Dicky Pride Bio
Richard Fletcher Pride III, known professionally as Dicky Pride, is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour Champions. Born on July 15, 1969, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Pride has spent more than three decades in professional golf, building a career that includes stops on the PGA Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour, and the senior circuit. He is best remembered for his playoff victory at the 1994 Federal Express St. Jude Classic and for his resilient comeback win at the 2021 Mitsubishi Electric Classic.
Early Life and Background
Richard Fletcher Pride III was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a region with a strong tradition of collegiate athletics. He attended Tuscaloosa Academy for his secondary education, where he first developed the competitive game that would later define his professional career. Pride grew up surrounded by the culture of Southeastern Conference sports, and his early training reflected the disciplined, blue-collar style he would carry into tournament play.
Pride went on to attend the University of Alabama, where he joined the Crimson Tide golf team and became one of the conference’s most consistent performers. He was named All-Southeastern Conference in both his junior and senior seasons, establishing himself as a player to watch at the national amateur level. At Alabama, he was also a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, balancing the demands of collegiate competition with the broader campus experience.
Path to Professional Golf
Pride’s amateur career peaked in 1991, when he advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur, signaling that he was ready for the professional ranks. He turned professional in 1992 and wasted little time testing himself at the highest level, entering that season’s U.S. Open, where he missed the cut. The experience provided a clear picture of the work required to compete week in and week out against the game’s top players.
The following year, Pride earned full status on the PGA Tour through qualifying school, a demanding route that has launched the careers of many prominent players. By his 19th PGA Tour start, he had notched his first victory, proving that his amateur foundation and his quick adjustment to professional competition had prepared him for the spotlight.
Dicky Pride Career
Early Career (1992–1993)
Pride’s transition from amateur golf to the PGA Tour began with a successful run through the 1993 qualifying school, which granted him full membership on Tour. His decision to turn professional in 1992 had already exposed him to major-championship golf, and the additional competitive reps sharpened his approach.
The early years required patience and steady course management, traits that would become hallmarks of Pride’s game. He balanced patience with aggressive shot-making when the situation called for it, building the foundation that would soon produce his breakthrough victory.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (1994–2003)
Pride captured his lone PGA Tour title at the 1994 Federal Express St. Jude Classic, a victory that arrived in only his 19th Tour start. He sealed the win with a birdie on the first extra hole of a sudden-death playoff against Hal Sutton and Gene Sauers, a finish that announced his arrival as a player capable of winning on the biggest stages.
His best result in a major championship came at the 2003 U.S. Open, where he tied for 28th. Pride’s career on Tour, however, was interrupted by severe health problems in 2002, when he battled gall bladder issues, pancreatitis, plantar fasciitis, and broken bones. Those conditions sharply limited his playing time, and for the next decade he split his schedule between the PGA Tour and what was then the Nationwide Tour, now the Korn Ferry Tour.
Comeback Era (2012–2015)
Pride’s career enjoyed a remarkable second chapter beginning in 2012, when he strung together back-to-back top-ten finishes, including a tie for fifth at the Mayakoba Golf Classic and a tie for seventh at the Honda Classic. His best finish since his lone PGA Tour win came at the 2012 HP Byron Nelson Championship, where he finished second to Jason Dufner. Pride was tied for the lead on the 72nd hole, hit his tee shot into a left-side water hazard, but saved par with a 22-foot putt. Dufner’s 25-foot birdie denied Pride what would have been a record-tying long gap between PGA Tour victories. The strong season earned him a full Tour card for 2013 and a return to fully exempt status for the first time since 1999.
After struggling to maintain momentum, Pride spent portions of 2014 and 2015 on the Web.com Tour. He nearly regained his PGA Tour card during the 2014 Web.com Tour Finals, but missed the cut in the final event and finished outside the top 50. In 2015, he won the last regular-season event on the Web.com Tour, jumping from 40th to fifth on the money list and securing a PGA Tour card for the 2015–16 season. It was his first professional win in 21 years.
PGA Tour Champions Era (2021–Present)
In May 2021, Pride won the Mitsubishi Electric Classic at TPC Sugarloaf near Atlanta, Georgia, claiming his first victory on the PGA Tour Champions. He had Monday-qualified into the tournament and won by three strokes, a performance that added a senior title to a résumé that already included a PGA Tour win and a Korn Ferry Tour title. The victory confirmed that his late-career form had translated smoothly to the 50-and-over circuit.
Driving Style and Strengths
Pride is known for a balanced, course-management-driven game, with reliable ball-striking and a willingness to attack pins when the situation demands. He has historically performed well on traditional, shot-making venues, and his comfort on Bermuda-grass layouts such as TPC Sugarloaf has been evident in his senior results. His competitive experience allows him to pair aggressive play with disciplined strategy, particularly in scoring conditions.
Notable Events and Milestones
Pride’s signature moments include his 1994 playoff win at the Federal Express St. Jude Classic and his 2012 near-miss at the HP Byron Nelson Championship, where he was denied by Jason Dufner’s closing birdie. He also secured a memorable Web.com Tour victory in 2015, his first professional win in more than two decades, and celebrated his 50th birthday with a victory at the 2021 Mitsubishi Electric Classic.
Dicky Pride Career Wins
Richard Fletcher Pride III has recorded three verified professional victories: one on the PGA Tour, one on the Korn Ferry Tour, and one on the PGA Tour Champions. Each of those wins arrived in different stages of his career, underlining both the longevity of his game and his ability to win at multiple competitive levels.
PGA Tour Highlights
Pride’s only PGA Tour victory came at the 1994 Federal Express St. Jude Classic, a playoff win over Hal Sutton and Gene Sauers. He was successful in his only PGA Tour playoff, a mark of composure under sudden-death pressure. Decades later, his tie for second at the 2012 HP Byron Nelson Championship came agonizingly close to producing a second Tour title.
Korn Ferry Tour Highlights
Pride won the final regular-season event of the 2015 Web.com Tour season, vaulting from 40th to fifth on the money list and earning a PGA Tour card. The victory, his first professional win in 21 years, is among the most striking comeback stories in modern developmental-tour history.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his three Tour-level wins, Pride has logged steady top-ten finishes across the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour, including a tie for fifth at the Mayakoba Golf Classic and a tie for seventh at the Honda Classic in 2012. He has also appeared in major championships, with his best major result a tie for 28th at the 2003 U.S. Open.
Dicky Pride Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Pride was raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where his family ties remain strong. He attended the University of Alabama, continuing a deep connection to the Tuscaloosa community that has endured throughout his professional career.
Personal Life
Pride lives in Orlando, Florida, with his wife, Kim, and the couple has two children. Despite his Florida residence, Pride remains an avid fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide, reflecting the strong family and regional roots that have shaped his life and career.
2025 Season Performance
Dicky Pride continues his PGA Tour Champions schedule in 2025, building on the momentum of his 2021 Mitsubishi Electric Classic victory. As a past champion on the senior circuit, he maintains a full playing calendar, and his consistent ball-striking remains well-suited to the player-friendly setups common on that tour.
His 2025 outlook is shaped by the same steady course management and competitive experience that have defined his career. With the senior field deep with major-championship pedigree, Pride’s ability to remain patient and capitalize on scoring opportunities will continue to anchor his approach on a week-to-week basis.
Looking ahead, Pride’s senior career is highlighted by the rare distinction of winning on the PGA Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour, and the PGA Tour Champions, a triple that cements his reputation as one of the more resilient journeyman players in American professional golf.