Greg Chalmers Bio
Gregory John Chalmers (born 11 October 1973) is an Australian professional golfer who has played primarily on the PGA Tour of Australasia and the PGA Tour of the United States. A two-time winner of the Australian Open, he is best known for his late-career breakthrough on the U.S. circuit, the 2016 Barracuda Championship, which ended one of the longest victory droughts in modern PGA Tour history. Standing 180 cm tall and playing left-handed, Chalmers has combined a steady competitive record in his home region with persistent efforts on the international stage.
Born in Sydney, Australia, Chalmers now splits his time between Perth in Western Australia and Dallas, Texas. He turned professional in 1995 and, more than two decades later, remains an active figure in professional golf, recognized both for his playing record and for his charitable work in the United States.
Early Life and Background
Gregory John Chalmers was born on 11 October 1973 in Sydney, Australia. As a young player, he developed his game within the strong Australian amateur system, which has produced generations of major champions and tour professionals. His early talent was evident in his teenage years, when he began collecting significant domestic and international amateur titles.
Chalmers captured the 1993 Australian Amateur, signaling his arrival as one of the country’s leading prospects. The following year, in 1994, he added the French Amateur to his résumé, further establishing his credentials on an international level. These amateur victories provided the foundation for his decision to turn professional in 1995, beginning a career that would span multiple tours and continents.
Path to Professional Golf
Chalmers made a strong start to his professional career, winning four times in Australia in the years immediately after turning pro in 1995. Among those early victories was the prestigious 1998 Australian Open, a win that announced his quality on the PGA Tour of Australasia. That same year, he finished 25th on the European Tour Order of Merit, demonstrating his ability to compete in Europe as well.
In 1997, Chalmers added the Challenge Tour Championship, the season-ending event of Europe’s second-tier circuit. Returning to the United States, he finished fourth at the 1998 PGA Tour Qualifying School to earn his PGA Tour card for 1999. A poor 2004 season cost him that card, but he regained it by winning the 2005 Albertsons Boise Open on the Nationwide Tour, beginning a long and determined pursuit of a maiden PGA Tour victory.
Greg Chalmers Career
Early Career (1995–2004)
Chalmers began his professional career in 1995 on the PGA Tour of Australasia, where his four early wins, including the 1998 Australian Open, established him as a leading player in his home country. He also competed in Europe, winning the Challenge Tour Championship in 1997 and finishing 25th on the European Tour Order of Merit in 1998. His fourth-place finish at the 1998 PGA Tour Qualifying School earned him a PGA Tour card for the 1999 season.
He played on the PGA Tour through the early 2000s but struggled to consistently maintain his card. A poor 2004 season saw him lose his exempt status, sending him back to the development circuit. His best PGA Tour finishes during this period were a runner-up result at the 2000 Kemper Insurance Open.
Australasian Dominance and Comeback (2005–2014)
Chalmers won the 2005 Albertsons Boise Open on the Nationwide Tour to regain his PGA Tour card, but a difficult 2006 season, in which he made only eight cuts, cost him his status once more. He played the Nationwide Tour again in 2007 and 2008, finishing 8th on the money list in 2008 to return to the main PGA Tour for 2009. His best finish during that return came at the 2009 Buick Open, where he finished second.
His most memorable stretch came in 2011, when he won the Australian Open for the second time, 13 years after his first, holding off late charges by John Senden and Tiger Woods. He followed that with a victory at the Australian PGA Championship, defeating Robert Allenby and Marcus Fraser in a sudden-death playoff, and won the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit. In December 2014, he captured his second Australian PGA Championship in another sudden-death playoff, this time outlasting Wade Ormsby and Adam Scott in what was, at the time, the longest playoff in tournament history.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (2015–2016)
Chalmers began the 2015–16 PGA Tour season with only veteran member status and alternated between the PGA Tour and the Web.com Tour. After 18 years and 386 PGA Tour starts, the most among active PGA Tour players without a win, he broke through at the 2016 Barracuda Championship. Tied with 2013 winner Gary Woodland going to the 18th hole, Chalmers eagled the par-five finishing hole while Woodland bogeyed, giving Chalmers a six-point victory under the tournament’s Modified Stableford scoring system.
At 42, Chalmers became the season’s oldest Tour winner and only the 12th left-hander to win a PGA Tour event. Entering the week ranked 229th in the FedEx Cup and 490th in the world, the win earned him a two-year exemption through the 2017–18 season and a spot in the 2016 Open Championship. He finished 142nd in the FedEx Cup and did not qualify for the postseason.
Later Career and Challenges (2017–2020)
Chalmers was unable to follow up his 2016 breakthrough, and he cut his 2018 season short due to arthritis in his back. He made no starts in 2019 and played under a Major Medical Extension into 2020, when he was unable to meet the terms of that extension and was demoted to the Past Champions Category. He had previously reached a career-best Official World Golf Ranking of 53rd in 2012, with his best FedEx Cup position of 35th also coming that year.
Notable Events and Milestones
Chalmers’ 2016 Barracuda Championship victory is the signature moment of his career, ending a wait of 386 PGA Tour starts without a win, one of the longest in Tour history. His back-to-back Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship wins in 2011, and his marathon 2014 Australian PGA playoff win over Adam Scott, stand as his most celebrated achievements on home soil.
Greg Chalmers Career Wins
Across his career, Greg Chalmers has accumulated 11 professional victories, highlighted by his two Australian Open titles and his lone PGA Tour win at the 2016 Barracuda Championship. His victories span the PGA Tour of Australasia, the European Challenge Tour, the Nationwide Tour, and the PGA Tour.
Australian and Tour Highlights
Chalmers has won five titles on the PGA Tour of Australasia, including the 1998 and 2011 Australian Opens and the 2011 and 2014 Australian PGA Championships. He has twice won the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, in 2011 and 2014, cementing his status as one of the leading Australian players of his generation.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his Australasian victories, Chalmers captured the 1997 Challenge Tour Championship in Europe, and the 2005 Albertsons Boise Open on the Nationwide Tour. He has also recorded two wins on the Australasian Foundation Tour, rounding out a varied set of professional triumphs across multiple circuits.
Greg Chalmers Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Chalmers’ late-career PGA Tour breakthrough in 2016 was, by his own account, particularly meaningful for his family. He is married to Nicole Chalmers, and the couple has children, including a son whose name inspired the title of a charity Chalmers founded in the Dallas area. His dual residence between Perth, Western Australia, and Dallas, Texas, reflects the international scope of his professional and family life.
Personal Life
Outside of competitive golf, Chalmers runs Maximum Chances, a Dallas-area charity for autistic children, whose name is derived from one of his sons. The organization reflects his commitment to giving back to the community that became his second home during his years on the PGA Tour.
2025 Season Outlook
Chalmers continues to be associated with the PGA Tour through his Past Champions Category status, which he has held since 2020. Although he has not added a victory since the 2016 Barracuda Championship, his exempt status keeps him eligible to enter a limited number of PGA Tour events. His primary competitive activity in recent years has centered on Australasian and developmental circuits, as well as selective PGA Tour appearances.
While Chalmers is no longer a regular contender on the PGA Tour, his decorated record in Australian golf, including his two Australian Open titles and multiple Order of Merit crowns, ensures his continued visibility in the sport. In 2025, he is expected to balance occasional PGA Tour starts with commitments on the PGA Tour of Australasia and his charitable endeavors in Dallas.
At 51, Chalmers remains respected within the professional golf community for his longevity and perseverance. Whether competing or contributing off the course through Maximum Chances, he continues to represent the values of persistence and dedication that defined his breakthrough at the 2016 Barracuda Championship.