour Championship outside Dallas. Enters his rookie PGA TOUR season with two previous starts on TOUR.
• Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open Presented by Planters: Fired a front-nine 30 en route to a final-round 65 at the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open to get into a playoff with B.J. Staten. Went on to win with a par on the first extra hole for his second victory of the year. Jumped to third on the money list.
• Miccosukee Championship: Finished third at the Miccosukee Championship on the strength of a pair of 2-under-par 69s on the weekend.
• Chiquita Classic: Won his first professional title, at the Chiquita Classic. Held a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds and eventually survived a wild finish for the win. Went to the last hole of regulation with a one-stroke lead over hard-charging former collegiate All-Americans Patrick Cantlay and Morgan Hoffmann but dumped his second shot into the water and was forced to hole a clutch 20-foot bogey putt to get into a three-way playoff. Won the extra session on the first hole with a par, two-putting from 20 feet. Hoffmann had hit his second shot in the water moments before Henley's approach shot and made bogey. Cantlay hit his drive in a fairway bunker, was short of the green in two, hit a poor pitch and then missed the 15-foot par effort. Victory vaulted him from 35th into the 12th position on the money list and assured him of his 2013 PGA TOUR exemption.
• Midwest Classic Presented by Cadillac: Continued his solid summer play with a T2 finish two weeks later at the Midwest Classic in Kansas City. Was one shot off the clubhouse lead after 16 holes Sunday but stumbled with a bogey at No. 17 and wound up two back of winner Shawn Stefani. It was his fifth consecutive made cut and third top-10 in that stretch, which saw him move up from No. 102 to No. 31 on the money list. Led the field in Greens in Regulation for the week.
• Cox Classic Presented by Lexus of Omaha: Followed up a couple weeks later with a T7 at the Cox Classic. First- and third-round 64s gave him a share of the 54-hole lead, at 17-under par with Luke Guthrie. Was bogey-free in the final round at Champions Run but managed only two birdies on the day and wound up five back of winner Ben Kohles.
• Utah Championship Presented by Utah Sports Commission: Recorded his first top-10 finish of the campaign, at Willow Creek CC to T9 at the Utah Championship.
• the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance: Despite a pair of bogeys on his first seven holes in the first round of the Memorial Tournament, managed seven birdies to post a 5-under 67. A 5-over 77 followed in the second round but a 70-69 weekend resulted in a T6.
• Soboba Golf Classic Presented by Hub International: Finally turned professional at the Soboba Golf Classic in late September and finished T31 in his pro debut.

2011 Season

Officially joined the Tour at the end of 2011 to gain his fully-exempt status for the 2012 season.

• Children's Hospital Classic: Missed the cut in his only other start, at the Children's Hospital Classic in Chattanooga.
• Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational: Joined Daniel Summerhays (2007 Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational) as the only amateurs to win in Tour history. Had 60 days to join the Tour as a professional but chose to play several amateur events during the summer instead.
• Stadion Classic at UGA: Became only the second amateur in Korn Ferry Tour history to win a tournament when he captured the Stadion Classic at UGA one week before he graduated from the University of Georgia. Fired back-to-back 66s in the second and third rounds to share the 54-hole lead at the UGA GC. A 3-under 68 in the final round put him at 12-under and two better than Troy Kelly, who collected first-place money of $99,000. Got into the tournament on a sponsor's exemption.

2010 Season

• U.S. Open Championship: Qualified for the 2010 U.S. Open and T16, which tied him as the tournament's low amateur.

Amateur Highlights

• Won seven times during his college career at Georgia, tying the school's all-time record set by Chris Kirk.
• Went 3-1 for the United States team at the 2010 Porter Cup.
• Two-time winner of the Georgia State Amateur (2008 and 2009)
• Named Golfweek's National Player of the Year after his junior season.
• First-team All-America selection.
• Won the Fred Haskins Award as the nation's most outstanding collegiate golfer.
• Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and first-team All-SEC.
• Selected as one of three finalists for the Ben Hogan Award.
• Helped the Bulldogs win the SEC title in his junior and senior years and claimed medalist honors as a junior.
• Second-team All-America as a freshman and sophomore.
• Named Georgia's Student-Athlete of the Year for the 2009-10 season.
• Member of the 2007 Junior World Cup Championship team that competed in Japan.
• Graduated from Stratford Academy and led the Eagles to 3A state titles in 2004 and 2005. State medalist for three years (2004-06).