Greg Chalmers

Greg Chalmers Bio

Gregory John Chalmers (born 11 October 1973) is an Australian professional golfer who has competed across multiple international tours for nearly three decades. Known for his distinctive left-handed swing and the nickname “Snake,” Chalmers built a steady career on the PGA Tour of Australasia, the European Tour, and the PGA Tour. He is a two-time winner of the Australian Open and a one-time PGA Tour champion, having won the 2016 Barracuda Championship after a famously long wait on the main American circuit. He later transitioned to the PGA Tour Champions, where he continues to compete in senior competition.

Early Life and Background

Gregory John Chalmers was born on 11 October 1973 in Sydney, Australia. He grew up in a country where golf has a deep amateur tradition, and he developed his game in local clubs and junior circuits from an early age. Standing 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) tall and listed at 95 kg, Chalmers built the physical frame that would later support a powerful, repeatable swing on tour.

As a young player, he sharpened his skills in competitive amateur golf and quickly established himself as one of Australia’s most promising talents. His early results suggested a player capable of handling pressure, an attribute that would define his later career in sudden-death playoffs and major championships.

Path to Professional Golf

Chalmers’ amateur career peaked in the early 1990s, when he won the 1993 Australian Amateur and followed it up with the 1994 French Amateur title. Those victories gave him visibility within the global amateur game and confirmed his readiness to turn professional.

In 1995, he made the transition, taking up membership on the PGA Tour of Australasia. His strong debut season earned him the PGA Tour of Australasia Rookie of the Year award, signaling the start of a long professional journey that would take him across Australasia, Europe, and the United States.

Greg Chalmers Career

Early Career (1995-2004)

Chalmers turned professional in 1995 and made an immediate impact at home, winning four times in Australia within his first few seasons. His first major breakthrough came in 1998, when he captured the Australian Open, establishing himself as a national champion in only his third full professional year. That same season, he won the Challenge Tour Championship in Europe, finished 25th on the European Tour Order of Merit, and placed fourth at the PGA Tour Qualifying School to earn a PGA Tour card for 1999.

He played on the PGA Tour through the early 2000s, with his best finishes being a runner-up result at the 2000 Kemper Insurance Open and a T4 at the 2000 PGA Championship. A poor 2004 season cost him his PGA Tour card, leading to a return to the development tours.

PGA Tour Breakthrough (2005-2014)

Chalmers won the 2005 Albertsons Boise Open on the Nationwide Tour to regain his PGA Tour card for 2006. After struggling in 2006 and bouncing between the Nationwide Tour and PGA Tour, he finished 8th on the Nationwide Tour money list in 2008 to earn his PGA Tour card for the 2009 season. By 2011, he had re-established himself as a top Australian golfer.

In 2011, Chalmers won the Australian Open for the second time, 13 years after his first, holding off John Senden and Tiger Woods down the stretch. He then captured the Australian PGA Championship later that season, defeating Robert Allenby and Marcus Fraser in a sudden-death playoff. The double victory gave him the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit title.

Three years later, in December 2014, he won his second Australian PGA Championship in one of the longest playoffs in tournament history. Trailing by seven strokes entering the final round, he fired a flawless 64 to force a playoff with Wade Ormsby and Adam Scott. After seven extra holes, Scott three-putted from 30 feet, handing Chalmers the title. The win, his fifth on the PGA Tour of Australasia, also secured him a second Order of Merit crown.

PGA Tour Champions Era (2015-Present)

Chalmers began the 2015-16 PGA Tour season with only veteran member status, splitting time between the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour. His career-defining moment came at the 2016 Barracuda Championship, where he earned his first PGA Tour victory after 18 years and 386 starts, the longest wait among active PGA Tour players without a win at that time. Tied with Gary Woodland going to the 18th hole, he eagled the par-five finishing hole for a six-point win under the tournament’s Modified Stableford scoring system.

At 42, he was the season’s oldest PGA Tour winner and only the 12th left-hander to win a PGA Tour event. The victory lifted him from 490th to 231st in the world rankings and earned him a two-year exemption, including entry into the 2016 Open Championship. He has since moved to the PGA Tour Champions, where he continues to compete in senior events while based in the United States.

Back problems cut short his 2018 season, and he made no starts in 2019. He played on a Major Medical Extension into 2020, but was unable to meet the terms and was moved to the Past Champions Category, leading to his current status on the senior tour.

Driving Style and Strengths

Chalmers is one of the few left-handed players to win on the PGA Tour, and his game has long been built around accuracy, course management, and a strong short game. He is known for his composure in pressure situations, particularly in sudden-death playoffs, where he has compiled an impressive winning record across the Australasian, Nationwide, and Challenge Tours.

Notable Events and Milestones

His 2016 Barracuda Championship victory stands as the signature moment of his career, ending one of the longest win droughts in PGA Tour history. His back-to-back Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship wins in 2011, plus his marathon 2014 Australian PGA playoff against Adam Scott, are also defining achievements.

Greg Chalmers Career Wins

Across his career, Chalmers has accumulated 11 verified professional wins spanning the PGA Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia, Korn Ferry Tour (formerly Nationwide Tour), Challenge Tour, and other developmental circuits. He has also posted strong results in major championships, with his best finish being a T4 at the 2000 PGA Championship.

PGA Tour Highlights

Chalmers has one PGA Tour victory: the 2016 Barracuda Championship. He finished runner-up twice on the PGA Tour, at the 2000 Kemper Insurance Open and the 2009 Buick Open, before finally breaking through nearly two decades after his first PGA Tour start.

Other Wins and Performances

Chalmers has won five times on the PGA Tour of Australasia, including the 1998 and 2011 Australian Opens and the 2011 and 2014 Australian PGA Championships. He has also won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, including the 2005 Albertsons Boise Open, and once on the Challenge Tour (1997 Challenge Tour Championship). He was the 1995 PGA Tour of Australasia Rookie of the Year and won the Order of Merit in 2011 and 2014. His career-best Official World Golf Ranking was 53rd, reached on 9 September 2012, and his best FedEx Cup position was 35th in 2012.

Greg Chalmers Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Greg Chalmers was raised in Sydney, Australia, and developed his early golf in a country with a deep amateur tradition. Specific details about his parents and family lineage are not widely documented in public sources.

Personal Life

Chalmers is married to Nicole, and the couple has two children. He splits his residence between Perth, Western Australia, and Dallas, Texas, in the United States. Outside of golf, he runs a Dallas-area charity for autistic children called Maximum Chances, an organization whose name is derived from one of his sons.

2025 Season Performance

Greg Chalmers continues his career on the PGA Tour Champions, where he is a regular competitor in senior events across the United States. As a former PGA Tour winner, he holds full status on the Champions tour, allowing him to plan a steady schedule of events in 2025.

His experience and history of clutch play in sudden-death playoffs have translated well to senior competition, where course management and short-game precision are often decisive. With his exemption status secure, Chalmers can focus on chasing a maiden Champions tour victory in 2025.

While arthritis in his back limited his PGA Tour schedule in recent years, he has spoken positively about his conditioning heading into the 2025 season. Fans can expect him to feature in a number of marquee Champions events throughout the year, including major senior championships and invitationals.