Player Profile - Robert Rock

This week’s player profile features Robert Rock, winner of the 2012 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

Born in 1977 in the town of Armitage in Staffordshire, England, Robert Rock took to golf at a young age. In an environment conducive to the game, Rock honed his skills on the golf course as a teenager while completing his education at Rugeley.

After turning professional in 1998 at the age of 21, Rock spent the majority of his time playing local championships in his native Britain. Off the championship circuit, Rock worked as a driving range manager, club professional and golf columnist before joining the European Tour in 2003 as an affiliate member.

Rock’s first few years on the European Tour saw the young golfer grappling with the difficulties of the game as he weathered the challenges of competing at the top level of European golf. For Rock, who recalls watching Tiger Woods win tournaments on the clubhouse television set and dreaming of one day following in the champion’s footsteps, a European Tour exemption was a dream come true.

In 2009, Rock came into his own on the European Tour, with three second place finishes and a near-victory at the Irish Open confirming his place amongst the stronger contenders that season. After consolidating his game in 2010, the 2011 season saw Rock win his first title on the European Tour.

In June 2011, Rock was victorious at the BMW Italian Open in Turin. Beating Gary Boyd and Thorbjorn Olesen by a single stroke, the Briton had finally made his mark on the world of professional golf. During the same season, Rock made a successful debut on the US PGA Tour,

On Sunday, Rock came face to face with Tiger Woods, the champion he admired so much during his early career. Starting the final round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship tied with Woods, Rock played a sterling final round to beat the former world number one and lift the trophy. Golf fans can look forward to many more stellar performances by this talented player.

Golfweather Editorial