Harold Varner III

Exempt status

• PGA TOUR: Top 125 in 2018-19 FedExCup standings (thru 2019-20)

JOINED TOUR

• Korn Ferry Tour: 2014
• PGA TOUR: 2016

International Victories (1)

• 2016 Australian PGA Championship [Aus]

Personal

• Looks up to his father, who bought him a set of clubs at age 2.
• If he were not playing golf, would want to be "the best NBA player in the world."
• Huge Carolina Panthers fan.
• Avid reader and loves biographies.
• His headcover "Gerald" has his own Twitter account.

Special Interests

• NBA, East Carolina University athletics, NFL, family

CURRENT YEAR HIGHLIGHTS

• Charles Schwab Challenge: Held a share of the 18-hole lead and the outright 36-hole lead at the Charles Schwab Challenge before finishing T19. Second-round lead was his first solo-lead after any round on the PGA TOUR. Second-round 66 was the first 66-or-better by a player opening with a triple bogey or worse in the ShotLink era (2003-present). Opening 36-hole score of 129 was his first such sub-130 score.

Career Highlights

2020 Season

• Charles Schwab Challenge: Held a share of the 18-hole lead and the outright 36-hole lead at the Charles Schwab Challenge before finishing T19. Second-round lead was his first solo-lead after any round on the PGA TOUR. Second-round 66 was the first 66-or-better by a player opening with a triple bogey or worse in the ShotLink era (2003-present). Opening 36-hole score of 129 was his first such sub-130 score.

2019 Season

Qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and advanced to the BMW Championship for the first time, finishing the season No. 38 in the FedExCup standings. With a T3 at THE NORTHERN TRUST, moved into the top 30 in the standings but failed to advance to the TOUR Championship after finishing 68th at the BMW Championship. Collected three top-10s and made 16 cuts in 26 starts.

• THE NORTHERN TRUST: After entering the week No. 102 in the FedExCup standings, finished T3 at THE NORTHERN TRUST to move to No. 29 in the FedExCup, a jump of 73 spots, the biggest improvement by any player in the field. Ranked No. 1 in Approach Shot Proximity to the Hole (29’4”).
• PGA Championship: Played in the final pairing of the final round at the PGA Championship before recording an 81 to finish T36. Had only once previously made the cut in a major (T66/2016 The Open Championship). Entered the week with no under-par scores in 10 rounds played at majors and recorded matching 3-under 67s in rounds two and three.
• Waste Management Phoenix Open: After holding a share of the first-round lead, finished T10 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open at 10-under 274. Made eight birdies in round one to open with a 7-under 64, good for a share of the lead with Justin Thomas and eventual winner Rickie Fowler. Marked first top-10 in four starts in the event.
• Mayakoba Golf Classic: Shot four sub-70 rounds for a T6 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. Represented second top-10 in three starts at Mayakoba.

2018 Season

Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for the third time in as many attempts, ending his season at No. 107 in the FedExCup. Season included 18 made cuts in 27 starts, with a T6 at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier the best of three top-10 finishes. Closed out the season with par-or-better scores in 19 of his final 21 rounds.

• THE NORTHERN TRUST: Finished T40 at THE NORTHERN TRUST to end his season No. 107 in the standings. Marked the first time in his three-year career he failed to advance past the first FedExCup Playoffs event.
• John Deere Classic: Posted scores of 67-65-66-68–266 (-18) to finish alone in sixth in his second start at the John Deere Classic (6th/2018, MC/2017). First time recording four rounds in the 60s since the 2017 Wyndham Championship (T10). Marked back-to-back top-10s for the second time in his career.
• A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier: Opened A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier with rounds of 66-64-66 (-14) to share the 54-hole lead with Kelly Kraft before finishing T5. His score of 196 through three rounds marked his career-low 54 holes on TOUR. Made his second start at the event (T5/2018, T29/2017).
• THE PLAYERS Championship: In his third start in THE PLAYERS Championship, finished T7 with four under-par scores. Birdied the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass in the third and final rounds after making doubl bogey in the first.

