Charley Hoffman

Charley Hoffman Bio

Charley Lindley Hoffman (born December 27, 1976) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Born in San Diego, California, and now residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hoffman has competed professionally since 2000 and built a career that includes four PGA Tour victories and appearances in all four major championships. He is widely recognized for a strong amateur record and a steady presence on the top tier of American golf.

Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds, Hoffman is a long-time fixture on the PGA Tour. He achieved a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 20 in August 2017, the same year he earned a captain’s selection to the United States Presidents Cup team. He continues to be an active competitor on tour.

Early Life and Background

Charley Lindley Hoffman was born on December 27, 1976, in San Diego, California. He grew up in the San Diego area and attended Poway High School, from which he graduated in 1995. As a junior golfer, he won the California state high school championship in both 1994 and 1995, becoming the first two-time winner of that event.

During his teenage years, Hoffman qualified three times for the Buick Invitational as an amateur, a rare accomplishment for a player of his age. Those early tournament experiences gave him direct exposure to PGA Tour conditions and helped shape his development as a competitive golfer.

Path to Professional Golf

After high school, Hoffman attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where he played collegiate golf and was a member of the 1998 NCAA championship team. That same year, he was named an honorable mention All-American. His UNLV teammates included Chris Riley, Chad Campbell, Bill Lunde, and Adam Scott, a group that would later produce several PGA Tour winners.

Hoffman graduated from UNLV in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and turned professional that same year. His college résumé, highlighted by the NCAA team title and his status as an All-American, gave him a credible foundation as he entered the developmental tours.

Charley Hoffman Career

Early Career (2000-2005)

Hoffman began his professional career on the Buy.com Tour in 2000, a struggling first season in which he made only four cuts in 19 starts. He improved in 2001, making 12 of 23 cuts with a top-10 finish, and in 2002 he played a limited schedule that included three events on the European Tour, where he tied for fifth at the Madeira Island Open and tied for 12th at the Qatar Masters.

He did not play on the renamed Nationwide Tour in 2003, but returned in 2004 and won his first professional event at the Permian Basin Charity Golf Classic. In 2005, he recorded a runner-up finish, eight top-10s, and 12 top-25s, finishing 19th on the Nationwide Tour money list to earn his PGA Tour card for 2006. He also won the 2005 Straight Down Fall Classic with Ed Cuff Jr.

PGA Tour Breakthrough (2006-2009)

Hoffman made 21 of 29 cuts in his 2006 rookie season, with five top-10 finishes, and tied for 46th at the 2006 U.S. Open, his first major championship. The following year, he won his first PGA Tour title at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in January 2007, defeating John Rollins with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. That win lifted him into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings.

In 2008, Hoffman recorded three top-10 finishes, and in 2009 he finished a career-high 41st on the money list after losing in a playoff to Kenny Perry at the FBR Open. He also finished tied for seventh at the Deutsche Bank Players Championship of Europe on the European Tour in 2007, signaling his growing international profile.

Established PGA Tour Career (2010-2014)

Hoffman won his second PGA Tour event at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston, a victory that helped him finish 25th on the money list, his first time inside the top 30. In 2011, he came close to a third win, tying for second at the Valero Texas Open behind Brendan Steele, and in 2012 he tied for second at the Travelers Championship, one stroke behind Marc Leishman.

On November 16, 2014, Hoffman captured his third career PGA Tour win at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba, shooting four rounds in the 60s for a 17-under, one-shot victory over Shawn Stefani and earning $1.098 million. In 2015, he finished ninth at the Masters Tournament, his best major result to that point, and added a runner-up finish at the AT&T Byron Nelson.

Career Peak Era (2015-2017)

Hoffman won the Valero Texas Open in April 2016 for his fourth PGA Tour title, shooting a 3-under-par 69 in the final round to defeat Patrick Reed by one stroke. In April 2017, he opened the Masters with a 65 in windy conditions, taking a four-shot lead, the largest first-round Masters lead since 1941, and led or co-led for most of the third round before a double bogey on the 16th hole. He closed with a 78 to finish tied for 22nd.

Later in 2017, Hoffman narrowly lost to Kevin Chappell for the final automatic Presidents Cup selection but was chosen by the U.S. captain as a pick, and he reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 20th on August 6, 2017. His best major finish remains a tie for ninth at the 2015 Masters, while his top U.S. Open result is eighth in 2017.

Driving Style and Strengths

Hoffman is regarded as a steady ball-striker with a calm, patient temperament that suits both windy coastal venues and high-stakes final rounds. His college and developmental-tour background built a consistent all-around game, allowing him to contend across a wide variety of PGA Tour layouts.

Notable Events and Milestones

Signature moments include his first PGA Tour win at the 2007 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, his third victory at the 2014 OHL Classic at Mayakoba, his 2016 Valero Texas Open title, and his record-tying first-round 65 at the 2017 Masters. He has also represented the United States at the Presidents Cup, following his 2017 captain’s selection.

Charley Hoffman Career Wins

Charley Hoffman has recorded nine professional victories across multiple tours, including four PGA Tour wins, one Korn Ferry Tour (formerly Nationwide Tour) victory, three Gateway Tour wins, and one additional victory. His PGA Tour playoff record stands at 1-3, while his Nationwide Tour playoff record is 1-0.

PGA Tour Highlights

Hoffman’s first PGA Tour title came at the 2007 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, where he birdied the first playoff hole to defeat John Rollins. His most recent PGA Tour victory was the 2016 Valero Texas Open, where he edged Patrick Reed by a single stroke. In between, he added wins at the 2010 Deutsche Bank Championship and the 2014 OHL Classic at Mayakoba, establishing himself as a regular contender on the U.S. circuit.

Other Wins and Performances

Beyond the PGA Tour, Hoffman won the 2004 Permian Basin Charity Golf Classic on the Nationwide Tour, his first professional title, and the 2005 Straight Down Fall Classic alongside Ed Cuff Jr. He has also accumulated three victories on the Gateway Tour, the developmental circuit based largely in the western United States.

Charley Hoffman Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Hoffman was raised in the San Diego area and attended Poway High School, where he developed the competitive habits that carried him into collegiate and professional golf. Public details about his parents and extended family are limited, with available sources focusing primarily on his amateur and professional achievements.

Personal Life

Hoffman married Stacy Vasil in 2009, and the couple has two children. He has long been based in Las Vegas, Nevada, while also spending time in Rancho Santa Fe, California, balancing his home life with his travel demands on the PGA Tour.

2025 Season Performance

Heading into the 2025 PGA Tour season, Charley Hoffman continues his long run as a veteran presence on tour, drawing on more than two decades of professional experience. His career earnings, major-championship appearances, and Presidents Cup selection in 2017 remain reference points for evaluating his ongoing results against a deep field.

As an established tour member, Hoffman approaches 2025 with the goal of contending for a fifth PGA Tour title and improving on his best major finishes, a tie for ninth at the 2015 Masters and eighth at the 2017 U.S. Open. His track record of made cuts and steady ball-striking gives him a credible platform to chase another victory.

With his competitive foundation, his Las Vegas home base, and the support of his family, Hoffman remains a recognizable figure in American professional golf and a player capable of springing surprises on any given week of the 2025 season.