# Russell Henley
**Russell Henley** (full name Russell Chapin Henley, born 1989 in [Macon, Georgia](https://www.edgepedia.org/macon-georgia)) is an American professional golfer who plays on the [PGA Tour](https://www.edgepedia.org/pga-tour), where he has won six times, including the 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii in his tour debut and the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational.[1](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/commentator_resources/field_list_notes/04-14-2026-rbc-heritage-field-notes.pdf) • [2](https://www.usopen.com/players/34098.html) • [3](https://www.pgachampionship.com/player/russell-henley) He has been ranked as high as sixth in the [Official World Golf Ranking](https://www.edgepedia.org/official-world-golf-ranking) and qualified for the United States Ryder Cup team in 2025.[1](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/commentator_resources/field_list_notes/04-14-2026-rbc-heritage-field-notes.pdf) • [4](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/ryder-cup-team-usa-2025-players)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1989, Macon, Georgia; residence Columbus, Georgia[1](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/commentator_resources/field_list_notes/04-14-2026-rbc-heritage-field-notes.pdf) |
| Turned pro / college | 2011; University of Georgia, consumer economics degree, 2011[1](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/commentator_resources/field_list_notes/04-14-2026-rbc-heritage-field-notes.pdf) |
| PGA Tour wins | Six, among nine worldwide victories; most recent the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge on May 31[2](https://www.usopen.com/players/34098.html) |
| Debut win | 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii, first PGA Tour start as a member; first debutant champion in 12 years, with three rounds of 63[5](https://www.theopen.com/players/russell-henley) |
| Best major results | T3 at the 2026 Masters, two shots behind Rory McIlroy; fifth at the 2024 Open at Royal Troon[5](https://www.theopen.com/players/russell-henley) |
| National teams | Palmer Cup wins 2010 and 2011; Walker Cup 2011; Presidents Cup 2024; Ryder Cup 2025 (qualified fourth)[6](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/team-usa-ryder-cup-rookies-2025) • [5](https://www.theopen.com/players/russell-henley) |
| Rankings (2026) | OWGR 6; FedExCup rank 15 entering the RBC Heritage[1](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/commentator_resources/field_list_notes/04-14-2026-rbc-heritage-field-notes.pdf) |
## Amateur and college career
Henley played college golf at the [University of Georgia](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-georgia), graduating in 2011 with a degree in consumer economics.[1](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/commentator_resources/field_list_notes/04-14-2026-rbc-heritage-field-notes.pdf) He won back-to-back Georgia Amateur titles in 2008 and 2009 and matched Chris Kirk's record of seven victories in Georgia Bulldogs golf history.[7](https://foregeorgia.com/macon-native-ex-bulldog-wins-big-in-hawaii/) For the 2009–2010 season he was named Georgia's Student-Athlete of the Year after helping the Bulldogs win SEC titles in his junior and senior years.[8](https://www.golfmonthly.com/tour/russell-henley-american-golfer-facts-bio-wins)
As an amateur he tied for 16th at the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and was named America's outstanding college player that year. He earned a Walker Cup appearance in 2011, with [Jordan Spieth](https://www.edgepedia.org/jordan-spieth), Harris English, and [Patrick Cantlay](https://www.edgepedia.org/patrick-cantlay) as teammates, and became only the second amateur to win a Nationwide Tour event, taking a title while still a member of the Georgia team.[5](https://www.theopen.com/players/russell-henley) • [7](https://foregeorgia.com/macon-native-ex-bulldog-wins-big-in-hawaii/) He also won the Palmer Cup with the United States side in 2010 and 2011.[6](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/team-usa-ryder-cup-rookies-2025) He collected three titles in 31 starts on the Nationwide/Web.com Tour and won twice in his final season there to claim his PGA Tour card.[7](https://foregeorgia.com/macon-native-ex-bulldog-wins-big-in-hawaii/) • [9](https://www.golfchannel.com/news/russell-henley-feeds-fellow-pga-tour-rookies-sony-open-hawaii)
