Craig Stadler
The gruff, mustachioed 'Walrus' whose unorthodox swing and competitive fire won him a Masters green jacket and the affection of golf fans.
Born 1953 (age 73)·American professional golfer·Birthday: June 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Craig Stadler won the 1982 Masters in a sudden-death playoff against Dan Pohl, a victory sealed by precise short-game execution under pressure. His burly frame, thick mustache, and intense focus earned the nickname 'The Walrus,' but his swing combined power with compact efficiency. A standout amateur at USC, he transitioned directly to the PGA Tour, where his game thrived in harsh weather and on demanding courses. Stadler collected 13 PGA Tour titles, including the 1982 World Series of Golf, frequently outlasting opponents when conditions deteriorated. After turning 50, he produced a prolific second act on the Champions Tour, adding multiple victories that extended his competitive reach into his sixties. His blue-collar approach—no frills, steady execution—defined a career that stretched across four decades.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Craig was born in 1953, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Craig Was Born
The biggest hits of 1953
#1 Movie
Peter Pan
Best Picture
From Here to Eternity
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Craig's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1953Born
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1958Started school
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1966Became a teenager
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Could drive
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1971Could vote
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Turned 21
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1983Turned 30
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 40
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 50
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 60
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 70
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 73 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 1982 Masters Tournament in a sudden-death playoff against Dan Pohl.
- Claimed 13 victories on the PGA Tour, including the 1980 World Series of Golf and the 1984 Byron Nelson Golf Classic.
- Won the 1996 Fred Meyer Challenge partnered with Gary McCord, a popular team event.
- Added 8 official victories on the PGA Champions Tour after turning 50, extending his competitive career for decades.
Did You Know?
His son, Kevin Stadler, also became a professional golfer and they are the only father-son duo to have won on the PGA Tour in the same season (2003).
He famously incurred a two-stroke penalty for kneeling on a towel to hit a shot at the 1987 Andy Williams Open, a ruling that sparked debate.
He played college golf at the University of Southern California and was a member of the 1975 NCAA Championship team.
He is an avid fly fisherman.
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