Eric Cole Bio
Eric James Cole (born June 12, 1988) is an American professional golfer from Delray Beach, Florida, who plays on the PGA Tour. He was awarded the 2022–23 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, becoming the second-oldest player to receive the honor since its inception in 1990. Cole is the son of professional golfers Bobby Cole and Laura Baugh, and he turned professional in 2009 after a successful amateur career that began in childhood.
Early Life and Background
Eric James Cole was born on June 12, 1988, in Palm Springs, California, the year after his parents remarried, two years after their divorce. He grew up as one of seven siblings in a household deeply connected to professional golf. With both of his parents active on tour, Cole spent much of his youth on golf courses and began playing the game seriously at age 11. He never worked with coaches other than his mother and father, learning the fundamentals of the sport directly from two accomplished players.
At 14, while playing high school golf, Cole became a friend of Sam Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer. Through that friendship, Cole met Palmer, and the three often played together at Palmer’s home clubs, Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Florida and Latrobe Country Club in Pennsylvania. In later years, Cole also caddied for Saunders at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour, an experience that exposed him to the highest levels of professional tournament golf.
Path to Golf
Cole attended Nova Southeastern University, where he continued to develop his game while competing at the collegiate level. After turning professional in 2009, he began working his way through the developmental ranks, starting with the Minor League Golf Tour. He quickly established himself as a dominant force on that circuit, winning the tour championship in 2009 and again in 2021, while also collecting 56 total victories across the developmental circuit.
His transition toward the top tier of professional golf came through the Korn Ferry Tour. Cole earned his Korn Ferry Tour card in 2017, playing eight events and making two cuts, with a best finish of a tie for 39th. He returned to the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2021 season and made 31 starts, posting his first top-10 finish at the Savannah Golf Championship in October 2020, where he tied for third. He added five more top-10s in 2022, including two third-place finishes, building the resume that would eventually carry him to the PGA Tour.
Eric Cole Career
Early Career (2009–2020)
Cole’s early professional years were spent primarily on the Minor League Golf Tour, where he became one of the circuit’s most consistent winners. His 12 documented Minor League Golf Tour victories, combined with two tour championship titles in 2009 and 2021, established him as a top player at the developmental level. In 2019, he captured the Minor League Golf Tour money list title, capping a steady climb through the lower professional ranks.
He also tested himself against stronger competition whenever possible, including a start at the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course. That major-championship debut ended with a missed cut after rounds of 77 and 73, but the experience reinforced his long-term goal of reaching the PGA Tour full time. By the end of 2022, he had built the body of work needed to make that jump.
Korn Ferry Tour Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Cole’s breakthrough on the Korn Ferry Tour came during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. After a slow start in his initial 2017 stint, his return in 2021 produced 31 starts and a series of steadily improving finishes, headlined by a tie for third at the Savannah Golf Championship in October 2020. The following year, he recorded five top-10 results, including two third-place finishes, which positioned him near the top of the eligibility rankings.
The decisive moment came at the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Championship, where Cole finished tied for third to lock up his PGA Tour card for the 2023 season. That result marked the culmination of a multi-year climb through the developmental system and confirmed his status as a player ready for the top level of professional golf.
PGA Tour Era (2023–Present)
Cole’s PGA Tour career began in dramatic fashion. In February 2023, he finished tied with Chris Kirk atop the leaderboard at the Honda Classic before falling in a playoff, losing to Kirk’s birdie on the first extra hole. Despite the loss, the performance announced his arrival on tour and led to his being voted the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for the 2022–23 season. At 35 years old, he became the second-oldest player to receive the award, trailing only Todd Hamilton, who was 38 when he won it in 2004.
Cole reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 36 on February 25, 2024, reflecting the consistency he brought to his early PGA Tour schedule. His major-championship results include a tie for 15th at the 2023 PGA Championship, a tie for 39th at the 2023 U.S. Open, a 52nd-place finish at the 2024 Masters Tournament, and a tie for 31st at the 2024 Open Championship. He also holds a PGA Tour playoff record of 0–2, with both appearances coming in early tour events.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cole is known for the steady, fundamentals-driven game he developed under the guidance of his parents, Bobby Cole and Laura Baugh. His comfort on a variety of course types stems from years of tournament play across the Minor League Golf Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour, where he faced different grass types and course layouts week after week. His calm, positional approach has translated well to the longer, more strategic setups typical of the PGA Tour.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Cole’s most memorable moments is his playoff loss at the 2023 Honda Classic, which served as a coming-out party during his rookie season. The PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award that followed, awarded for the 2022–23 season, stands as one of the signature achievements of his career. His 2019 Minor League Golf Tour money list victory, along with 12 documented wins on that circuit, underscores the depth of his professional resume.
Eric Cole Career Wins
Eric Cole has accumulated 12 documented professional wins, all recorded on the Minor League Golf Tour. His victories on that developmental circuit include the tour championship in 2009 and again in 2021, along with a money list title in 2019. While he has yet to secure a PGA Tour victory, his runner-up finish at the 2023 Honda Classic and his 2022–23 Rookie of the Year award mark him as one of the tour’s most promising competitors.
Minor League Golf Tour Highlights
Cole’s Minor League Golf Tour career includes 12 confirmed wins, headlined by tour championship victories in 2009 and 2021. His 2019 money list title confirmed his status as the circuit’s top earner that season, and his overall 56-win developmental resume reflects long-term consistency. These results built the foundation for his later success on the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Minor League Golf Tour, Cole has recorded top finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour, including a tie for third at the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Championship that earned him his PGA Tour card. His major-championship appearances and a tie for second at the 2023 Honda Classic round out a portfolio of high-level performances at the sport’s biggest stages.
Eric Cole Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cole comes from one of the most accomplished golf families in American history. His father, Bobby Cole, won the Buick Open on the 1977 PGA Tour and recorded three top-10 finishes in major championships. In 1966, at 18 years old, Bobby Cole became the youngest winner ever of the British Amateur. Cole’s mother, Laura Baugh, was the 1971 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, becoming the youngest winner of that event at 16 years old, and she was named the 1973 LPGA Rookie of the Year.
Personal Life
Eric James Cole resides in Delray Beach, Florida, where he continues to base his professional career. He remains closely connected to his parents and the broader golf world shaped by their legacy, and he has spoken about the influence of his mother and father on his development as a player. Public details about his marital status and immediate family life are not widely documented.
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 PGA Tour season, Cole carried the momentum of a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 36, reached in February 2024. With a full year of experience behind him following his 2022–23 Rookie of the Year campaign, he was positioned to compete consistently on the PGA Tour schedule and chase a first tour title. His track record of top finishes, including a runner-up at the 2023 Honda Classic, suggested he was a strong candidate to contend in 2025.
Cole’s major-championship experience gained across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, including top-20 showings at the PGA Championship and the Open Championship, provided a baseline for measuring his 2025 progress. He continued to draw on the steady, fundamentals-first approach he developed under his parents, while adapting to the demands of full-time PGA Tour play.
Looking ahead, Cole’s outlook for 2025 centered on converting strong play into a breakthrough victory and pushing deeper into the FedExCup standings. With multiple seasons of PGA Tour experience now in hand, he remained one of the tour’s most intriguing veteran rookies-turned-stalwarts, aiming to add a tour win to a resume that already includes developmental-circuit titles and a Rookie of the Year honor.
