Randy Watkins
MGA Hall of Fame 2021
Randy Watkins was born on September 18, 1961 in Atlanta, Ga. Raised in Jackson, Ms. he graduated from Manhattan Academy where he was the MVP of the golf team 4 straight years. In 1977, at the age of 15, he won the PGA National Junior Championship played at Walt Disney World resort in Orlando. He was named an AJGA All American in 1978 and selected to play on the 1st PGA Junior Ryder Cup Team in 1979. The US Team was victorious over the European and South American Teams played in Caracas, Venezuela. Turning down Scholarship offers from, Georgia, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina Watkins signed with the Ole Miss Rebels in 1979. He was the MVP for 3 of his 4 years, won the Individual SEC Championship in 1982, was 1st Team All-SEC in 1982 and 1983 and was an NCAA All American in 1982. After college, Watkins qualified for the PGA TOUR on his 1st attempt by finishing T24th in the finals played at TPC Sawgrass in December of 1983. Watkins played in more than 40 PGA TOUR events in 1984-1985 and his highest finishes were T-7 th in the 1984 Quad Cities Open and T-5 th in the 1985 Magnolia Classic. He also was the 1st Mississippian to ever lead a round in the Magnolia Classic when he opened with a 65 in round one in 1985.Watkins also won the 1992 MPGA Invitational at Clarksdale Country Club. Watkins was honored as the recipient of the MGA’s Robbie Webb Award in 2006 for his continued contributions to Junior golf in Mississippi. He was inducted into the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 and will be inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. Watkins also served as Tournament Director for the PGA TOUR’s Viking Classic from 2005-2011. He currently owns and operates 3 courses in the Jackson Metro area under the Randy Watkins Golf Group umbrella.