View source for Arjun Atwal

{{short description|Indian professional golfer}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2013}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name              = Arjun Atwal
| image             = Arjun Atwal.jpg
| imagesize         = 250px
| fullname          = Arjun Singh Atwal
| nickname          =
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1973|3|20|df=y}}
| birth_place       = [[Asansol]], India
| death_date        = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|1973|3|20|df=y}} -->
| death_place       =
| height            = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}
| weight            = {{convert|185|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}
| nationality       = {{IND}}
| residence         = [[Kolkata]], India;<br>[[Windermere, Florida]], U.S.
| spouse            = Sona (m.2000)
| partner           =
| children          = Shiva, Krishen
| college           =
| yearpro           = 1995
| retired           = <!-- Year retired -->
| tour              = [[Asian Tour]]<br/>[[PGA Tour]]<br/>(past champion status)
| extour            = [[European Tour]]<br/>[[Web.com Tour]]
| prowins           = 12
| pgawins           = 1
| eurowins          = 3
| champwins         = <!-- Number of Champions Tour wins -->
| japwins           = <!-- Number of Japan Golf Tour wins -->
| asiawins          = 8 ([[List of golfers with most Asian Tour wins|Tied 6th all time]])
| sunwins           = <!-- Number of Sunshine Tour wins -->
| auswins           = <!-- Number of PGA Tour of Australasia wins -->
| nwidewins           = 1
| otherwins         = 2
| majorwins         = <!-- Number of Major Championship wins -->
| masters           = CUT: 2011
| usopen            = CUT: 2010
| open              = CUT: 2004
| pga               = CUT: 2005, 2011
| wghofid           = <!-- World Golf Hall of Fame member ID -->
| wghofyear         = <!-- World Golf Hall of Fame year inducted -->
| award1            = [[Asian Tour#Order of Merit winners|Asian Tour<br>Order of Merit]]
| year1             = 2003
| award2            =
| year2             =
| awardssection     = <!-- location of awards page or section -->
}}
'''Arjun Singh Atwal''' (born 20 March 1973) is an [[India]]n [[professional golfer]] who has played on the [[Asian Tour]] and the [[European Tour]] and is the first player born in India to become a member of, and later win a tournament on the U.S.-based [[PGA Tour]].

==Early life==
{{BLP unsourced section|date=November 2011}}
Born in a [[Sikh]] family to Harminder Singh Atwal (a well known industrialist) of [[Asansol]] and [[Kolkata]], West Bengal, India. He attended St. James' School in Kolkata. Atwal took up golf at the age of 14, playing at the [[Royal Calcutta Golf Club]] and [[Tollygunge Club]]. He also spent two years at school in the United States, attending [[W. Tresper Clarke High School]], in [[Westbury, New York]].

==Career==
After turning professional in 1995 he became one of the leading players on the Asian Tour, topping the order of merit in 2003 and becoming the first man to win a million U.S. dollars on the tour by winning the Hero Honda Masters on home soil in the same year. Atwal was the second Indian golfer to earn membership of the European Tour after [[Jeev Milkha Singh]] and the first to win on a European Tour event when he notched up a five stroke victory in the 2002 [[Caltex Singapore Masters]], which was co-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours. A second European Tour win followed at the [[Carlsberg Malaysian Open]] in 2003. Late in the same year Atwal finished seventh at the PGA Tour's [[qualifying school]] in the U.S., earning a PGA Tour card for 2004, making him the first native East Indian golfer to do so. (The most famous golfer of Indian origin, longtime PGA Tour mainstay and multiple major winner [[Vijay Singh]], is a native of [[Fiji]].) In his 2004 rookie season on the PGA Tour, he finished 142nd on the money list.

In 2005, Atwal came close to winning on the PGA Tour numerous times, most notably at the [[BellSouth Classic]] in April. After posting a 64 (the low round for any golfer in the tournament) in the final round of the rain-shortened event, he wound up in a five-man sudden death playoff along with [[Rich Beem]], [[José María Olazábal]], [[Brandt Jobe]] and [[Phil Mickelson]]. On the first hole of the playoff, the par-5 18th, Atwal's second shot went into the water, yet he almost holed his fourth shot. If he had done so, he would have made birdie and won (Mickelson, Beem and Olazabal made pars, while Jobe bogeyed.) After two-putting the green, Atwal made bogey, and he and Jobe were eliminated. Mickelson went on to win the tournament. Atwal finished 82nd on the money list in 2005 to secure his spot on Tour for 2006.

