David Laurence Frost (born 11 September 1959) is a South African professional golfer who was ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Frost has 29 professional tournament wins to his name, spread across four continents, including the World Series of Golf, South African Open, Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge and Canadian Open. He has also been on the winning Alfred Dunhill Cup team and played in the Presidents Cup.
Early life Frost was born in Cape Town, South Africa and graduated from Paarl Boys' High School in 1977. He used to be a cigarette salesman.
Professional career In 1981, he turned professional. Frost scored his first professional win in his home country in 1983 and has continued to play in South Africa in the northern winter, but like other leading South African golfers he has spent far more time playing internationally.
In line with many other Commonwealth golfers, his first move abroad was to the European Tour and he played that tour from 1982 to 1984. South Africa was temporarily a republic outside the Commonwealth from 31 May 1961 to 31 May 1994 when he was playing in the early part of his career.
From 1985, he was primarily on the U.S.-based PGA Tour. He moved to Miami, Florida. In 1989, he won the NEC World Series of Golf, defeating Ben Crenshaw at the second playoff hole. He made the top ten on the PGA Tour money list twice, placing 9th in 1988 and 5th in 1993 and was ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks between 1988 and 1994. By his forties, he was no longer a regular contender on the tour, but in 2005 he set the all time PGA Tour 72-hole putting record with 92 putts at the MCI Heritage.
In 2007, Frost re-established his career on the European Tour aiming on the senior tour when turning 50.
In June 2013, Frost won his maiden senior major championship at the 2013 Regions Tradition. He won by a single stroke over Fred Couples to claim his first major title in his 17th attempt. It was also his fifth career victory on the Champions Tour. In March 2015, Frost won his sixth Champions Tour title at the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic by a single stroke over Tom Lehman and Kevin Sutherland.
Frost won the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit in 1998/99. He was a member of the International Team in the first staging of the Presidents Cup in 1994, and took part again in 1996. In both 1997 and 1998 he captained South Africa to victory in the Alfred Dunhill Cup at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland. His teammates were Ernie Els and Retief Goosen on both occasions.
Private life The son of a vintner himself, Frost owns a winery in the Western Cape, South Africa, which produces vintages named after golf legends such as Jack Nicklaus and the late Arnold Palmer.
Professional wins (29) PGA Tour wins (10) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up12 Oct 1988Southern Open−10 (70-68-65-67=270)Playoff Bob Tway26 Nov 1988Northern Telecom Tucson Open−22 (66-66-67-67=266)5 strokes Mark Calcavecchia, Mark O'Meara327 Aug 1989NEC World Series of Golf−4 (70-68-69-69=276)Playoff Ben Crenshaw429 Apr 1990USF&G Classic−12 (71-70-66-69=276)1 stroke Greg Norman528 Jun 1992Buick Classic−16 (67-68-67-66=268)8 strokes Duffy Waldorf620 Sep 1992Hardee's Golf Classic−14 (62-68-64-72=266)3 strokes Tom Lehman, Loren Roberts712 Sep 1993Canadian Open−9 (72-70-69-68=279)1 stroke Fred Couples819 Sep 1993Hardee's Golf Classic (2)−21 (68-63-64-64=259)7 strokes Payne Stewart, D. A. Weibring926 Jun 1994Canon Greater Hartford Open−12 (65-68-66-69=268)1 stroke Greg Norman1025 May 1997MasterCard Colonial−15 (66-63-69-67=265)2 strokes Brad Faxon, David Ogrin
PGA Tour playoff record (2–3) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11986Western Open Fred Couples, Tom Kite, Nick PriceKite won with birdie on first extra hole 21988Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic Seve Ballesteros, Ken Green, Greg NormanBallesteros won with birdie on first extra hole31988 Southern Open Bob TwayWon with birdie on first extra hole41989 NEC World Series of Golf Ben CrenshawWon with par on second extra hole51995 MCI Classic Nolan Henke, Bob TwayTway won with par on second extra holeFrost eliminated by par on first hole
European Tour wins (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunners-up121 Oct 1984Compagnie de Chauffe Cannes Open−8 (72-72-68-68=280)2 strokes Gordon Brand Jnr, John Morgan224 Jan 1999Mercedes-Benz - Vodacom South African Open1−5 (69-69-73-68=279)1 stroke Scott Dunlap, Jeev Milkha Singh 1Co-sanctioned by the Southern Africa Tour
European Tour playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11997Alfred Dunhill South African PGA Championship Nick PriceLost to par on first extra hole
PGA of Japan Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up122 Nov 1992Dunlop Phoenix Tournament−11 (72-69-69-67=277)Playoff Kiyoshi Murota
PGA of Japan Tour playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11992Dunlop Phoenix Tournament Kiyoshi MurotaWon with par on second extra hole
Asia Golf Circuit wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up127 Feb 1994Kent Hong Kong Open−10 (69-69-69-67=274)Playoff Craig McClellan
Asia Golf Circuit playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11994Kent Hong Kong Open Craig McClellanWon with par on first extra hole
