Bob Gilder (Born December 31, 1950) enjoyed a long career on the PGA tour, then found even more success on the Champions Tour after the age of 50.
Gilder graduated from Corvallis High School in 1969; he was a top 10 finisher at the OSAA meet his junior year. Bob walked on at Arizona State and was honored three times as All-Western Athletic Conference. In 1973, his senior year, Gilder won the WAC championship, earning All-America honors and chose to turn pro.
He started out Down Under, winning his first event in 1974, the New Zealand Open, by beating another future PGA pro, Bob Charles, in a playoff.
Gilder joined the PGA Tour and got his first tournament win in Phoenix in 1976. He would quickly establish himself as a steady hand who did not make many mistakes. Bob won six PGA events, including three in 1982. In 1983, he as part of the U.S. Ryder Cup team. He also played on the European and Japanese tours.
Bob's dominating win at the 1982 Manufacturers Hanover Classic in New York was punctuated by a double-eagle on the massive 509-yard 18th hole at Westchester Country Club. He tied a tour record for 54 holes and won the event by five strokes. At the Phoenix open in 1983, Gilder won an eight-hole, four-player playoff. That would be his final PGA Tour win, but not his last pro win!
in 2001,Bob Gilder was eligible for the Champions (Senior) Tour and immediately found success, winning two tournaments and Rookie of the Year honors. He kept winning nine events in ten years. Then the 10th victory came in 2011 with a strong finish at the Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, IA. Gilder earned $11 million on the Champions Tour compared to his $3 million on the PGA circuit. His best major was the PGA Championship where he recorded four top 10 finishes.
Bob Gilder and his wife Peggy are active in fundraising for cystic fibrosis research.