Aaron Baddeley Career Profile

Born: 1981, New Hampshire, USA

Lives: Melbourne & United States

Turned Pro: 2000

Family: Wife Richelle, married 2005.

Hobbies: Fitness, fashion, music.

Tour wins: 1999 Australian Open (amateur), 2000 Australian Open. 2001 Greg Norman Holden International, 2006 Verizon Heritage (US), 2007 FBR Open (US).

Early days and amateur career:

Baddeley grew up in the US where his father Ron worked as chief mechanic for legendary US racer Mario Andretti, an ex-Formula One world champion. The family moved back to Australia shortly before Aaron’s third birthday and he was introduced to golf by his grandmother Jean Baddeley at the age of eight and began playing junior events at 13. At 17 he finished runner-up to Adam Scott in the Australian Junior Championship and the following year took out the Victorian Amateur Championship. The young Victorian’s amateur days were quickly running down however as he was about to spring the biggest surprise of all.

VGolf Amateur Career Highlights:

1997 Australian Junior Championship runner-up, 1998 Victorian Amateur Championship, 1998 Junior Ivo Whitton Trophy, 1998 US Junior championship runner-up, 1999 Riversdale Cup.

Professional Career:

Aaron Baddeley staggered the golf world when he leapt into the limelight at Royal Sydney in 1999, shutting out World No.1 Greg Norman to win the Australian Open as an 18-year-old amateur. He became the youngest player to win the national championship and the first amateur since Bruce Devlin took the crown in 1960. He turned professional in a colourful, stage-managed appearance but proved he had substance as well as style when he returned to successfully defend his Open crown the following year. In 1991 Baddeley won for the third time in as many years on the Australasian Tour when he seized the Greg Norman Holden International and then turned his eyes towards America. In 2002 he finished 10th on the secondary Nationwide Tour, earning a place on the USPGA circuit the following season.  Baddeley almost caused another sensation when he nearly won his first event as a full-time rookie on the main tour, losing a two-hole play-off to Ernie Els in the Sony Open in Hawaii. His year was interrupted by an ankle injury sustained while playing frisbee but he returned to finish off a solid season. In 2004 and 2005 Baddeley consolidated his game and moved into the $1million single season earnings class for the first time. His maiden US win, the Verizon Heritage, came the following year while in 2007 he claimed his second, the FBR Open. Baddeley is a committed Christian and one of a group of players on tour in the US who meet regularly for Bible readings. He is also dedicated to helping younger players take up the game and hosts the annual Aaron Baddeley World Junior Championship.