Southern Africa Tour wins (5) Legend Flagship events (1) Other Southern Africa Tour (4) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up115 Jan 1983Gordon's Gin Classic−8 (71-70=68-71=280)5 strokes Nick Price28 Feb 1986Southern Suns South African Open−13 (72-70-66-67=275)3 strokes Tony Johnstone312 Dec 1987Safmarine South African Masters−15 (70-67-70-66=273)3 strokes Denis Durnian416 Jan 1994Lexington PGA Championship−21 (64-67-65-63=259)7 strokes Nick Price524 Jan 1999Mercedes-Benz - Vodacom South African Open1 (2)−5 (69-69-73-68=279)1 stroke Scott Dunlap, Jeev Milkha Singh 1Co-sanctioned by the European Tour
Southern Africa Tour playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11997Alfred Dunhill South African PGA Championship Nick PriceLost to par on first extra hole
Other wins (3) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up110 Dec 1989Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge−12 (67-66-75-68=276)3 strokes Scott Hoch29 Dec 1990 Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge (2)−4 (71-71-71-71=284)1 stroke José María Olazábal36 Dec 1992 Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge (3)−12 (70-69-68-69=276)4 strokes John Cook
Other playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult12000Fred Meyer Challenge(with Jim Furyk) John Cook and Mark O'MearaLost to birdie on first extra hole
Champions Tour wins (6) LegendChampions Tour major championships (1)Other Champions Tour (5) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up18 Aug 20103M Championship−25 (64-66-61=191)7 strokes Mark Calcavecchia222 Apr 2012Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf(with Michael Allen)−29 (62-63-62=187)1 stroke John Cook and Joey Sindelar328 Oct 2012AT&T Championship−8 (71-71-66=208)Playoff Bernhard Langer417 Mar 2013Toshiba Classic−19 (63-66-65=194)5 strokes Fred Couples59 Jun 2013Regions Tradition−16 (68-70-66-68=272)1 stroke Fred Couples629 Mar 2015Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic−10 (68-70-68=206)1 stroke Tom Lehman, Kevin Sutherland
Champions Tour playoff record (1–2) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result12010Senior PGA Championship Fred Couples, Tom LehmanLehman won with par on first extra hole22012AT&T Championship Bernhard LangerWon with birdie on second extra hole32013Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai John CookLost to birdie on second extra hole
European Senior Tour wins (2) Legend Tour Championships (1) Other European Senior Tour (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up112 Dec 2010(2011 season)Mauritius Commercial Bank Open−13 (70-64-69=203)Playoff Roger Chapman29 Dec 2012MCB Tour Championship (2)−11 (64-67-74=205)1 stroke Peter Fowler, Barry Lane
European Senior Tour playoff record (1–1) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result12010Senior PGA Championship Fred Couples, Tom LehmanLehman won with birdie on first extra hole22010Mauritius Commercial Bank Open Roger ChapmanWon with par on second extra hole
Results in major championships Tournament1983198419851986198719881989Masters TournamentT458T18U.S. OpenT23T15T17CUTT18The Open ChampionshipCUTT47T25CUT6T7CUTPGA ChampionshipCUTT21T10CUTT27
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999Masters TournamentCUTT32CUTT35T5T1037T26U.S. OpenT33CUTCUTCUTCUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipCUTCUTT24T51T31T41CUTT44T7PGA ChampionshipT31T48T73CUTT25T67CUTCUTT56T21 Tournament20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010Masters TournamentU.S. OpenCUTCUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipT55CUTT15CUTT51PGA Championship
CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 0 0 1 3 4 11 9U.S. Open 0 0 0 0 0 4 14 5The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 3 5 21 13PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 1 4 15 10Totals 0 0 0 1 7 17 61 37 Most consecutive cuts made – 6 (1986 PGA – 1988 Masters) Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (1987 Open Championship – 1988 Masters)
Results in The Players Championship Tournament1986198719881989The Players ChampionshipT48T15T3T8 Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999The Players ChampionshipCUTT41CUTCUTCUTT37T17WDT42T52 Tournament20002001200220032004The Players ChampionshipT5775CUT
CUT = missed the halfway cut WD = withdrew "T" indicates a tie for a place
Results in World Golf Championships Tournament1999Match PlayChampionshipT59Invitational
"T" = Tied
Senior major championships Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 2013 Regions Tradition1 shot lead −16 (68-70-66-68=272)1 stroke Fred Couples
Results timeline Results not in chronological order before 2022. Tournament 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 201920202021202220232024The Tradition–T2111T181T25T34T17T3467T22NTT66T57T63T67Senior PGA Championship–T2T22T4T5T58T7CUTT18T12NTCUTT55CUTU.S. Senior Open–62DQWDT20T3T33T9T18T24NTSenior Players ChampionshipT24T25T55T28T27T15T59T13T35T59T54T62T58T59Senior British Open Championship–T146T15T3T21T67T1413T64T7NTT70T41
CUT = missed the halfway cut WD = withdrew DQ = disqualified "T" indicates a tie for a place NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic
Team appearances Professional Hennessy Cognac Cup (representing the Rest of the World): 1984 Alfred Dunhill Cup (representing South Africa): 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997 (winners), 1998 (winners), 1999, 2000 Presidents Cup (International Team): 1994, 1996 World Cup (representing South Africa): 1998, 1999 Alfred Dunhill Challenge (representing Southern Africa): 1995 (winners)
See also 1984 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
References
External links
David Frost Wines