Charl Schwartzel

Height: 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)

Weight: 72 kg (159 lb; 11.3 st)

Birthday: 31 August 1984

College: –

Year turned pro: 2002

Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa

Country: South Africa

Sponsor: Nike Golf

Born in Johannesburg, Schwartzel had a successful junior career in his home country. He went on to win amateur events in other countries, including the 2002 Indian Amateur and the English Open Stroke Play Championships. Also in 2002, Schwartzel played for his country in the Eisenhower Trophy.

Schwartzel was still only eighteen when he turned professional, and he began his career playing on the European Tour.  He was successful enough on the tour to keep his European Tour card for 2003 and 2004. Schwartzel’s decent form continued in 2005, when he won the Dunhill Championship and placed first on the Sunshine Tour's Order of Merit, as well as 52nd on the European Tour order of merit.  The following year saw Schwartzel improving further, and finishing the season in 18th place in the Order of Merit.

Schwartzel continued to have some success on the European Tour. In 2008 he was victorious at the Madrid Masters. Although Schwartzel didn’t achieve any wins in 2009, the success returned in 2010, when he won two consecutive tournaments and ended the season in 8th place on the Order of Merit.

Schwartzel joined the PGA Tour in 2011, and won the Masters Tournament the same year, becoming the third South African born player to do so.  As a result of the win, Schwartzel rose to 11th in the world rankings.  He saw his good form continue at the US Open where he tied for 9th place, and at the PGA Championship, where he tied for 12th place. Since then Schwartzel has continued to play on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour.  Throughout his career Schwartzel has also played at the Gary Player Invitational several times, helping to raise funds for several children’s charities. 
As of the end of 2014, Schwartzel had achieved one win on the PGA Tour, amassing total prize money of $8,953,528.