Nick Watney Bio
Nicholas Alan Watney, born on April 25, 1981, in Sacramento, California, is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing roughly 180 pounds, he has built a reputation as one of the steady American performers of his generation, particularly during a peak stretch in 2011. The defining moment of his career came at the 2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship, a World Golf Championships event that helped establish his presence among the elite players of his era.
Watney turned professional in 2003 and has remained active on the PGA Tour ever since. He currently makes his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, and his career has produced nine professional titles across multiple tours, including five PGA Tour victories. He reached a career-high ninth place in the Official World Golf Ranking on July 31, 2011, the same year in which he won twice on the PGA Tour.
Early Life and Background
Nicholas Alan Watney was born and raised in Sacramento, California, the son of a family with clear ties to the game of golf. His uncle, Mike Watney, played on the PGA Tour in the 1970s, providing an early window into the life of a touring professional. Although Mike did not offer his nephew a scholarship, the family connection helped shape Watney’s interest in competitive golf from a young age.
Watney played his high school golf at Davis Senior High School in Davis, California, where he developed the fundamentals that would carry him into the collegiate ranks. He then enrolled at Fresno State University, where he played collegiate golf under his uncle Mike Watney, who served as his coach. Despite the family connection, Watney walked on to the team rather than receiving a scholarship, and he went on to earn three-time All-America honors during his time with the Bulldogs.
Path to Professional Golf
Watney’s transition from amateur to professional golf began in 2003, when he turned pro and began his career on smaller developmental circuits. His first professional victory came that same year at the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial on the Canadian Tour, a sign that he was ready to compete at a higher level. The following season, he moved to the Nationwide Tour, the former name of the Korn Ferry Tour, in pursuit of a PGA Tour card.
His Nationwide Tour campaign was capped by a win at the Nationwide Tour Championship, the season-ending event that secured his full PGA Tour qualification. By 2007, Watney had earned his place on golf’s biggest stage in the United States. His uncle’s influence and his own perseverance through the development ladder laid the foundation for what would become one of the more distinguished American careers of his generation.
Nick Watney Career
Early Career (2003–2006)
Watney’s first professional victory came in 2003 at the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial on the Canadian Tour, a confidence-building start to his career. He spent 2004 on the Nationwide Tour, where his game continued to mature against tougher competition. By winning the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship that year, he secured his PGA Tour card and prepared to face the strongest fields in professional golf.
His early years on the PGA Tour were spent learning the rhythm of full-season travel and the demands of contending week after week. The wins he posted on the Canadian and Nationwide Tours gave him the belief that he could compete at the highest level. Those developmental circuits proved to be the necessary proving ground for a player who would soon announce himself on the PGA Tour.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (2007–2010)
Watney’s first PGA Tour title came at the 2007 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a victory that pushed him into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time. Two years later, he captured his second PGA Tour win at the 2009 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, edging John Rollins by one stroke. That result elevated him to a then-career-best 76th in the world rankings.
By 2010, Watney had arrived as a serious contender in major championships. He opened with a flourish at the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, holding a three-shot lead heading into the final round. A closing 81, however, dropped him back to a tie for 18th place, a painful lesson that tempered his breakthrough year. Despite the disappointment, his major-championship resume already included a seventh-place finish at The Open Championship and a tied seventh at the Masters Tournament.
WGC and Signature Years (2011–2012)
Watney’s signature moment arrived in March 2011 at the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral Golf Resort and Spa. He entered the final round trailing by two strokes but shot a closing 67, including four birdies in five holes and a final birdie at the difficult 18th, to win by two strokes over Dustin Johnson. The victory was his first World Golf Championships title and moved him to 15th in the world rankings. Months later, in July, he won the AT&T National by two strokes over K. J. Choi after firing a course-record 62 in the third round at Aronimink Golf Club, a performance that included a 27 on the back nine and no bogeys in the final round. That win pushed him into the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time and lifted him to the top of the FedEx Cup standings, ultimately finishing third on the PGA Tour money list.
