Roger Michael Chapman (born 1 May 1959) is a retired English professional golfer who played on the European Tour and later on the PGA Tour Champions as well as the European Senior Tour. He won two senior majors in 2012, the Senior PGA Championship and the U.S. Senior Open.

Amateur career

Chapman was born in Nakuru, Kenya, where his father worked for the Ministry of Agriculture. After a spell living in Trinidad, the family returned to England when Chapman was about five years old. His biggest individual successes as an amateur were winning the 1979 English Amateur and the 1981 Lytham Trophy. He represented Great Britain & Ireland in the 1981 Walker Cup where, although the United States won the match 15–9, Chapman won three of his four matches. He beat Bob Lewis in first day's singles and then beat Hal Sutton twice on the final day, in both the foursomes and the singles.

Professional career

Chapman turned professional in late-1981 and won a European Tour card on his first visit to the Qualifying School. From 1982 to 2002 he finished in the top 100 on the European Order of Merit 19 out of the 21 years, with a best ranking of 17th in 1988. In his first season, 1982, he finished joint runner-up behind Sam Torrance in the Spanish Open. After six second-place finishes on the tour, he won the 2000 Brazil Rio de Janeiro 500 Years Open on his 472nd tour start. He also won the 1988 Zimbabwe Open on the Safari Circuit and the Hassan II Golf Trophy in Morocco in 2000. He represented England in the 2000 Alfred Dunhill Cup.

In May 2012, Chapman won the Senior PGA Championship, one of the five senior major championships for his maiden victory on the Champions Tour. After holding a five stroke lead entering the final round, he prevailed by two over American John Cook. He won his second senior major in July 2012 at the U.S. Senior Open. He won by two strokes over Fred Funk, Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, and Corey Pavin. In December 2018 he won the MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles on the European Senior Tour, beating Phillip Price with an eagle 3 at the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. Earlier Tom Lehman and Miguel Ángel Martín came to the final hole needing a par-5 to tie with Chapman and Price but took 6 and 8 respectively.

Amateur wins

Professional wins (7)

European Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of victoryRunner-up
126 Mar 2000Brazil Rio de Janeiro 500 Years Open−18 (70-64-71-65=270)PlayoffRepublic of Ireland Pádraig Harrington

European Tour playoff record (1–2)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
11988BNP Jersey OpenRepublic of Ireland Des SmythLost to birdie on fifth extra hole
21989KLM Dutch OpenSpain José María Olazábal, Northern Ireland Ronan RaffertyOlazábal won with double-bogey on ninth extra hole Chapman eliminated by par on first hole
32000Brazil Rio de Janeiro 500 Years OpenRepublic of Ireland Pádraig HarringtonWon with par on second extra hole

Safari Circuit wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of victoryRunner-up
121 Feb 1988Zimbabwe Open−6 (63-70-71-71=275)1 strokeFiji Vijay Singh

Other wins (2)

Champions Tour wins (2)

Legend
Senior major championships (2)
Other Champions Tour (0)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of victoryRunner(s)-up
128 May 2012Senior PGA Championship−13 (68-67-64-72=271)2 strokesUnited States John Cook
215 Jul 2012U.S. Senior Open−10 (68-68-68-66=270)2 strokesUnited States Fred Funk, Germany Bernhard Langer, United States Tom Lehman, United States Corey Pavin

European Senior Tour wins (3)

Legend
Senior major championships (2)
Tour Championships (1)
Other European Senior Tour (0)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of victoryRunner(s)-up
128 May 2012Senior PGA Championship−13 (68-67-64-72=271)2 strokesUnited States John Cook
215 Jul 2012U.S. Senior Open−10 (68-68-68-66=270)2 strokesUnited States Fred Funk, Germany Bernhard Langer, United States Tom Lehman, United States Corey Pavin
316 Dec 2018MCB Tour Championship (Seychelles)−6 (44-66-65=175)*PlayoffWales Phillip Price

*Note: The 2018 MCB Tour Championship (Seychelles) was shortened to 48 holes due to bad weather.

European Senior Tour playoff record (1–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
12010Mauritius Commercial Bank OpenSouth Africa David FrostLost to par on second extra hole
22018MCB Tour Championship (Seychelles)Wales Phillip PriceWon with eagle on first extra hole

Results in major championships

Tournament197719781979
The Open ChampionshipCUT
PGA Championship
Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
The Open ChampionshipCUTT47T47CUTT35T54CUTT13
PGA Championship
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
The Open ChampionshipT63T12T64CUTT72
PGA Championship
Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
The Open ChampionshipCUTCUTDQ
PGA Championship
Tournament201020112012
The Open Championship
PGA ChampionshipCUT

Note: Chapman never played in the Masters Tournament or the U.S. Open.

CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1981 Open Championship) DQ = Disqualified "T" = tied

Senior major championships

Wins (2)

YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner(s)-up
2012Senior PGA Championship5 shot lead−13 (68-67-64-72=271)2 strokesUnited States John Cook
2012U.S. Senior Open4 shot deficit−10 (68-68-68-66=270)2 strokesUnited States Fred Funk, Germany Bernhard Langer, United States Tom Lehman, United States Corey Pavin

Results timeline

Results not in chronological order before 2022.

Tournament2009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
The TraditionT55T41T2374T7665NT
Senior PGA ChampionshipT59T69T271T64T55T13T60T66NTT50CUTCUT
U.S. Senior Open1CUTT20CUTCUT53T33NTCUTCUT
Senior Players ChampionshipT14T18T65T39T61T60
Senior British Open ChampionshipWDCUTT58WDCUTT19CUTT30T43T48T10NTT57CUTT61CUT

CUT = missed the halfway cut WD = withdrew "T" indicates a tie for a place NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

External links