Player Profile - Bill Haas

This week's player profile highlights the recent career achievements of 2011 Tour Champion Bill Haas. Born in 1982 in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, Haas grew up in the nearby town of Greer. The third member of his family to play golf for Wake Forest University, Haas grew up with a very strong golfing influence in the home: both his father Jay and his uncle Jerry had attended the same college and were actively involved in encouraging the young Haas to pursue a professional career in golf.

Prior to his professional career, Haas enjoyed a great deal of success on the college and amateur circuits, winning several prestigious awards including All-American and Rookie of the Year Awards. After a position on the Walker Cup and Palmer Cup teams, Haas made the decision to turn professional in 2004.

A brief career on the Nationwide Tour, starting in 2005, saw Haas competing alongside some of golf's finest up-and-coming players. Having come second in the 2005 Scholarship American Showdown, Haas earned an exemption for the US PGA Tour and began playing at the top level of American golf for the first time in 2006.

The first few years on the PGA Tour are normally a consolidation period, and Haas took every opportunity to hone his skills, competing in numerous tournaments and never making heavy weather of a missed cut or less-than-perfect finish. With his relaxed but focussed approach, Haas soon began to place in the top 20 and by the 2010 season he was on top form.

Last season, Haas wowed golf fans with two impressive victories. At the 2010 Bob Hope Classic he eked out a one-stroke victory over Matt Kuchar, Bubba Watson and South Africa's Tim Clarke - three seasoned and experienced players. Later that season at the Viking Classic, he beat Michael Allen by an impressive three strokes to clinch the title.

On Sunday, Haas won the season-ending Tour Championship. With over $11 Million in prize money, this latest victory should prove to golf fans across the globe that Bill Haas is at the top of his game.

Golfweather Editorial