## PGA Tour career
**Debut victory.** He was the tour's first debutant champion in 12 years, and the win earned an invitation to the 2013 Masters, where he finished T6.[5](https://www.theopen.com/players/russell-henley) • [7](https://foregeorgia.com/macon-native-ex-bulldog-wins-big-in-hawaii/) • [1](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/commentator_resources/field_list_notes/04-14-2026-rbc-heritage-field-notes.pdf)
**Subsequent wins.** His 2022 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba was his first PGA Tour victory in five years.[10](https://dujseks5cqq0r.cloudfront.net/player/russell-henley) In March 2025 he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, his fifth career tour victory, sealing the comeback win with a chip-in eagle that beat [Collin Morikawa](https://www.edgepedia.org/collin-morikawa); it was his first tour win since November 6, 2022, a gap of 854 days.[3](https://www.pgachampionship.com/player/russell-henley) • [11](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoaySScpcF8) In May 2026 he won the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club, his sixth tour success, birdieing the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes in the final round to force a playoff with Eric Cole and winning at the 18th.[2](https://www.usopen.com/players/34098.html) • [5](https://www.theopen.com/players/russell-henley) • [12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFTWLGdB7WQ)
**Majors.** Henley has not won a major championship. He played 33 majors before recording his first top-10, and his best [PGA Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/pga-championship) finish is T12 (2015).[13](https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/us/tour/player-profiles/russell-henley/) • [3](https://www.pgachampionship.com/player/russell-henley) Since 2023 he has been a model of consistency in the big events, with seven top-10s in majors, including three in a row at The Open: fifth at Royal Troon in 2024, T10 at Royal Portrush in 2025, and T9 at Royal Birkdale in 2026.[5](https://www.theopen.com/players/russell-henley) His closest approach to a major title came at the 2026 Masters, where he finished T3, two shots behind winner [Rory McIlroy](https://www.edgepedia.org/rory-mcilroy).[5](https://www.theopen.com/players/russell-henley)
## Playing style and statistics
Players and caddies on tour identify Henley's iron play as his strength.[14](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/the_cut/2026/2026-api-master-script.pdf) His putting has been exceptional by tour standards: in the 2024 season he 3-putted just 13 times in 1,314 holes.[15](https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/data-reveals-how-many-3-putts-amateur-golfers-make-per-round) He started working with putting coach Phil Kenyon three years before the 2025 Bay Hill win and credits Kenyon with substantial improvement on the greens.[14](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/the_cut/2026/2026-api-master-script.pdf) He is one of three players in the world top 10 who use the claw putting grip, along with [Scottie Scheffler](https://www.edgepedia.org/scottie-scheffler) and Collin Morikawa.[16](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/putter-claw-grip-scottie-scheffler-taking-over-open-championship) In the 2026 season he led the tour in scrambling and was on pace for the highest scrambling percentage of his career.[17](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/files/tours/2026/pgatour/charlesschwabchallenge/shotlinkAnalysis/Broadcast%20Notes.pdf)
His 2018 Houston Open win featured one of the best recorded putting performances in the ShotLink era (since 2003).[18](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/files/tours/2018/pgatour/houstonopen/maintainShotlinkReports/shotlink.pdf) By March 2025 he had earned over $33 million in official PGA Tour career money.[8](https://www.golfmonthly.com/tour/russell-henley-american-golfer-facts-bio-wins)