In 2012, Watney added two more titles. He won The Barclays at Bethpage Black, the opening event of the FedEx Cup playoffs, finishing three strokes clear of Brandt Snedeker. Later that year, he captured the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, an event co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the Asian Tour, with a closing course-record 61. He also made history at the 2012 U.S. Open at the Olympic Club, becoming only the third player to record a double eagle in U.S. Open history, doing so on the par-five 17th hole during the first round. The season ended with a fourth-place finish in the FedEx Cup standings.
Later PGA Tour Years (2013–2020)
Watney’s form softened in the years following his 2011 peak, though he remained a consistent presence on the PGA Tour. In 2013, he finished second at the BMW Championship and posted four additional top-10 finishes, ending the year 24th on the money list. The 2014 season was tougher, with only two top-10 results and a drop to 106th on the money list, before a modest rebound in 2015 brought three top-10s and a 55th-place money-list finish.
A herniated disc in his lower back limited him to five events the following season and forced him to play the 2016–17 campaign on a Major Medical Extension. He returned to full-time play and tied for second at the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship, ending that year 88th on the money list and 74th in the final FedEx Cup standings. On June 19, 2020, while playing the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, Watney became the first PGA Tour player to test positive for COVID-19, a sobering milestone in the tour’s pandemic-era restart.
Notable Events and Milestones
Beyond his WGC victory, Watney’s career is studded with signature moments. His 2011 AT&T National third-round 62 set a course record at Aronimink and included a 27 on the back nine that tied for the second-lowest nine-hole score in PGA Tour history. He helped the United States win the 2011 Presidents Cup in Melbourne, defeating K. J. Choi in a key singles match. His 2012 U.S. Open double eagle made him just the third player in tournament history to achieve the feat, and his CIMB Classic title in the same year gave him a win on the Asian Tour.
Nick Watney Career Wins
Watney has recorded nine professional victories across the PGA Tour, the European Tour, the Asian Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour, and developmental circuits. Five of those wins have come on the PGA Tour, with additional titles on the European Tour, Asian Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, Canadian Tour, and other events. His career win list spans from his 2003 Canadian Tour breakthrough to his 2012 CIMB Classic triumph, with a 2011 double on the PGA Tour standing as the high-water mark.
PGA Tour Highlights
Watney’s five PGA Tour titles include the 2007 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the 2009 Buick Invitational, the 2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship, the 2011 AT&T National, and the 2012 Barclays. The WGC-Cadillac Championship remains the most prestigious of his victories, while the AT&T National featured one of the most dominant single rounds of his career. His PGA Tour success has also produced strong major-championship results, including a T7 at the 2010 Masters and a T7 at the 2010 Open Championship.
Nick Watney Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Watney comes from a family with deep roots in golf. His uncle, Mike Watney, played on the PGA Tour in the 1970s and later coached his nephew at Fresno State University. Mike did not offer Nick a scholarship, requiring him to walk on to the Fresno State team, a decision that helped forge a determined work ethic. Watney’s cousin is journalist Heidi Watney, adding another notable public figure to the family’s reach.
Personal Life
Watney resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, the city he has called home for much of his PGA Tour career. Public details about his personal life remain limited, with most of his public profile tied to his results on the course and his family’s golfing heritage.
2025 Season Performance
As of the 2025 PGA Tour season, Watney continues to compete at the highest level of professional golf, drawing on more than two decades of experience. His role as a veteran presence on the tour has shifted toward consistent play and the mentorship that comes with longevity, rather than the headline-grabbing form of his 2011 peak. With PGA Tour status secured, his schedule reflects a measured approach designed to maximize effectiveness in selected events.
Watney’s 2025 outlook remains anchored in steady competitive play and the pursuit of selective, high-quality starts. While his best results may be behind him, his track record of making cuts and posting solid finishes has kept him a familiar name in the field. The season is likely to be defined by his ability to remain competitive on courses that reward accuracy and experience.
