# Mark O'Meara
**Mark O'Meara** (full name Mark Francis O'Meara) is an American professional golfer who won 16 [PGA Tour](https://www.edgepedia.org/pga-tour) titles, including the 1998 Masters and the 1998 Open Championship, and was elected to the [World Golf Hall of Fame](https://www.edgepedia.org/world-golf-hall-of-fame) in 2015[1](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/header/files/2010_champions.pdf) • [2](https://www.theopen.com/latest/2019/01/mark-omeara-profile). His 1998 season, at age 41, made him the oldest player to win two major championships in the same year[3](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/127th-open-royal-birkdale-1998).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Francis O'Meara[1](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/header/files/2010_champions.pdf) |
| Turned professional | 1980, qualifying for the PGA TOUR the same year[4](https://www.dosdays.co.uk/media/games/pga/pga-tour-golf_dos_manual.pdf) |
| PGA Tour wins | 16, including the 1998 Masters and 1998 Open Championship[1](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/header/files/2010_champions.pdf) |
| 1998 season | Masters (279) and Open at Royal Birkdale (280, play-off over Brian Watts); Jack Nicklaus Award as the tour's top player[5](https://pratibhavikash.org/images/img/file/55724661442.pdf) • [3](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/127th-open-royal-birkdale-1998) • [6](https://www.usga.org/clubhouse/40ungatedcontent/omearausam1.html) |
| Majors record | Won none of his first 57 majors, then two of the next three[7](https://www.theopen.com/players/mark-o%27meara) |
| PGA Tour Champions | 3 wins, including the 2010 Senior PLAYERS; $10,104,568 Champions earnings[8](https://www.pgatour.com/player/01887?deviceId=ded56436-315e-4689-a4da-885eacea4131) • [9](https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2024/09/18/hall-of-famer-mark-omeara-retirement-one-last-walk-pebble-beach) |
| Team play | Five-time Ryder Cup player; 5-0 record for captain Arnold Palmer at the 1996 Presidents Cup[9](https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2024/09/18/hall-of-famer-mark-omeara-retirement-one-last-walk-pebble-beach) |
| Hall of Fame | World Golf Hall of Fame, elected 2015[2](https://www.theopen.com/latest/2019/01/mark-omeara-profile) |
## Amateur career
O'Meara played college golf at Long Beach State University, where he was named an NCAA All-American and was later inducted into the university's athletics Hall of Fame[6](https://www.usga.org/clubhouse/40ungatedcontent/omearausam1.html) • [10](https://longbeachstate.com/honors/hall-of-fame/mark-o-meara/6). In 1979, as a Long Beach State golfer, he competed in the California State Amateur Championship at [Pebble Beach Golf Links](https://www.edgepedia.org/pebble-beach-golf-links), the course that became closely associated with his professional career[6](https://www.usga.org/clubhouse/40ungatedcontent/omearausam1.html). He won the U.S. Amateur, a victory he later described as providing crucial confidence for his professional career[6](https://www.usga.org/clubhouse/40ungatedcontent/omearausam1.html).
## PGA Tour career
O'Meara qualified for the PGA TOUR in 1980 and built a reputation over nearly two decades as a consistent, successful player without a major title[4](https://www.dosdays.co.uk/media/games/pga/pga-tour-golf_dos_manual.pdf) • [11](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/05/31/omearas-refrain-fanfare-for-the-common-man/b9c2ffc6-34d5-4277-9c0f-3f39c46d6793/). His early victories included the 1984 Greater Milwaukee Open, the 1985 Bing Crosby Pro-Am, and the 1985 Hawaiian Open[12](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/04/13/the-guy-next-door-brings-it-home/8be89022-80d5-4268-a7cc-b0e3a833ab0c/). He was especially strong at Pebble Beach, winning the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 1989, 1990, 1992, and 1997, and earning the nickname "Prince of Pebble Beach"; five of his first 15 tour victories came at that course[12](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/04/13/the-guy-next-door-brings-it-home/8be89022-80d5-4268-a7cc-b0e3a833ab0c/) • [13](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/1998-pga-tour-year-in-review/). Through 2009 he had made 439 cuts in 656 official events[1](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/header/files/2010_champions.pdf).
