Ricardo González (born 24 October 1969) is an Argentine professional golfer.
Career In 1986, González turned professional. He has spent much of his career in Europe. González won a place on the European Tour in 1992 through qualifying school after playing on the second-tier Challenge Tour in 1991. Having failed to win sufficient money to retain his tour card, he returned to the Challenge Tour in 1993.
Having moved to Africa, González returned to Europe in 1998 after winning the Challenge Tour-sanctioned Tusker Kenya Open, and secured a second shot on the European Tour by finishing 5th on the Challenge Tour Rankings that season. He has successfully retained his playing privileges since then by consistently finishing inside the top 115 of the Order of Merit each year.
González has accumulated four European Tour wins, with a best year-end ranking on the European Tour Order of Merit of 25th place in 2001. He has also won many tournaments in South America, and has represented Argentina at the World Cup on four occasions, in 1996, 1998, 2005 and 2007.
He won his fourth career European Tour event in 2009 at the SAS Masters in Sweden by two strokes over Welshman Jamie Donaldson. It was his first win on the European Tour in five years.
After several down years, González qualified for the European Tour through qualifying school in 2016. At age 47, he was the oldest Q school graduate in Tour history.
In February 2024, González won the Trophy Hassan II on PGA Tour Champions. He played the remainder of the season on PGA Tour Champions, finishing 10th on the season-long Charles Schwab Cup standings and being awarded with Rookie of the Year honours.
Awards and honors
In 2018, González won the Order of Merit on the TPG Tour. In 2024, González won Rookie of the Year on the PGA Tour Champions.
Professional wins (29) European Tour wins (4) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up19 Sep 2001Omega European Masters−16 (65-67-68-68=268)3 strokes Søren Hansen226 Oct 2003Telefónica Open de Madrid−14 (69-70-66-65=270)1 stroke Paul Casey, Pádraig Harrington, Nick O'Hern, Mårten Olander318 Apr 2004Open de Sevilla−14 (70-66-69-69=274)2 strokes Stephen Gallacher, Jonathan Lomas426 Jul 2009SAS Masters−10 (68-68-77-69=282)2 strokes Jamie Donaldson
European Tour playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult12013Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles Tommy Fleetwood, Stephen GallacherFleetwood won with birdie on first extra hole
Challenge Tour wins (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up123 Sep 1990Esab Open−9 (67-68=135)Playoff Ole Eskildsen215 Mar 1998Tusker Kenya Open−12 (69-65-69-69=272)Playoff Jacob Okello
Challenge Tour playoff record (2–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11990Esab Open Ole EskildsenWon with par on second extra hole21998Tusker Kenya Open Jacob OkelloWon with par on third extra hole
TPG Tour wins (9) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up19 Jun 2007Abierto del Norte−19 (65-67-66-67=265)Shared title with Andrés Romero229 Nov 2009Abierto del Litoral−3 (70-69-71-67=277)Playoff Andrés Romero33 Oct 2010Abierto del Litoral (2)−7 (71-70-68-64=273)3 strokes Rafael Gómez, Mauricio Molina430 Sep 2012Argentine PGA Championship−9 (73-72-66-68=279)4 strokes Francisco Bidé, Clodomiro Carranza, Roberto Cóceres, Emilio Domínguez524 Nov 2013Abierto del Litoral (3)−12 (66-69-64-69=268)4 strokes Sergio Acevedo628 Jan 2018Abierto del Sur−20 (68-67-60-65=260)1 stroke Maximiliano Godoy730 Sep 2018Abierto de Salta−15 (69-64-69-67=269)1 stroke Maximiliano Godoy815 Mar 2020Abierto Norpatagónico−6 (69-67=136)Shared title with Andrés Gallegos922 Jan 2023Abierto del Sur (2)−11 (64-71-65-69=269)7 strokes Exequiel López, Jaime López Rivarola
Other wins (12) 1987 Rosario City Open (Arg) 1988 Praderas Grand Prix (Arg) 1995 Uruguay Open, La Plata Open (Arg) 1996 Chile Open 1997 Foz Iguazu Open (Brazil), Prince of Wales Open (Chile), Nigerian Open 1998 JPGA Championship (Arg) 2003 Abierto del Litoral (Arg) 2005 Abierto del Litoral (Arg) 2006 Parana Open (Arg)
PGA Tour Champions wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up124 Feb 2024Trophy Hassan II−10 (69-70-70=209)1 stroke Thomas Bjørn
European Senior Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up123 Oct 2022Italian Senior Open−2 (69-72-70=211)3 strokes James Kingston
Results in major championships Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999The Open ChampionshipCUTPGA Championship Tournament20002001200220032004The Open ChampionshipCUTPGA ChampionshipT10CUTCUT Note: González never played in the Masters Tournament or the U.S. Open.
CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied
Results in World Golf Championships Tournament20022003200420052006200720082009Match PlayChampionshipInvitationalT28T50ChampionsT45
"T" = Tied Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
Team appearances World Cup (representing Argentina): 1996, 1998, 2005, 2007
See also 2014 European Tour Qualifying School graduates 2016 European Tour Qualifying School graduates
Notes
References
External links