2017 Season

Made the cut in 19 of 31 starts during his sophomore season on the PGA TOUR, with his lone top-10 finish coming at the Wyndham Championship (T10) and helping him play his way into the FedExCup Playoffs. Wrapped up the season No. 90 in the FedExCup standings.

• Dell Technologies Championship: After a T20 at THE NORTHERN TRUST earned him a ticket into the Dell Technologies Championship, saw his season end at TPC Boston with a T47 finish.
• THE NORTHERN TRUST: Entered the first FedExCup Playoffs tournament at No. 123 in the standings. Jumped 32 spots to No. 91 after T20 finish at THE NORTHERN TRUST, with 2-under 278 at Glen Oaks Club. One of three players (Bubba Watson, David Lingmerth) to advance to Dell Technologies Championship from outside top 100. Became fifth player in FedExCup history to advance from outside the Wyndham Championship and THE NORTHERN TRUST in the same year, joining Camilo Villegas (2015), William McGirt (2011), Padraig Harrington (2011) and Ernie Els (2011). Els (2011) is the only player to go on to to advance to BMW Championship.
• Wyndham Championship: Posted a final-round 1-under 69 to finish T10 at the Wyndham Championship, eight strokes behind champion Henrik Stenson. After entering the week outside of the top 125 (No. 138), moved to No. 123 to secure his second consecutive appearance in the FedExCup Playoffs. Recorded his first top-10 finish on TOUR since a T7 at the 2016 Quicken Loans National.
• World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational: Akron native returned to his hometown to finish T50 at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in his World Golf Championships debut after winning the 2016 Australian PGA Championship to qualify for the Bridgestone Invitational.

2016 Season

Enjoyed a solid rookie season, collecting seven top-25 finishes in 26 starts through the Wyndham Championship. Of those, four were top-10 showings. Was one of seven PGA TOUR rookies to advance to the FedExCup Playoffs. In his first Playoffs appearance, finished T60 at The Barclays and T33 at the Deutsche Bank Championship, ending the season 75th in the FedExCup, five spots out of the top 70 who advance to the BMW Championship.

• Australian PGA Championship: A year after finishing T2 at the Australian PGA Championship, opened and closed the 2016 event with 7-under 65s to claim a two-stroke win over Australia's Andrew Dodt and four clear of third-place finisher Adam Scott at 19-under 269. Beginning Sunday's final round, trailed Dodt by two strokes, before making nine birdies at RACV Royal Pines Resort en route to his second 7-under 65.
• Quicken Loans National: Recorded his fourth top-10 of the season at the Quicken Loans National, finishing seventh at Congressional Country Club. With his par putt on the 72nd hole, punched his ticket to The Open Championship at Royal Troon via The Open Qualifying Series.
• Zurich Classic of New Orleans: Finished T8 at 11-under-par 205 after 54 holes in the rain-shortened Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
• Valero Texas Open: Opened and closed the Valero Texas Open with scores of 3-under 69 to claim a T9 with three others at TPC San Antonio. Birdied three of his last five holes in the final round to claim the top-10 finish.
• OHL Classic at Mayakoba: Tied the tournament-low round with a 9-under 62 in the second round of the OHL Classic at Mayakoba en route to his first top-10 on TOUR (T5).
• Frys.com Open: In his first round as a PGA TOUR member, posted a 7-under 65 at the season-opening Frys.com Open to sit T3 after 18 holes. Went on to finish T48 after a final-round 79.

2015 Season

Finished the Korn Ferry Tour season having played all 25 tournaments. Had one runner-up, three top-10s, nine top-25s and 18 cuts made. Was 33rd in the final priority-ranking order. Indifferent play the rest of July and August dropped him to No. 25 heading to the last Regular Season event. Was T16 at both the Small Business Connection Championship at River Run, near his hometown of Gastonia, N.C., and the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship.

