Johnson Wagner Explained

Johnson Wagner
Fullname:Montford Johnson Wagner
Birth Date:23 March 1980
Birth Place:Amarillo, Texas
Weight:230lb
Residence:Charlotte, North Carolina
Spouse:Katie (Winn) Wagner
Children:Graham, Marianne
College:Virginia Tech
Yearpro:2002
Tour:PGA Tour
(past champion status)
Prowins:7
Pgawins:3
Nwidewins:2
Masters:T36: 2008
Usopen:CUT: 2004, 2007
Open:T58: 2013
Pga:T51: 2011

Montford Johnson Wagner (born March 23, 1980) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.

Early years and amateur career

Wagner was born in Amarillo, Texas and grew up in upstate New York, where his father taught computer sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He caddied for three summers at Hudson National in Westchester County, New York.[1]

Wagner attended Virginia Tech, where he was a golf team member. He was a two-time All-Big East Conference selection and individual medalist at the 2002 Big East Conference Championship. He met his wife, Katie, at Virginia Tech; she was a player on the women's soccer team.[1] Wagner earned a spot in the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Wagner turned professional in 2002 and is currently a PGA Tour member. He was a member of the Nationwide Tour from 2003 to 2006. He earned his PGA Tour card for the 2007 season by finishing 2nd on the money list in the Nationwide Tour in 2006.[2] In 2008 Wagner gained his first PGA Tour victory at the Shell Houston Open. The win earned him an invitation to the Masters Tournament[3] and a two-year Tour exemption.[4]

In 2010, Wagner finished 126th on the PGA Tour after a rally at the season finale fell short, just missing full Tour privileges. He was described as "delighted" because he started the week 153rd on the money list.[5] Wagner's improved position meant avoiding the second stage of PGA Tour Q School and retaining conditional status on the PGA Tour rather than having to play out of the past champions category, earning him a few more starts.

On February 27, 2011, he won the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun in a playoff over Spencer Levin with a par on the first hole and regained his Tour card through 2013.[4] [6] It was the first time since 2000 that a golfer (Robert Allenby) finished 126th on the Tour and won the following season. Johnson won the first full-field event of 2012, the Sony Open in Hawaii,[7] and extended his Tour privileges through 2014. He also moved into the Top 100 in the OWGR for the first time in his career, moving from 198 to 92. Wagner had a disappointing 2014 season on the PGA Tour and finished 150th on the FedEx Cup points list (the last position to retain any PGA Tour status), leaving him conditionally exempt for the 2014–15 season.

Having lost his full playing privileges, Wagner earned entry as a sponsor exemption for the 2015 Shell Houston Open. Wagner lost in a sudden-death playoff to J. B. Holmes on the second extra hole. This moved Wagner from 180th in the FedEx Cup standings to 81st. He would regain his PGA Tour card after finishing 87th in the FedEx Cup.

Amateur wins

this list may be incomplete

Professional wins (7)

PGA Tour wins (3)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1Apr 6, 2008Shell Houston Open−16 (63-69-69-71=272)2 strokes Chad Campbell, Geoff Ogilvy
2Feb 27, 2011Mayakoba Golf Classic−17 (69-66-65-67=267)Playoff Spencer Levin
3Jan 15, 2012Sony Open in Hawaii−13 (68-66-66-67=267)2 strokes Harrison Frazar, Charles Howell III,
Sean O'Hair, Carl Pettersson

PGA Tour playoff record (1–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
12011Mayakoba Golf Classic Spencer LevinWon with par on first extra hole
22015Shell Houston Open J. B. Holmes, Jordan SpiethHolmes won with par on second extra hole
Spieth eliminated by par on first hole

Nationwide Tour wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1Mar 6, 2006Chitimacha Louisiana Open−12 (67-69-69-67=272)1 stroke Chad Collins
2Aug 6, 2006Cox Classic−21 (66-70-64-63=263)4 strokes Craig Bowden

Other wins (2)

Results in major championships

Tournament2004200520062007200820092010201120122013
Masters TournamentT36CUT
U.S. OpenCUTCUT
The Open ChampionshipCUTT58
PGA ChampionshipCUTT51CUT
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Results in The Players Championship

CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Results in World Golf Championships

Tournament20082009201020112012
Match Play
ChampionshipT13
InvitationalT71T36
Champions75
"T" = Tied
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Profile on PGA Tour's official site . April 14, 2015.
  2. Morfit . Cameron . Johnson Wagner is Ready . . January 1, 2007 . April 7, 2008 .
  3. News: Wagner earns Masters berth with first PGA Tour victory . . Associated Press . April 6, 2008 . April 7, 2008 .
  4. News: Green Jr. . Ron . Charlotte's Johnson Wagner finds groove on PGA Tour . . January 28, 2012 . July 24, 2012 . dead . https://archive.today/20130119054453/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/01/28/2967693/wagner-finds-groove.html . January 19, 2013 .
  5. Lavner . Ryan . Wagner remains upbeat despite loss of card . . November 15, 2010 . July 24, 2012.
  6. News: Johnson Wagner wins after playoff . ESPN . Associated Press . February 27, 2011 . July 24, 2012.
  7. News: Johnson Wagner wins PGA Tour's Sony Open . The Seattle Times . January 15, 2012 . August 13, 2012.