Frank Nobilo

Frank Ivan Joseph Nobilo (born on 14 May 1960) is a professional golfer and current analyst for The Golf Channel's Champions Tour and PGA Tour coverage. He is of Croat origin and Italian descent. He is a member of the famed Nobilo Wines family which has been involved in viticulture for more than 300 years.

Nobilo was born in Auckland, New Zealand and educated at St Peter's College. In 1978, he won the New Zealand Amateur Championship at 18, the second-youngest winner of this title. In November 1979, he turned professional.

In 1985, Nobilo joined the European Tour as a full-time player, having played in selected events in 1982 and 1983. He recorded his first win on the Tour in the 1988 PLM Open (not to be confused with the KLM Open). Nobilo subsequently won four other European Tour events. He joined the American PGA Tour in 1997, where he won the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic, his only win on that Tour. He has featured in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings.

Nobilo played for the International Team in the first three Presidents Cups (1994, 1996, 1998). He contributed significantly to the international appeal of the event when in 1998 and paired with fellow kiwi Greg Turner he holed a 70 foot putt on the final green to defeat the American pairing.

Nobilo was awarded the CNZM (The Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit) in 1998.

Nobilo retired from professional golf in 2003 because of injuries. He subsequently joined The Golf Channel, where, as mentioned above, he works as an analyst for the network's Champions Tour coverage. He also works as an analyst on the "Sprint Post Game" and "Golf Central".

Frank has a daughter, Bianca Kay Nobilo, born in 1990. Nobilo and his wife, Selena, married in 1998. One week after their marriage, Frank was struck above the left eye by an errant tee shot at the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Central Florida. His injury required 30 stitches, and his play afterwards was affected. At birth, Frank's right leg was shorter than his left.

Nobilo is also an Ambassador for Nobilo Wines, one of New Zealand's leading wineries and is a relative of founder Nikola Nobilo. The announcement to take Nobilo on board was announced at the New Zealand Embassy in Washington D.C.

On 9 October 2007, it was reported that Nobilo had announced he would be coming out of retirement, and attempt to gain a card for the U.S. PGA Tour through qualifying school. However, in a statement issued on the Golf Channel's website, Nobilo denied the report: "I have not, nor did I have any intention of entering this years PGA Tour Qualifying school." [cite news | url = http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=15101&select=24092 | title = Golf Channel's Nobilo Denies Return | publisher = golfchannel.com | date = 9 October 2007 ]

Frank Nobilo currently endorses the Element 21 Golf Company [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200712/ai_n21136685 December 2007] and has lent his voice to New Zealand Airline advertisements.

On October 2 2008, International Presidents Cup team captain Greg Norman announced that Frank Nobilo will serve as his assistant captain for the 2009 Presidents Cup Oct. 6-11 2009 at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco.

Amateur wins (2)

*1978 New Zealand Amateur Championship
*1979 New Zealand Under-25 Stroke Play Championship

Professional wins (13)

European Tour wins (5)

*1988 PLM Open
*1991 Trophée Lancôme
*1993 Turespana Open Mediterrania
*1995 BMW International Open
*1996 Deutsche Bank Open TPC of Europe

PGA Tour wins (1)

*1997 Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic

Asian Tour wins (1)

*1994 Sampoerna Indonesian Open
*1997 Hong Kong Open

PGA Tour of Australasia wins (1)

*1982 Reschs Pilsner New South Wales PGA Championship

Other wins (5)

*1985 Nissan/Mobil New Zealand PGA Championship
*1987 New Zealand PGA Championship
*1995 Sarazen World Open
*1996 Subaru Sarazen World Open
*1997 Mexican Open (Tour de las Americas)

Results in major championships

DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.

Team appearances

Amateur

*World Amateur Team (representing New Zealand): 1978

Professional

*World Cup (representing New Zealand): 1982, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000
*Dunhill Cup (representing New Zealand): 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
*Presidents Cup (International team): 1994, 1996, 1998 (winners)

References

External links

* [http://www.nobilo.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.pgatour.com/players/01/04/57 Profile on PGA Tour's official site]