TOM WARGO

Golf

Born: September 16, 1942; Marlette, Michigan
Major Victories: PGA Seniors’ Championship (1993), Senior British Open (1994)

Tom Wargo spent most of his regular PGA career years as the head club pro at the Greenview Golf Club that he co-owns in Centralia, Ill., and is probably best known for winning the 1993 PGA Seniors’ Championship–one of the major championships on the men’s Senior PGA Tour.

In 1992, Wargo received the PGA Club Professional-of-the-Year award. Wargo played in only a handful of PGA Tour events. His best finish in a PGA Tour event, which happened to be a major championship, was a tie for 28th at the 1992 PGA Championship.

Wargo joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1993 at the age of 50. He had four victories and over 100 top-10 finishes in this venue. Wargo grew up on a dairy farm near Marlette, Mich. He did not play golf until he practically taught himself to play the game at age 25.

Prior to his career as a professional golfer, he had worked as an iron worker, assembly-line autoworker, bartender and fisherman in Alaska. He turned pro in 1976.

His early local career victories included the 1988 Illinois PGA Section Championship; the 1990 Gateway PGA Sectional Championship, Irvin Cobb Championship; and the 1991 PGA Club Professional Winter Stroke Play Championship. Overall, he has recorded 10 pro victories – five regular career wins, four Senior PGA titles, and one European Seniors title.