Atwal was involved in a crash possibly associated with street racing on SR 535, in Windermere, Florida, on 10 March 2007, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.<ref>[http://www.sportinglife.com/golf/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=golf/07/03/12/GOLF_Atwal.html Atwal Investigated After Crash Death]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930043844/http://www.sportinglife.com/golf/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=golf%2F07%2F03%2F12%2FGOLF_Atwal.html |date=30 September 2007 }}</ref> Atwal was not injured, and after a year of investigation, the case was closed with no charges filed.<ref>[http://www.newsday.com/sports/golf/ny-spmark085606478mar08,0,1403800.column No charges pressed, so Atwal can press on]</ref> A second driver, John Noah Park, 48, was killed in the incident.

After the 2010 [[RBC Canadian Open]], Atwal lost his PGA Tour card after his medical exemption, received due to a shoulder injury, ran out and he had failed to earn enough money.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.france24.com/en/20100820-indias-atwal-matches-course-record-seize-pga-lead-0 |title=India's Atwal matches course record to seize PGA lead |newspaper=[[France 24]] |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |date=20 August 2010 |access-date=22 August 2010}}</ref> He later regained his playing privileges on the PGA Tour through 2012 and obtained an invitation into the [[2011 Masters Tournament]] by Monday qualifying for and later recording his maiden victory on the PGA Tour at the [[Wyndham Championship]], the final tournament of the regular season. He became the first Indian-born player to ever win on the PGA Tour, and was the first [[Monday qualifier]] to win a PGA Tour event since [[Fred Wadsworth]] won the 1986 [[Southern Open]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=5484273 |title=Arjun Atwal of India gets historic win |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=22 August 2010 |access-date=22 August 2010}}</ref> Because he had lost his tour card, he received no [[FedEx Cup]] points for his victory and had not earned enough points previously to make the playoffs. He has been a neighbour and practice partner of [[Tiger Woods]] for five years at home in Florida.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/07/02/1249707/woods-practice-partner-ties-for.html |title=Woods' practice partner ties for 1st |work=[[The News Tribune]] |date=2 July 2010 |access-date=25 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403032345/http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/07/02/1249707/woods-practice-partner-ties-for.html |archive-date=3 April 2012 }}</ref>

After failing to qualify for the FedEx Cup in 2010, Atwal entered the 2011 playoff series 123rd. Atwal had only two top-10 finishes in the two years after his win and lost his Tour card after the 2012 season. In 2014, Atwal had his first win in four years at the [[Dubai Open (golf)|Dubai Open]] on the [[Asian Tour]]. The win earned Atwal a two-year exemption on the Asian Tour.

==Professional wins (12)==
===PGA Tour wins (1)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner-up
|-
|align=center|1
|22 Aug [[2010 PGA Tour|2010]]
|[[Wyndham Championship]]
|−20 (61-67-65-67=260)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[David Toms]]
|}

'''PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponents!!Result
|-style="background:#F08080;"
|align=center|1
|[[2005 PGA Tour|2005]]
|[[BellSouth Classic]] 
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Rich Beem]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Brandt Jobe]],<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Phil Mickelson]], {{flagicon|ESP}} [[José María Olazábal]]
|Mickelson won with birdie on fourth extra hole<br>Olazábal eliminated by par on third hole<br>Atwal and Jobe eliminated by par on first hole
|}

===European Tour wins (3)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|24 Feb [[2002 European Tour|2002]]
|[[Caltex Singapore Masters]]<sup>1</sup>
|−14 (70-69-67-68=274)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Richard Green (golfer)|Richard Green]]
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|23 Feb [[2003 European Tour|2003]]
|[[Carlsberg Malaysian Open]]<sup>1</sup>
|−24 (62-65-67-66=260)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Retief Goosen]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Brad Kennedy]]
|-
|align=center|3
|align=right|9 Mar [[2008 European Tour|2008]]
|[[Maybank Malaysian Open]]<sup>1</sup> <small>(2)</small>
|−18 (70-68-68-64=270)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Peter Hedblom]]
|}
<sup>1</sup>Co-sanctioned by the [[Asian Tour]]

'''European Tour playoff record (1–1)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|1
|[[2008 European Tour|2008]]
|[[Maybank Malaysian Open]]
|{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Peter Hedblom]]
|Won with par on second extra hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|2
|[[2018 European Tour|2017]]
|[[AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open]]
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Dylan Frittelli]]
|Lost to birdie on first extra hole
|}

