Gene Sauers

Background

Sauers was born in Savannah, Georgia. His father started him playing golf at the age of 9.

Education

He attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. Sauers also finished two other tournaments in a tie for first place at the end of regulation: the 1992 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, which he lost on the fourth extra hole of a playoff to John Cook, and the 1994 Federal Express Saint Jude Classic, which he and Hal Sutton lost to Tour rookie Dicky Pride.

Career

He turned pro and joined the Professional Golf Association Tour in 1984. Sauers has four dozen top-10 finishes in Professional Golf Association Tour events including three official wins. His best finish in a major was T-2 at the 1992 Professional Golf Association Championship.

Sauers lost his Tour card in 1995 and had to play primarily on the Nationwide Tour before gaining a two-year exemption as a result of his victory in the Air Canada Championship.

He recorded one victory on the Nationwide Tour at the, and about a dozen top-10 finishes. Sauers competed on the Professional Golf Association Tour until 2005.

From 2006 to 2010, he did not compete professionally after he was diagnosed with a rare, painful skin condition Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and he was given only a 25-percent chance of survival. His condition had worsened when blood vessels in his arms and legs clogged, causing his skin to burn from the inside out.

Although he eventually recovered after many debilitating months, his forearms show the scars of numerous skin grafts.

He finally overcame the disease and played a limited Nationwide Tour schedule in 2011 and 2012 before making his Champions Tour debut at the 2012 Boeing Classic. He earned two top-10 finishes in 2012. Playing a full season in 2013, he was twice a runner-up, including a playoff loss to Esteban Toledo at the Insperity Invitational.

He finished 19th on the Champions Tour money list.

In the first six months of 2014, he played in 11 Champions Tour events, with six top-25 finishes and a best of T-15 at the Allianz Championship in early February. On July 13 in the United States. Senior Open, he finished tied for first with Colin Montgomerie and lost in a three-hole playoff.

Professional Golf Association Tour wins (3) Nike Tour wins (1) Other wins (4).

Achievements

• Professional Golf Association Tour playoff record (1–3) 1998 NIKE South Carolina Classic 1983 Georgia Open 1985 Georgia Open 1986 Georgia Open 1990 Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic.