Chris Dimarco

Chris DiMarco Bio

Christian Dean DiMarco, known professionally as Chris DiMarco, is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour Champions. Born on August 23, 1968, in Huntington, New York, he has built a career that includes three PGA Tour victories, one European Tour win, and a peak world ranking of sixth in 2005. Across more than three decades of competitive play, he has become widely respected for his consistency in major championships and his role in some of the most memorable moments in modern golf.

DiMarco is perhaps best known for his narrow losses to Tiger Woods in major championships, including a playoff defeat at the 2005 Masters Tournament and a two-stroke defeat at the 2006 Open Championship at Hoylake. He has also represented the United States in the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, cementing his reputation as a steady and determined competitor on the international stage.

Early Life and Background

Chris DiMarco was born in Huntington, New York, and moved to Florida with his family at the age of seven. He grew up in a sports-oriented household, with both of his older brothers competing as athletes and his father having played college basketball at St. John’s University. This athletic environment helped shape his early interest in competitive sports and introduced him to golf at a young age.

DiMarco attended Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, Florida, where he played for the Patriots golf team. It was during these school years that he began dating his future wife, Amy Curtis, beginning at age 17. Their shared school years and early relationship laid the foundation for a long partnership that continues today.

DiMarco’s nephew, Patrick DiMarco, later became a professional football player, continuing the family’s tradition of athletic achievement across multiple sports.

Path to Professional Golf

DiMarco accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he played for the Gator golf teams under coaches Lynn Blevins and Buddy Alexander from 1987 to 1990. During his college career, he became one of the program’s most decorated players, earning seven individual medalist honors and leading the Gators to a Southeastern Conference team championship in 1989. That same year, he captured the SEC individual title with a three-round score of 209.

His amateur accolades included first-team All-SEC honors in 1989 and 1990, the SEC Player of the Year award in 1990, and All-American recognition in 1988, 1989, and 1990. These achievements reflected his steady rise through the amateur ranks and helped position him for a professional career.

DiMarco turned professional in 1990 and quickly began to make his mark. He won the Canadian Tour’s Order of Merit as the circuit’s leading money earner in 1992, then finished ninth on the second-tier Nike Tour in 1993 to earn his PGA Tour card for 1994.

Chris DiMarco Career

Early Career (1990-1999)

DiMarco’s early professional years required patience and persistence. After earning his PGA Tour card in 1994, he struggled at times to maintain his playing privileges and moved between tours. He captured his first professional victory on the Nike Tour at the 1997 Nike Ozarks Open, a result that helped rebuild his confidence and momentum heading into the next decade.

As he entered his thirties, DiMarco’s game continued to mature. He earned his first PGA Tour victory at the 2000 SEI Pennsylvania Classic, signaling his arrival as a consistent threat on the game’s biggest stages.

PGA Tour Breakthrough (2000-2006)

DiMarco’s second PGA Tour title came at the 2001 Buick Challenge, where he sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to tie David Duval and then won on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. He followed that with a win at the 2002 Phoenix Open, a tournament that became memorable for an infamous moment. As DiMarco was addressing a pressure putt on the famous 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale, a fan yelled “Noonan!” in reference to the movie Caddyshack. DiMarco kept his focus, sank the putt, and then pointed at the fan and asked a tournament official to eject him.

By 2004, DiMarco had posted five consecutive top-20 finishes on the PGA Tour money list and tied for second at the PGA Championship, losing a three-way playoff to Vijay Singh. The following year brought his most famous major championship performance. At the 2005 Masters Tournament, DiMarco battled Tiger Woods in the final round. Woods produced one of the most celebrated chips in Masters history on the par-three 16th hole, a shot that lingered on the lip of the cup before dropping for a birdie that extended his lead. DiMarco ultimately lost in a sudden-death playoff, but the result pushed him into the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings.