• Australian PGA Championship: Finished runner-up with South Africa's Dylan Frittelli at the Australian PGA Championship in early December, won by Australian Nathan Holman with a par on the first playoff hole. Entered the final round tied for the lead with Frittelli and Zander Lombard but carded a 75 on the final day to end up in the three-way playoff at even-par 288 after missing a putt on the 72nd hole to win outright at Royal Pines Resort. His third-round, 6-under 66 marked the second-lowest score in the event. PGA TOUR rookie Rhein Gibson posted a 64 in the second round.
• Web.com Tour Championship: Missed the cut at the season-ending Web.com Tour Championship, near his new home base of Jacksonville Beach, Fla.
• Hotel Fitness Championship: In the Finals, recorded top-25 finishes in the first three events, a T22 at the Hotel Fitness Championship to start the Finals.
• WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft Heinz: At that event, the WinCo Foods Portland Open, overcame a dreadful start, playing his first seven holes in 4-over. Righted the ship with a 32 on the back nine. Would go on to shoot 69-73-70 and finish T47–making a crucial birdie on his 71st hole–to grab the 25th and final card by $943 over Rob Oppenheim. Did so but not without having to withstand an anxious four-hour wait for the leaders to finish. When Dicky Pride hung on to beat Tim Herron, he was on his way to the Finals and soon thereafter the PGA TOUR.
• Nova Scotia Open: Traveled to Canada in July with hopes of earning his first Tour victory when he entered the final round tied for the lead with five others. Held the outright lead through the first nine holes. Two bogeys on back-nine par-3s proved costly, resulting in a T6. Climbed back to No. 14 on the money list.
• Rex Hospital Open: Entered the third round of the Rex Hospital Open in May five strokes off the pace. Vaulted to the top of the leaderboard with a career-low 62 that included two bogeys. Held a two-stroke advantage after 54 holes. Struggled on Sunday and completed the final round with nine consecutive pars. Carded an even-par 71, missing the playoff by two shots. Settled for a T6.
• Panama Claro Championship: Matched his career-best showing with a runner-up effort at the season-opening Panama Claro Championship in February. Held the 36-hole lead and was just one back after 54 holes. Stormed to the front with three birdies on the front nine on Sunday, which put him at 11-under and one in front of eventual winner Mathew Goggin. Stumbled coming in with bogeys at Nos. 10, 12, 14 and 16 to lose the lead. Held on for solo second at the Panama GC, finishing at 7 under, four back of Goggin. Good form followed Panama with five consecutive cuts made through the end of March.

2014 Season

Played in two PGA TOUR events, finishing T70 at the Northern Trust Open and missing the cut at the Wells Fargo Championship.

• Rex Hospital Open: Entered the final round of The Rex Hospital Open in a three-way tie for the lead. Posted 70 in the final round for a T2.
• WNB Golf Classic: Posted an opening-round 68 then followed with rounds of 69-68 at the weather-shortened WNB Golf Classic, resulting in a T6, his first top-10 of the season.
• Chitimacha Louisiana Open Presented by NACHER: Had four rounds in the 60s (69-68-69-69) to T17 at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open.

2013 Season

Played in 22 events on the eGolf Tour, making 16 cuts. Posted 12 top-10 finishes, including two wins–at the Lee Westwood Golf School Open and the Stonegate Classic. At the Lee Westwood Golf School Open, at Errol Estate CC, fired rounds of 68-63-64 for the title.

• U.S. Open: Qualified for the U.S. Open at Merion GC, where he missed the cut.

2012 Season

• Chiquita Classic: Made his Korn Ferry Tour debut, missing the cut at the Chiquita Classic.

Amateur Highlights

• At East Carolina University, was named Conference USA Player of the Year in 2012.
• Made the all-conference team three times, posting 18 career top-10 finishes in college.
• Competed in and won the Walmart First Tee Open in 2007 as a junior player with Champions Tour pro and teammate, Morris Hatalsky.