Olin Browne
A late-blooming PGA Tour winner whose persistence and elegant swing made him a respected figure across multiple professional tours.
Born 1959 (age 67)·American professional golfer·Birthday: May 22·Baby Boomers
Biography
Olin Browne carved out a career defined by resilience and a classic golf swing. He turned professional in 1984 but didn't secure his PGA Tour card until he was 32, a testament to his dogged pursuit. His breakthrough came in 1998 at the Hartford Open, where he held off a charging field for his first Tour victory. Browne was never the most prolific winner, but he was a consistent craftsman, adding two more PGA Tour titles, including a memorable 2005 Deutsche Bank Championship win. His game aged gracefully, finding a second act on the PGA Tour Champions, where he added multiple senior titles. Known for his thoughtful demeanor and precise ball-striking, Browne's journey from qualifier to champion served as an inspiration for golfers who found their best form later in life.
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.
Olin was born in 1959, 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 Olin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Olin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 1998 Canon Greater Hartford Open for his first PGA Tour victory after years on mini-tours.
- Captured the 2005 Deutsche Bank Championship, a FedEx Cup playoff event, by shooting a final-round 65.
- Has won multiple times on the PGA Tour Champions, including the 2011 Greater Hickory Classic.
- Qualified for the U.S. Open at age 50 in 2009 and finished tied for 47th.
Did You Know?
He is an accomplished painter and has had his artwork displayed in galleries.
Browne attended Occidental College in Los Angeles, where he was a teammate of future U.S. President Barack Obama on the golf team.
He once worked as a bartender and a caddie at the Congressional Country Club while trying to make it as a pro.
His son, Olin Browne Jr., also played professional golf.
“This game will humble you, so you better respect it.”
