Gary Christian

{{Short description|English professional golfer (born 1971)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox golfer

| name = Gary Christian

| image =

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| fullname = Gary John Christian

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|8|7|df=y}}

| birth_place = Carshalton, England

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| height = {{height|ft=5|in=8}}

| weight = {{convert|165|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}

| nationality = {{ENG}}

| residence = Chelsea, Alabama

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| college = Wallace State Community College
Auburn University

| yearpro = 1997

| tour =

| extour = PGA Tour
Web.com Tour
Gateway Tour
various mini-tours

| prowins = Over 30

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| nwidewins = 2

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| otherwins = Over 30

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}}

Gary John Christian (born 7 August 1971) is an English professional golfer who has played on the Web.com Tour and the PGA Tour.

Christian was born in Carshalton, England. As a junior, he played golf at Addington Palace Golf Club, England. He went to college in the United States, first on an academic scholarship to Wallace State Community College{{cite news |last1=Ferguson |first1=Doug |title=A long road to tour for 40-year-old Englishman |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/11/a-long-road-to-tour-for-40-year-old-englishman/ |access-date=12 January 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Times |agency=Associated Press |date=11 January 2012}} in Alabama after being spotted by talent scouts at a trial. He was later offered a place at Auburn University, again on a scholarship. He spent two years at Auburn, graduating in 1995

Christian turned professional in 1997, and won four times in his first year on the TearDrop Tour. He was a member of the Nationwide Tour in 1999 and for several seasons from 2006. He picked up his first win on tour at the 2009 Northeast Pennsylvania Classic, where he defeated Mathias Grönberg in a playoff that went to nine holes, equaling a Nationwide Tour record for longest playoff.[https://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/2009-08-30-1524739914_x.htm Christian wins on record-equaling 9th playoff hole]

At age 40, Christian finally graduated to the PGA Tour after finishing ninth on the Nationwide Tour's money list.{{cite news |last1=Donegan |first1=Lawrence |title=Gary Christian makes PGA Tour after selling knives and sleeping in van |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/feb/14/gary-christian-pga-tour |access-date=12 January 2024 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=14 February 2012}} Christian had never played in a PGA Tour event until 2012. He played in 28 events in 2012, making 18 cuts and having a best finish of T-10 at the RBC Canadian Open.

Christian has played on several mini-tours during his career, winning over 30 events. The tours he has won on include the Gateway Tour, Dakotas Tour, Emerald Coast Tour, DP Tour, TearDrop Tour and the Tight Lies Tour.{{cite web |title=Official Nationwide Tour Media Guide |url=https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/header/files/2008_web.pdf |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=12 January 2024 |page=2-16 |date=2008}} He was the leading money winner on the Dakotas Tour in 2002 and 2005.{{cite web |title=Final 2002 Dakotas Tour Money List |url=http://www.dakotastour.com/money.html |publisher=Dakotas Tour |access-date=12 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021209223049/http://www.dakotastour.com/money.html |archive-date=9 December 2002}}{{cite web |title=2005 Dakotas Tour Total Prize Money including Bonus Cash |url=http://dakotastour.com/money.htm |publisher=Dakotas Tour |access-date=12 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060101074246/http://dakotastour.com/money.htm |archive-date=1 January 2006}}

Christian appeared on the TV show The Weakest Link in 2001. He is named after Gary Player. After Christian's touring career ended, he became a commentator on The Golf Channel.