| David Whelan | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | 28 August 1961 Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England |
| Sporting nationality |  England |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1981 |
| Former tour(s) | European Tour |
| Professional wins | 1 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| European Tour | 1 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | DNP |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
| U.S. Open | DNP |
| The Open Championship | 58th: 1985 |
David Whelan (born 28 August 1961) is an English golf instructor and former professional golfer on the European Tour.
Whelan was born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, according to his profile on the European Tour website.[1] He became a professional in 1981 and gained playing privileges on the European Tour in 1987, having been unsuccessful in five previous attempts. During his first year on tour, 1988,[2] he needed a £500 loan from his parents to participate in the Barcelona Open, which he received. Whelan won the tournament by defeating three players in a playoff, including Nick Faldo.[3] In his career, he played in The Open Championship five times, with three made cuts.[4]
During his playing career, Whelan received coaching from David Leadbetter, who became a mentor for him when he went into golf instruction. In 1993, he was hired by the David Leadbetter Golf Academy as European director of instruction. Ten years later, he relocated to Bradenton, Florida in the United States to work at Leadbetter's academy there.[5] When then-director Gary Gilchrist left the academy in 2004, Whelan, his assistant at the time, was promoted to director.[6] Among the players Whelan has taught are LPGA major champions Paula Creamer and Catriona Matthew, PGA Tour player Hunter Mahan, 2010 U.S. Amateur winner Peter Uihlein,[5][7] and LPGA Tour players Jessica and Nelly Korda.[8]
- ^ "David Whelan: Biography". European Tour. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- ^ "Novice Whelan upstages Faldo". The Glasgow Herald. 19 March 1988. p. 20. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ "Rags-to-riches win for Whelan after four-hole play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 21 March 1988. p. 11. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ "David Whelan in the British Open". golfobserver.com. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ a b Mell, Randall (16 September 2010). "Quite the Stable". Golf Channel. Archived from the original on 8 March 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ Cardon, Mark (15 July 2004). "Whelan takes rein at Leadbetter". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. p. 6C. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ Lewis, Chris (14 July 2004). "The next Justin Leonard?". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 23 August 2004. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ Rogers, Amy (22 January 2021). "Nelly Korda returns to longtime instructor, just two back at Diamond Resorts". Golf Channel. Retrieved 30 January 2021.