## The 1998 season
**1998 Masters.** O'Meara arrived at Augusta National as a solid tour veteran rather than a favorite; on the eve of the tournament few experts were tipping him, with defending champion [Tiger Woods](https://www.edgepedia.org/tiger-woods) the most obvious candidate[14](https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/the-game/mark-omearas-life-changing-year-97268). Playing in his 58th major after 57 without a win, he shot 74-70-68-67 for 279 and won by a single stroke over [David Duval](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-duval) and [Fred Couples](https://www.edgepedia.org/fred-couples), collecting $576,000[7](https://www.theopen.com/players/mark-o%27meara) • [5](https://pratibhavikash.org/images/img/file/55724661442.pdf). The decisive moment was a 20-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole; earlier in the final round he holed birdie putts of 30 and 50 feet at the third and fourth holes[15](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/04/14/masters-bridged-generation-gap/1e8bd6a4-3994-4500-9693-c6f8d546ce05/) • [12](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/04/13/the-guy-next-door-brings-it-home/8be89022-80d5-4268-a7cc-b0e3a833ab0c/). Woods, the previous year's champion, helped him into the green jacket[16](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/us-masters-golf-the-middleaged-strike-back-with-mellow-o-meara-1156079.html).
**1998 Open Championship.** In July at Royal Birkdale, O'Meara shot 72-68-72-68 for 280 and defeated Brian Watts in a four-hole play-off, rallying from two shots behind with birdies at the 11th, 12th, 14th, and 17th in the final round[3](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/127th-open-royal-birkdale-1998). A birdie at the 15th to start the play-off, followed by three pars, was enough for a two-shot win; Woods missed joining the play-off by one stroke[3](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/127th-open-royal-birkdale-1998).
At 41, O'Meara became the oldest player to win two major championships in the same year[3](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/127th-open-royal-birkdale-1998). He credited the late surge to practicing alongside his neighbor at Isleworth in Orlando, Tiger Woods, saying "Tiger's rejuvenated me... He has been a driving force"[7](https://www.theopen.com/players/mark-o%27meara). The two majors were the only ones of his career and the last two victories of his PGA Tour career[17](https://www.golfdigest.com/story/mark-omearas-heartfelt-speech-made-no-mention-of-tiger-woods-impact-on-his-career). Later that year he beat Woods in the final of the World Match Play at Wentworth, reached No. 2 in the world ranking, and received the Jack Nicklaus Award as the PGA Tour's top player for 1998[7](https://www.theopen.com/players/mark-o%27meara) • [18](https://www.independent.ie/sport/omeara-moves-from-bit-part-to-leading-role/26166286.html) • [6](https://www.usga.org/clubhouse/40ungatedcontent/omearausam1.html).
## Later career and PGA Tour Champions
O'Meara remained competitive internationally into his fifties. At the 2013 Open at Muirfield, then 56, he opened with a 67 and lay second after the first round, finishing T58[7](https://www.theopen.com/players/mark-o%27meara). He said of links golf: "It is not about power, it is about creativity, shot process, thinking about where you need to land the ball"[7](https://www.theopen.com/players/mark-o%27meara).
On the [PGA Tour Champions](https://www.edgepedia.org/pga-tour-champions) he won three times after turning 50, including a senior major, the 2010 Senior PLAYERS Championship[9](https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2024/09/18/hall-of-famer-mark-omeara-retirement-one-last-walk-pebble-beach) • [8](https://www.pgatour.com/player/01887?deviceId=ded56436-315e-4689-a4da-885eacea4131). His Champions Tour earnings totaled $10,104,568[8](https://www.pgatour.com/player/01887?deviceId=ded56436-315e-4689-a4da-885eacea4131), and his overall career earnings passed $22 million[6](https://www.usga.org/clubhouse/40ungatedcontent/omearausam1.html). He made his final PGA Tour Champions start at the 2024 PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links, the course he called his "true happy place"[9](https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2024/09/18/hall-of-famer-mark-omeara-retirement-one-last-walk-pebble-beach). His Masters career as a past champion ended with his last appearance in 2018[19](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/past-champions-not-playing-the-masters).