He added a third runner-up finish in a major at the 2006 Open Championship at Hoylake, where Woods again edged him by two strokes. DiMarco’s four-round total of 272 came less than three weeks after the death of his mother, a performance widely praised for its composure under difficult personal circumstances.

Later Career and Champions Tour (2007-Present)

DiMarco disclosed a chronic shoulder injury in 2007 and later underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder. Despite the setback, he still finished among the top 25 in six tournaments and earned more than $950,000 in fewer than nine months that year. He has not played a full PGA Tour schedule since 2012 and has transitioned to the PGA Tour Champions, where he continues to compete at a high level.

He has also become a familiar presence on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive, where he offers analysis and insight into the professional game.

Driving Style and Strengths

DiMarco built his reputation as a steady ball striker with strong iron play and a calm temperament under pressure. His birdie at the 2002 Phoenix Open and his clutch putts in Presidents Cup competition highlighted a comfort level in high-stakes situations, while his playoff appearances in major championships reflected both his consistency and his ability to compete against the sport’s elite players.

Notable Events and Milestones

DiMarco represented the United States in the 2003 and 2005 Presidents Cup, sinking a 15-foot putt to beat Stuart Appleby and clinch the 2005 Presidents Cup for the American team. He also played in the Ryder Cup in 2004 and 2006, and reached a career-high world ranking of sixth in May 2005.

Chris DiMarco Career Wins

Across his professional career, Chris DiMarco has recorded eight tournament victories, including three on the PGA Tour, one on the European Tour, and one on what is now the Korn Ferry Tour. He has also won three additional tournaments on developmental circuits and a major title on the Canadian Tour.

PGA Tour Highlights

DiMarco’s three PGA Tour titles came at the 2000 SEI Pennsylvania Classic, the 2001 Buick Challenge, and the 2002 Phoenix Open. His win in Pennsylvania marked his breakthrough, while the Buick Challenge victory featured a dramatic birdie on the 18th hole and a sudden-death playoff win over David Duval. His Phoenix Open win remains one of the most colorful moments in the tournament’s history.

Other Wins and Performances

DiMarco won the Canadian Tour Order of Merit in 1992 as the circuit’s leading money earner, and captured his first professional title at the 1997 Nike Ozarks Open. He has also recorded strong finishes in senior major championships since joining the PGA Tour Champions.

Chris DiMarco Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Chris DiMarco was raised in a sports-oriented family. His father played college basketball at St. John’s University, and both of his older brothers were athletes. His nephew, Patrick DiMarco, became a professional football player, continuing the family’s tradition of competitive sports.

Personal Life

DiMarco has been married to Amy Curtis DiMarco since 1991. The couple first met in the seventh grade at Rock Lake Middle School in Longwood, Florida, and later attended Lake Brantley High School together, where they went to their high school prom. They have three children, two daughters and a son. His son, Cristian DiMarco, played golf at the University of South Florida after transferring from Kentucky and turned professional in 2018.

DiMarco hosts the annual “Norma DiMarco Tee Up For Life Golf Tournament” at Heathrow Country Club in Heathrow, Florida, named in honor of his late mother. The event raises funds for R.O.C.K. (Reaching Out to Cancer Kids) and features celebrities and amateurs, with DiMarco personally playing the 12th hole with every foursome.

2025 Season Performance

Chris DiMarco continues to compete on the PGA Tour Champions in 2025, drawing on more than three decades of professional experience. As a senior tour regular, he remains a respected presence in the field and a frequent contributor to Morning Drive on Golf Channel, where his perspective on the modern game is widely valued.

His role on the Champions circuit allows him to balance competitive play with broadcasting commitments and his annual charity tournament. DiMarco’s experience in major championships, including three runner-up finishes, continues to inform his approach to high-pressure moments on the senior stage.

Looking ahead, DiMarco is positioned to remain an influential figure in professional golf, both as a competitor and as a commentator, while his long-running charity event continues to support cancer-related causes in memory of his mother.