## National teams
Henley represented the United States as an amateur at the 2011 Walker Cup and won the Palmer Cup in 2010 and 2011.[6](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/team-usa-ryder-cup-rookies-2025) As a professional, his 2024 resurgence placed him on the US Presidents Cup team, and a win in Canada marked his third victory from four national team appearances, his only defeat coming at the 2011 Walker Cup.[6](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/team-usa-ryder-cup-rookies-2025) He qualified fourth for the 2025 US Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black, his [Ryder Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryder-cup) debut, after the Arnold Palmer Invitational win and a stretch from the Memorial Tournament in June in which he logged five top-10s in seven starts.[4](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/ryder-cup-team-usa-2025-players)
## Personal life
Henley is married to Teil Duncan, a painter based in [Charleston, South Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/charleston-south-carolina); the couple have children Robert Russell, Ruth Teil, and Jane Edith.[3](https://www.pgachampionship.com/player/russell-henley) • [1](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/commentator_resources/field_list_notes/04-14-2026-rbc-heritage-field-notes.pdf) He is an avid guitar player and has performed onstage with [O.A.R.](https://www.edgepedia.org/o-a-r) and [Darius Rucker](https://www.edgepedia.org/darius-rucker) at PGA Tour events.[3](https://www.pgachampionship.com/player/russell-henley) He established the Kevin Brown Celebrity Classic Golf Tournament, which benefits the Macon Rescue Mission and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, providing medical care in his hometown.[3](https://www.pgachampionship.com/player/russell-henley)
## References
1. [RBC Heritage Field Notes, PGA Tour (April 2026)](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/commentator_resources/field_list_notes/04-14-2026-rbc-heritage-field-notes.pdf)
2. [Russell Henley, US Open player profile](https://www.usopen.com/players/34098.html)
3. [Russell Henley, PGA Championship player profile](https://www.pgachampionship.com/player/russell-henley)
4. [Ryder Cup Team USA 2025: All 12 Players Confirmed, Golf Monthly](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/ryder-cup-team-usa-2025-players)
5. [Russell Henley, The Open player profile](https://www.theopen.com/players/russell-henley)
6. [meet the four rookies set to represent team usa at the 2025 ryder cup](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/team-usa-ryder-cup-rookies-2025)
7. [Macon native, ex-Bulldog wins big in Hawaii, FORE Georgia](https://foregeorgia.com/macon-native-ex-bulldog-wins-big-in-hawaii/)
8. [Russell Henley: 18 Facts About The American PGA Tour Pro, Golf Monthly](https://www.golfmonthly.com/tour/russell-henley-american-golfer-facts-bio-wins)
9. [Henley feeds off fellow PGA Tour rookies at Sony, Golf Channel](https://www.golfchannel.com/news/russell-henley-feeds-fellow-pga-tour-rookies-sony-open-hawaii)
10. [Russell Henley player profile](https://dujseks5cqq0r.cloudfront.net/player/russell-henley)
11. [Russell Henley Wins Arnold Palmer Invitational 2025, USA TODAY News video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoaySScpcF8)
12. [Russell Henley birdies 16, 17 & 18 to force playoff and wins, Charles Schwab 2026 video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFTWLGdB7WQ)
13. [Who is Russell Henley?, National Club Golfer](https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/us/tour/player-profiles/russell-henley/)
14. [2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational broadcast script, PGA Tour](https://internationalmedia.pgatour.com/uploads/the_cut/2026/2026-api-master-script.pdf)
15. [Data Reveals How Many 3-Putts Amateur Golfers Make Per Round, Golf Monthly](https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/data-reveals-how-many-3-putts-amateur-golfers-make-per-round)
16. [Is The Claw Grip Taking Over?, Golf Monthly](https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/putter-claw-grip-scottie-scheffler-taking-over-open-championship)
17. [2026 Charles Schwab Challenge ShotLink Broadcast Notes, PGA Tour](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/files/tours/2026/pgatour/charlesschwabchallenge/shotlinkAnalysis/Broadcast%20Notes.pdf)
18. [2018 Houston Open ShotLink & Broadcast Window Notes, PGA Tour](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/files/tours/2018/pgatour/houstonopen/maintainShotlinkReports/shotlink.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Racket and precision ball sports › Golf › Golfers › Golfers by nationality and home region*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license