Larry Gilbert

For other people named Larry Gilbert, see Larry Gilbert (disambiguation).

Lawrence Allen Gilbert Sr. (November 19, 1942 – January 21, 1998) was an American professional golfer. He is best known for winning the 1997 Senior Players Championship, one of the major championships on the Senior PGA Tour.

Larry Gilbert
Personal information
Full name	Lawrence Allen Gilbert, Sr.
Born	(1942-11-19)November 19, 1942 Fort Knox, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	January 21, 1998(1998-01-21) (aged 55) Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Sporting nationality	United States
Career
College	Middle Tennessee State University
Status	Professional
Former tour	Champions Tour
Professional wins	21
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour Champions	3
Other	18
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament	DNP
PGA Championship	73rd: 1983
U.S. Open	CUT: 1976, 1978, 1979
The Open Championship	DNP

Early life and amateur career

In 1942, Gilbert was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He attended Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and was a distinguished member of the golf team. In 1965, Gilbert led Middle Tennessee State to victory in the 1965 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships; Gilbert won the individual medal too.

Professional career

Gilbert spent most of his regular career years as a club pro in Kentucky and Tennessee. He won the PGA Club Professional Championship three times: in 1981, 1982 and 1991. He also won ten Kentucky PGA Championships, three Kentucky Opens, one Tennessee Open, and one Tennessee PGA Championship.

In 1992, he joined the Senior PGA Tour upon turning 50 in 1992.

Personal life

In 1998, Gilbert died in Lexington, Kentucky of lung cancer at the age of 55. He had started smoking cigarettes at an early age, and was often seen smoking a cigar while playing. He won the Senior Players Championship only 192 days before he died.^[1]

Awards and honors

• In 1992, Gilbert was inducted into the Kentucky Golf Hall of Fame.
• During his career, Gilbert was inducted into the Middle Tennessee State University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Professional wins (21)

Regular career wins (18)

• 1968 Kentucky Open
• 1970 Tennessee Open
• 1971 Tennessee PGA Championship
• 1974 Kentucky PGA Championship
• 1975 Kentucky Open
• 1976 Kentucky Open
• 1979 Kentucky PGA Championship
• 1980 Kentucky PGA Championship
• 1981 PGA Club Professional Championship, Kentucky PGA Championship
• 1982 PGA Club Professional Championship, Kentucky PGA Championship
• 1984 Kentucky PGA Championship, Kentucky PGA Match Play Championship
• 1985 Kentucky PGA Championship
• 1986 Kentucky PGA Match Play Championship
• 1990 Kentucky PGA Championship
• 1991 PGA Club Professional Championship

Senior PGA Tour wins (3)

Legend
Senior PGA Tour major championships (1)
Other Senior PGA Tour (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Apr 24, 1994	Dallas Reunion Pro-Am	−8 (67-68-67=202)	1 stroke	George Archer, Rocky Thompson
2	Oct 2, 1994	Vantage Championship	−18 (66-66-66=198)	1 stroke	Raymond Floyd
3	Jul 13, 1997	Ford Senior Players Championship	−14 (67-68-72-67=274)	3 strokes	Isao Aoki, Bob Dickson, Jack Kiefer, Dave Stockton

Senior PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponents	Result
1	1997	Home Depot Invitational	Jim Dent, Lee Trevino	Dent won with birdie on second extra hole Gilbert eliminated by birdie on first hole

Champions Tour major championships

Wins (1)

Year	Championship	Winning score	Margin	Runners-up
1997	Ford Senior Players Championship	−14 (67-68-72-67=274)	3 strokes	Isao Aoki, Bob Dickson, Jack Kiefer, Dave Stockton

U.S. national team appearances

• PGA Cup: 1976 (winners), 1977 (tie), 1981 (tie), 1982 (winners), 1983, 1992 (winners)