BIOGRAPHY: BRIAN BATEMAN
Bateman will always remember 2007 as the year he won his first PGA Tour event. He opened the Buick Open with a 65 and never looked back. Bateman rolled in a 12-foot putt on the 72nd hole to claim victory. The pressure putt allowed him to avoid a four-man playoff. He also converted up and down pars on 16 and 17 to preserve the victory, which qualifies him for a trip to Augusta, Ga., and the 2008 Masters. He said he's dreamed of playing there since he was a kid.
For the year, Bateman earned more than $1 million for the first time in his career. His other PGA victory came at the NIKE Carolina Classic in 1998. He also has a third-place finish at the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2006.
Bateman calls himself a "Q-School veteran" having been there nearly 10 times. He was born in Monroe, La., and graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in marketing in 1996. At LSU, he was an NCAA Academic All-American in 1995 and a three-time All-Southeastern Conference selection. Bateman was the Louisiana state high school champion in 1989 and state junior champion in 1990. He won the 1992 Louisiana State Amateur.
Bateman is a huge LSU football fan and an Atlanta Braves baseball fan. He attends games whenever possible. He loves the Food Network and can be found in the kitchen cooking up a great meal. Bateman also knows his wines and has an extensive collection. He and his wife travel often to the California wine country to taste the latest and greatest vintages. Besides his wine collection, Bateman also has a nice array of famous musicians memorabilia. In his down time, he likes to read Clive Cussler novels.
