| Fred Ridley | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Fred Scobie Ridley |
| Born | (1952-08-16)August 16, 1952 (age 73) Lakeland, Florida, U.S. |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Residence | Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Herndon |
| Children | 3 |
| Career | |
| College | University of Florida |
| Status | Amateur |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | CUT: 1976, 1977, 1978 |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
| U.S. Open | CUT: 1976 |
| The Open Championship | CUT: 1976 |
Fred Ridley | |
|---|---|
| Chairman ofAugusta National Golf Club | |
| Assumed office October 16, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Billy Payne |
Fred Scobie Ridley (born August 16, 1952)[1] is an American amateur golfer and golf administrator who won theU.S. Amateur in 1975, was elected president of theUnited States Golf Association (USGA) in 2004, and then became chairman ofAugusta National Golf Club in 2017.[2]
Fred Scobie Ridley was born on August 16, 1952, inLakeland, Florida.[1] He attendedWinter Haven High School in nearbyWinter Haven, Florida.
Ridley attended theUniversity of Florida inGainesville, Florida.[3] While attending the university, he played for coachBuster Bishop'sFlorida Gators men's golf team and was an alternate on the Gators golf team that won the NCAA national tournament in 1973.[3] He graduated from the University of Florida's College of Business Administration with a bachelor's degree in marketing in 1974.
In 1975, Ridley won theU.S. Amateur, the preeminent amateur golf tournament in the United States, on the James River Course of theCountry Club of Virginia inRichmond, Virginia.[4] He defeatedKeith Fergus in the 36-hole final, having beatenCurtis Strange andAndy Bean in previous rounds of the match-play championship.[5][6] At the end of 1975 Ridley was ranked the #2 amateur in the country byGolf Digest.[7]
In 1976 he won theMonroe Invitational. He also competed in the1976 British Open later in the year. Ridley was a member of the1976 Eisenhower Trophy team. Late in the year he was ranked the #10 amateur in the country byGolf Digest.[7]
In 1977 he competed in theBritish Amateur. In the1977 Walker Cup, he won two singles matches (both againstSandy Lyle) and lost his foursomes match.[8]
Between 1974 and 1977 Ridley was a law student. He earned aJuris Doctor degree fromStetson University College of Law in 1977.
Ridley never turned professional. Ridley remains the last U.S. Amateur champion to have never become a professional golfer.[2] Ridley worked as a lawyer and golf administrator for most of his career.
Ridley still occasionally played notable amateur events, however. For example, Ridley played the 1987British Amateur. He also served as captain for the American sides of the1987 Walker Cup,1989 Walker Cup, and the2010 Eisenhower Trophy.
Ridley was elected president of theUnited States Golf Association (USGA) in 2004.[9] He has also served as co-chairman of the International Golf Federation.[10] He had been elected as a member of the executive board, treasurer, vice president of the USGA, and has also served as the chairman of the USGA's Championship Committee, Amateur Status and Conduct Committee, and International Team Selection Committee.[10] Late in his career he was inducted into theUniversity of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Distinguished Letterwinner."[11]
Ridley, who is a member ofAugusta National Golf Club, served as the competition committee chairman for2011 Masters Tournament. On August 23, 2017, Augusta National announced that Ridley would succeedBilly Payne as chairman of the club.[12] Ridley took over when the club reopened for its 2017–18 season on October 16, 2017.[2]
Ridley works as a commercial real estate lawyer inTampa, Florida.[2][13] He is a partner in the law firm ofFoley & Lardner, and practices in the areas of commercial real estate finance and development, planned unit development, resort development, and multifamily and condominium development.[13] He is married to the former Elizabeth ("Betsy") Herndon, a fellowUniversity of Florida graduate. They have three daughters.[10]
| Tournament | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open | CUT | ||
| The Open Championship | CUT |
Note: Ridley never played in thePGA Championship.
CUT = missed the half-way cut
Amateur
