Eric Cole currently leads the field at the Charles Schwab Challenge and is looking forward to his first-ever PGA Tour win.
He has two top 10 finishes this season, making the cut in 9 of 13 events. Those finishes came at the Myrtle Beach Classic and the Zurich Classic. He tied for sixth in both.
Here are five facts about the 37-year-old.
1) Is Eric Cole Married?
Yes, Cole is married. He tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend Stephanie. Cole proposed at Pebble Beach in February 2023. They walked down the aisle in December that same year.
“Best day of my life. Thanks to all our friends and family that helped make our wedding so special,” he wrote, posting a photo with his bride.
Their first photo together appeared on Cole’s Instagram back in 2016. They met through the competitive golf scene after the golfer turned pro in 2009. The couple currently resides in Delray Beach, Florida.
2) Eric Cole’s Path to the PGA Tour Took Years, Not Months
Cole did not follow the fast track. He missed Q School several times before finally getting through in 2016 or 17. The golfer had to pause after an injury before teaching golf in Jupiter. He finally reached the PGA Tour after more work on the Korn Ferry Tour. That grind shaped how he sees performance now.
“It’s been a long, bumpy road, but it’s been fun and it’s a cool spot to be now,” Cole said during his appearance at Mark Immelman’s podcast. “My job is no longer to really get better. It’s just to perform better.”
3) Diabetes and Addison’s Disease Changed His Routine
While at Nova Southeastern University, Cole lost weight, went home and learned he had type 1 diabetes and Addison’s disease. He said it took time to understand the medication and the daily preparation. He also made clear that the diagnosis changed his routine, not his goals.
Cole now wears a sensor that tracks blood sugar on the course and carries snacks for different situations. He described the low-sugar option.
“Pretty much just like a protein bar that doesn’t have any sugar in it,” he said.
4) Golf Runs Deep in the Family
Cole was not raised around ordinary weekend golfers. His mother, Laura Baugh, won the LPGA Rookie of the Year in 1973 and logged 70 top-10 finishes. His father, Bobby Cole, won on the PGA Tour.
Cole said he played with other pros at a young age around Bay Hill and learned as much from observing the environment as from the swings.
“Seeing all of these people have success was really cool,” he revealed. “It was a worthwhile pursuit to try and do it myself.”
5) Eric Cole’s Game Is Built Around Fit, Not Imitation
Cole has stayed true to a draw that suits his eye and his Florida roots. He said he naturally draws the ball and does not try to copy players with higher, fading patterns.
Around the greens, he grew up on grainy lies in South Florida, so he keeps the ball back and controls the strike. He also keeps practice simple, using only a few drills and a daily arc-board routine.
That is the same kind of discipline he applies under pressure. As he put it, “the golf ball doesn’t know” whether the moment is a mini-tour event or a Sunday on the PGA Tour.
Cole’s profile is easy to summarize and hard to match. He is married, he has overcome major health obstacles and he has kept the same game that brought him this far.
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