Mark Hayes (golfer) Mark Hayes (golfer) Mark Stephen Hayes (July 12, 1949 – July 17, 2018) was an American professional golfer. He had three victories on the PGA Tour in the 1970s, including the 1977 Tournament Players Championship. He played in the 1979 Ryder Cup as a late replacement for Tom Watson. Born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Hayes played collegiately at Oklahoma State University, where he was a two-time All-American. He won the Sunnehanna Amateur in 1972. Hayes won three times on the PGA Tour: the Byron Nelson Golf Classic and Pensacola Open in 1976 and the Tournament Players Championship in 1977. He also
Tom Watson (golfer) for the longest time span between first and last playoffs on the PGA Tour. That time span is 34 years, 6 days. Watson won the 1975 Open Championship in an 18-hole playoff and 34 years later lost a playoff for the 2009 Open Championship. Due to his performance in 2009 and early 2010, along with his 1982 U.S. Open victory at Pebble Beach, the USGA awarded Watson a special exemption to the 2010 U.S. Open. He finished the tournament tied for 29th. Watson is the only golfer to participate in all major professional championships contested at Pebble Beach: 1972, 1982,