## Team competitions and recognition
O'Meara played on five [Ryder Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryder-cup) teams and represented the United States in the [Presidents Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/presidents-cup), going 5-0 under captain [Arnold Palmer](https://www.edgepedia.org/arnold-palmer), then his Orlando neighbor, at the 1996 event[9](https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2024/09/18/hall-of-famer-mark-omeara-retirement-one-last-walk-pebble-beach). He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2015[2](https://www.theopen.com/latest/2019/01/mark-omeara-profile). Reflecting on his career, he said he "did not think it could get any better than" 1998[2](https://www.theopen.com/latest/2019/01/mark-omeara-profile).
## References
1. [Mark O'Meara PGA Tour Champions media guide bio (2010), PGA Tour](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/header/files/2010_champions.pdf)
2. [Mark O'Meara Profile, The Open](https://www.theopen.com/latest/2019/01/mark-omeara-profile)
3. [Previous Opens: 127th Open Royal Birkdale 1998, The Open](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/127th-open-royal-birkdale-1998)
4. [PGA Tour Golf manual: Mark O'Meara bio](https://www.dosdays.co.uk/media/games/pga/pga-tour-golf_dos_manual.pdf)
5. [1998 Masters leaderboard and final scores](https://pratibhavikash.org/images/img/file/55724661442.pdf)
6. [Mark O'Meara: U.S. Amateur Victory Provided Crucial Confidence, USGA](https://www.usga.org/clubhouse/40ungatedcontent/omearausam1.html)
7. [Mark O'Meara Player Profile, The Open](https://www.theopen.com/players/mark-o%27meara)
8. [Mark O'Meara PGA Tour Player Profile, Stats, Bio, Career](https://www.pgatour.com/player/01887?deviceId=ded56436-315e-4689-a4da-885eacea4131)
9. [Mark O'Meara looking forward to one more walk at Pebble Beach, PGA Tour (2024)](https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2024/09/18/hall-of-famer-mark-omeara-retirement-one-last-walk-pebble-beach)
10. [Mark O'Meara (1986), Hall of Fame, Long Beach State University Athletics](https://longbeachstate.com/honors/hall-of-fame/mark-o-meara/6)
11. [O'Meara's Refrain: Fanfare for the Common Man, The Washington Post (May 31, 1998)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/05/31/omearas-refrain-fanfare-for-the-common-man/b9c2ffc6-34d5-4277-9c0f-3f39c46d6793/)
12. [The Guy Next Door Brings It Home, The Washington Post (April 13, 1998)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/04/13/the-guy-next-door-brings-it-home/8be89022-80d5-4268-a7cc-b0e3a833ab0c/)
13. [1998 PGA Tour Year In Review, CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/1998-pga-tour-year-in-review/)
14. [How Mark O'Meara's Life Changed In The Space Of 3 Months In 1998, Golf Monthly](https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/the-game/mark-omearas-life-changing-year-97268)
15. [Masters Bridged Generation Gap, The Washington Post (April 14, 1998)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/04/14/masters-bridged-generation-gap/1e8bd6a4-3994-4500-9693-c6f8d546ce05/)
16. [US Masters Golf: The middle-aged strike back with mellow O'Meara, The Independent (April 12, 1998)](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/us-masters-golf-the-middleaged-strike-back-with-mellow-o-meara-1156079.html)
17. [Mark O'Meara's 'heartfelt speech' made no mention of Tiger Woods' impact on his career, Golf Digest](https://www.golfdigest.com/story/mark-omearas-heartfelt-speech-made-no-mention-of-tiger-woods-impact-on-his-career)
18. [O'Meara moves from bit-part to leading role, Irish Independent (December 23, 1998)](https://www.independent.ie/sport/omeara-moves-from-bit-part-to-leading-role/26166286.html)
19. [The 17 Past Champions Not Playing In The 2026 Masters, Golf Monthly](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/past-champions-not-playing-the-masters)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Racket and precision ball sports › Golf › Golfers › Major champions and record-holding golfers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license