Casey Martin

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Casey Martin (born June 2, 1972 in Eugene, Oregon) is an American professional golfer. He still resides in Eugene. He was educated at Stanford University, and was briefly a teammate of Tiger Woods. He was three times all Pac-10 and was a member of the University's NCAA-champion 1994 team. He turned pro in 1995.

Martin suffers from a birth defect in his right leg known as Klippel Trenaunay Weber syndrome. Martin successfully sued the PGA Tour in 2001 for the right to use a golf cart during competition under the Americans with Disabilities Act. During the years that the suit wound through the courts, he enjoyed limited success on the golf course, and throughout, was permitted to use a golf cart. In 1998, he won a NIKE Tour event, the Lakeland Open, in a playoff, thus assuring himself of remaining on the tour the following year and securing a five-year exemption from the first round of Qualifying School (Q-School), the competition whereby golfers seek to secure places on both the PGA Tour and the NIKE Tour (later the Buy.com Tour, and now the Nationwide Tour), the second-level competition. Also in 1998, he attained a career highlight by finishing tied for 23rd at the U.S. Open, and briefly contending for the lead before falling back.

In late 1999, by finishing 14th on the NIKE Tour money list, he secured a spot on the PGA Tour. He could only finish 179th on the money list in 2000 and failed to keep his card through his earnings on the PGA Tour. As a PGA Tour cardholder for 2000 he began at the final stage of that year's Q-School, but narrowly failed to keep his spot (finishing tied for 37th, when the top 35 and ties qualified), relegating him to the NIKE Tour once more.

He kept full status on the NIKE Tour through 2003, but failed to make the Q-School finals in 2003, relegating him to a limited status (he played nine tournaments) in 2004. In 2004 (following the expiration of his five-year exemption from the first round of Q-School), he advanced from the first round to the second of the three rounds, but no further, and only had limited status in 2005, playing nine tournaments on the tour and making two cuts. In addition, through a sponsor's exemption, he played the PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, making the cut and finishing tied for 65th. He failed to advance from the first round of Q-School in 2005. He played five Nationwide Tour events in 2006, making the cut once, for a total earnings of $1,328.[1]

In May 2006, he was named head coach of the University of Oregon's men's golf team in his hometown of Eugene, after working as a volunteer assistant during the 2006 season.[2]. He has indicated he hopes to continue to play, where it fits in with his coaching schedule.[3]

Martin did not play in Q-School in 2006. He will have to rely on sponsors' exemptions and Monday qualifying if he wishes to enter tournaments in 2007.