Here’s a list of golfers celebrating birthdays on February 5.
Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth turns 39. Forsyth has two European Tour wins under his belt since turning pro in 1998: the 2002 Malaysian Open and the 2008 Madeira Islands Open, both won in playoffs. He finished tied for ninth at the 2008 PGA Championship with a 73-72-70-70 – 285, a tournament in which only three players shot below par.
Jim McGovern, winner of the 1993 Shell Houston Open, turns 50. McGovern played seven years on the PGA Tour, with 14 Top-10 finishes. In 1994, he finished tied for fifth at The Masters, firing a 3-under 72-70-71-72 – 285 to finish six strokes behind winner Jose Maria Olazabal, who coincidentally shares his birthday.
Two-time Masters winner and legendary Ryder Cup coach Jose Maria Olazabal turns 49. Olazabal was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2009. The Spaniard racked up 30 professional wins, including 23 on the European Tour, tying him for eighth in that career category. He won the 1994 Masters with a 9-under 74-67-69-69 – 279, and added a second with a runaway 7-stroke win in 1999, finishing 8-under par by shooting 70-66-73-71. In 2012, his European squad rallied from a 10-4 deficit to beat the US 14-1/2 to 13-1/2 at the Ryder Cup.
Ten-time pro winner Kevin Stadler turns 35. Stadler won the 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open by shooting a 16-under 268. He finished tied for eighth at the 2014 Masters with an even-par 288, remaining in the Top 10 throughout all four rounds to earn $234,000. He is the son of 13-time PGA winner and former Masters champion Craig Stadler. Both men played at the 2014 Masters, the first time ever a father and son have played in the tournament together.
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