Robert Rock

Born:  April 6, 1977

Birthplace: Staffordshire, England

Height: 5 ft 10 in

Turned Pro: 1998

Sponsors: Emirates Palace, BlackStar Tax and Wealth Management, bbT

 
Robert Rock is an English golfer who has played on the European Tour since the early 2000’s. 
 
In 2009, Rock recorded three runner-up finishes and finished in the top 30 of “the Race to Dubai” (formerly known as the European Order of Merit).  These performances created momentum for Rock and he broke through and won his first European Tour title in 2011 at the BMW Italian Open. 
 
Earlier that season, Rock had qualified for the U.S. Open through European sectional qualifying.  Rock encountered problems securing a travel visa and didn’t arrive to the tournament site until 3:30AM the day of the tournament.  Fortunately, Rock had a mid-afternoon tee-time and was able to shoot an under par 70 in his opening round.  Rock was able to maintain his form throughout the week and finished in a tie for 23rd place.
 
Rock’s best performance in a Major happened at the 2010 Open Championship.  Despite a second round 78, Rock finished in a tie for 7thplace with three-sub 70 rounds.  He finished just three shots behind runners-up Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy but ten shots behind runaway champion Louis Oosthuizen.   
 
Rock’s second European Tour win happened at the 2012 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship where he defeated Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
 
Rock is unique in the world of golf as one of only a handful of players who doesn’t wear a hat or visor.  With a thick mane of hair, Rock has stated that a hat becomes warm and uncomfortable.  The decision is a costly one as top-level players like Rock can command in excess of $125,000 annually to wear a sponsor’s logo on their head during the competitive season.