Lanny Wadkins

Lanny Wadkins returned to the broadcast booth in 2011 as a lead analyst for GOLF Channel’s PGA TOUR Champions live tournament coverage.

The World Golf Hall-of-Famer won 21 PGA TOUR events over the course of his playing career, including the PGA Championship. The former U.S. Ryder Cup captain is recognized as one of the fiercest competitors of his generation.

In 1970 Wadkins won the U.S. Amateur Championship before turning professional in 1971. He captured his first professional victory in 1972 and was voted Rookie of the Year. This was followed by two more wins in 1973. He then went on to win the 1977 PGA Championship in a three-hole sudden death playoff at Pebble Beach. He was the runner up in four subsequent major championships, and on three occasions, finished third in the Masters. He won THE PLAYERS Championship in 1979 and was voted PGA of America Player of the Year in 1985.

He played for the U.S. in the Ryder Cup eight times between 1977 and 1983, tying the highest number of appearances by an American at the time, before later captaining the team in 1995. He joined the PGA TOUR Champions in 2000 and divided his time between competition and broadcasting for CBS Sports as its lead golf analyst until 2007. Wadkins was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.