===Asian Tour wins (8)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.
!Date
!Tournament
!Winning score
!Margin of<br>victory
!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|14 Mar [[1999 Asian PGA Tour|1999]]
|[[Wills Indian Open]]
|−12 (72-68-66-70=276)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|IND}} [[Shiv Chawrasia]], {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Kang Wook-soon]],<br>{{flagicon|THA}} [[Prayad Marksaeng]]
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|5 Nov [[2000 Asian PGA Tour|2000]]
|[[Hero Honda Masters]]
|−18 (68-68-68-66=270)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Simon Dyson]]
|-
|align=center|3
|align=right|12 Nov 2000
|[[Star Alliance Open]]
|−12 (65-63-68-72=268)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Yeh Wei-tze]]
|-
|align=center|4
|align=right|24 Feb [[2002 Asian PGA Tour|2002]]
|[[Caltex Singapore Masters]]<sup>1</sup>
|−14 (70-69-67-68=274)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Richard Green (golfer)|Richard Green]]
|-
|align=center|5
|align=right|23 Feb [[2003 Asian PGA Tour|2003]]
|[[Carlsberg Malaysian Open]]<sup>1</sup>
|−24 (62-65-67-66=260)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Retief Goosen]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Brad Kennedy]]
|-
|align=center|6
|align=right|11 Nov 2003
|[[Hero Honda Masters]] <small>(2)</small>
|−7 (69-71-70-71=281)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Pablo del Olmo]], {{flagicon|IND}} [[Jyoti Randhawa]],<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Gary Rusnak]]
|-
|align=center|7
|align=right|9 Mar [[2008 Asian Tour|2008]]
|[[Maybank Malaysian Open]]<sup>1</sup> <small>(2)</small>
|−18 (70-68-68-64=270)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Peter Hedblom]]
|-
|align=center|8
|align=right|21 Dec [[2014 Asian Tour|2014]]
|[[Dubai Open (golf)|Dubai Open]]
|−16 (73-65-68-66=272)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Wang Jeung-hun]]
|}
<sup>1</sup>Co-sanctioned by the [[European Tour]]

'''Asian Tour playoff record (1–1)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|1
|[[2008 Asian Tour|2008]]
|[[Maybank Malaysian Open]]
|{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Peter Hedblom]]
|Won with par on second extra hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|2
|[[2017 Asian Tour|2017]]
|[[AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open]]
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Dylan Frittelli]]
|Lost to birdie on first extra hole
|}

===Nationwide Tour wins (1)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!! Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner-up
|-
|align=center|1
|19 Oct [[2008 Nationwide Tour|2008]]
|[[Chattanooga Classic (Nationwide Tour)|Chattanooga Classic]]
|−24 (66-60-66-72=264)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Webb Simpson]]
|}

'''Nationwide Tour playoff record (1–0)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|1
|[[2008 Nationwide Tour|2008]]
|[[Chattanooga Classic (Nationwide Tour)|Chattanooga Classic]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Webb Simpson]]
|Won with birdie on first extra hole
|}

===Other wins (2)===
*1995 DCM Open
*1997 Classic Southern India Open

==Results in major championships==
{| cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" border="1" style="font-size: 95%; border: #aaa solid 1px; border-collapse: collapse;text-align:center;"
|- style="background:#eeeeee;"
!align="left"|Tournament
! 2004 !! 2005 !! 2006 !! 2007 !! 2008 !! 2009 !! 2010 !! 2011
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|}
{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
CUT = missed the half-way cut

==Results in The Players Championship==
{| cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" border="1" style="font-size: 95%; border: #aaa solid 1px; border-collapse: collapse;text-align:center;"
|- style="background:#eeeeee;"
!align="left"|Tournament
!2006!!2007!!2008!!2009!!2010!!2011!!2012
|-
|align=left|[[The Players Championship]]
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T57
|CUT
|}
{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
CUT = missed the half-way cut<br>
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

==Results in World Golf Championships==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Tournament!!2003!!2004!!2005!!2006!!2007!!2008!!2009!!2010!!2011
|-
|align="left"|[[WGC-Match Play|Match Play]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align="left"|[[WGC-Championship|Championship]]
|T48
|T43
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align="left"|[[WGC-Invitational|Invitational]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T63
|-
|align="left"|[[WGC-HSBC Champions|Champions]]
|colspan=6 style="background:#D3D3D3;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T48
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|}

{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
"T" indicates a tie for a place.<br>
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

==Team appearances==
'''Professional'''
*[[Dynasty Cup (golf)|Dynasty Cup]] (representing Asia): 2003 (winners)
*[[World Cup (men's golf)|World Cup]] (representing India): [[2005 WGC-World Cup|2005]]
*[[Royal Trophy]] (representing Asia): [[2006 Royal Trophy|2006]]
*[[EurAsia Cup]] (representing Asia): [[2018 EurAsia Cup|2018]] (non-playing captain)

==See also==
*[[2003 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates]]
*[[2008 Nationwide Tour graduates]]
*[[List of golfers with most Asian Tour wins]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{PGATour player|21407}}
*{{EuroTour player|1888}}
*{{AsianTour player|100010}}
*{{OWGR|5701}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atwal, Arjun}}
[[Category:Indian male golfers]]
[[Category:Asian Tour golfers]]
[[Category:European Tour golfers]]
[[Category:PGA Tour golfers]]
[[Category:Korn Ferry Tour graduates]]
[[Category:Golfers from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Golfers from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
[[Category:People from Asansol]]
[[Category:People from Westbury, New York]]
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]