A year before PGA Golfer Ben Crenshaw appeared on the 2000 Sports Illustrated with his bikini-clad Julie, he became known in GOP circles for maxing out with a contribution to George W. Bush. The table below shows that since he wrote those checks, golfers have proven one of the most Republican professions, giving almost three times as many checks to Republicans as Democrats.
Phil Mickelson drew fire for considering leaving California’s high state taxes, then Tiger Woods admitted he had made that decision years ago, and apparently they are not alone in wanting lower taxes. Our research on www.campaignmoney.com showed that since 1999, a total of 159 professional golfers have written checks ONLY to Republican candidates to only 52 have written checks ONLY to Democratic candidates.
Crenshaw tops the GOP checks written since 1999, writing checks only to Republicans during every Presidential cycle, as well as checks to the Texas Republican Party and Senate and Congressional candidates. The other 159 GOP-only donors from the professional golfers association also includes Nancy Lopez, Tom Watson, Fuzzy Zoeller, Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus and Mike O’Meara.
Arnold Palmer is one of only six pro golfers to give to candidates from both parties, but he gave to only Republicans except for a regular schedule of checks to the late Democratic Congressman John Murtha, the first Veteran of Vietnam to serve in Congress.
Even the top pro golfers who give to only Democrats are not known on the PGA circuit. The top donor Tom Roderick is a 30-year full-time realtor who is also a golf pro, while Eammon Coghlan’s golf was played at the University of South Alabama a few years before he wrote out $4,600 in checks to Hillary Clinton while working as a golf pro at a Houston club.
While the majority of professional athletes in baseball, hockey and basketball all planned to vote Republican this year, it appears being in a profession like golf at which you are completely responsible for paying your caddies and how much you earn each year may make golfers the most Republican athletes. The other end of the spectrum are NFL players, the only athletes from a major sport to give President Obama a majority of their votes, perhaps due to having the least favorable Labor Agreement and being the most likely to have injuries that may turn them to trial lawyers for recourse.
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| Republican donors | Amount | Count | Democrat donors | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crenshaw, Ben Mr. | $11,173 | 1 | Roderick, Thomas Mr. | $7,300 |
| Merchent, Michael Mr | $10,100 | 2 | Palmer, Arnold Mr. (both) | $6,000 |
| Roberts, Loren L. Mr. | $9,259 | 3 | Coghlan, Eamonn P | $4,600 |
| Palmer, Arnold (both) | $6,750 | 4 | Hall, Nancy | $4,450 |
| Leonard, Justin | $5,200 | 5 | Dupont, Sarah | $4,400 |
| Knight, Nancy Lopez Ms. | $5,000 | 6 | Whellams, Joshua R | $4,200 |
| Suits, Francis Iii | $4,800 | 7 | Hoffmaster, Richard | $3,000 |
| Daugherty, Glen Robert Mr. (both) | $4,600 | 8 | Dougherty, Kathy (both) | $2,700 |
| Watson, Tom S. Mr. | $4,511 | 9 | Colbert, James J Jr. (both) | $2,300 |
| Cook, John | $4,300 | 10 | Duval, David | $2,300 |
| Azinger, Paul | $4,200 | 11 | Mann, Steve | $2,300 |
| Dougherty, Kathy (both) | $4,200 | 12 | Morcan, Jay | $2,250 |
| Carl, Janet Mrs. | $4,100 | 13 | Hill, Sims W Mr Jr | $2,100 |
| Zoeller, Fuzzy Mr. | $4,100 | 14 | Barber, Tom (both) | $2,000 |
| Fisher, Ross | $4,050 | 15 | Crabtree, Chris | $2,000 |
| Hill, Michael J. Mr. | $3,000 | 16 | Fleisher, Bruce L | $2,000 |
| Mize, Larry | $3,000 | 17 | Herron, Michael | $2,000 |
| Norman, Greg | $3,000 | 18 | Moher, Paul T | $2,000 |
| Floyd, Raymond L Mr. | $2,600 | 19 | Roll, Susan | $1,750 |
| Barber, Tom (both) | $2,500 | 20 | Kletcke, Robert | $1,500 |
| Coody, Charles | $2,500 | 21 | Petrole, George | $1,500 |
| Gossett, David S Mr. | $2,500 | 22 | Steranka, Joseph | $1,500 |
| Irwin, Hale S. Mr. | $2,500 | 23 | Barnett, Mike | $1,000 |
| Nicklaus, Jack W. Mr. | $2,500 | 24 | Foley, Michael | $1,000 |
| O’Meara, Mark Mr. | $2,500 | 25 | Gay, Brian | $1,000 |
| Purdy, Theodore T (both) | $2,500 | 26 | Mathies, Burt | $1,000 |
| Cox, Shawn Grant Mr. | $2,300 | 27 | Phillips, Marshall W. | $1,000 |
| Dunsmore, Michael Mr. | $2,300 | 28 | Purdy, Ted (both) | $1,000 |
| Funk, Fred | $2,300 | 29 | Dupont, Douglas W. | $750 |
| Houston, Rodney | $2,300 | 30 | Nickerson, Sandy | $700 |
| Keim, Donald R. Mr. | $2,300 | 31 | Spieller, Donald | $550 |
| Ogilvie, Joe Mr. | $2,300 | 32 | Daugherty, Glen (both) | $500 |
| Sutton, Hal | $2,300 | 33 | Fahler, Ryan C | $500 |
| Jacobsen, Jan D. Mrs. | $2,250 | 34 | Han, Keun Sang | $500 |
| Sanders, Douglas Mr. | $2,250 | 35 | Hurd, Rob | $500 |
| Beman, Deane R | $2,000 | 36 | Lopez, Arthur | $500 |
| Colbert, James J. | $2,000 | 37 | Sindelar, Joseph P. | $500 |
| Crikelair, Pamela | $2,000 | 38 | Tindall, Bill | $500 |
| Dunaway, Mike Mr. | $2,000 | 39 | Wallace, Phillip O. | $500 |
| Green, Hubert M | $2,000 | 40 | Furgol, Henry J. Jr. | $450 |
| Kite, Thomas O Mr. Jr. | $2,000 | 41 | Ballantyne, Elan | $400 |
| Kostis, Peter | $2,000 | 42 | Birt, Derek | $250 |
| Lietzke, Bruce Mr. | $2,000 | 43 | Bishop, Ted | $250 |
| Love, Davis M Mr. | $2,000 | 44 | Blackmon, Will | $250 |
| Schroeder, J. L. | $2,000 | 45 | Cavicchi, Thomas A. | $250 |
| Sluman, Jeff Mr. | $2,000 | 46 | Colucci, Joseph J. | $250 |
| Toms, David | $2,000 | 47 | Cooper, John | $250 |
| Orourke, Edward | $1,750 | 48 | Dirico, Thomas J | $250 |
| Aaron, Tommy | $1,700 | 49 | Hall, Terry | $250 |
| Forsman, Dan Mr. | $1,700 | 50 | Horgan, Patrick Iii | $250 |
| Wimberly, Guy | $1,550 | 51 | Johnson, Howard A. | $250 |
| Pott, John F Mr | $1,500 | 52 | Manges, Richard E. | $250 |
| Nervick, Peter | $1,250 | 53 | Price, Patricia L. | $250 |
| Marchand, Paul Mr. | $1,200 | 54 | Reid, Charlie | $250 |
| Simpson, Scott | $1,050 | 55 | Stacy, Hollis | $250 |
| Brown, Olin Mr. | $1,000 | 56 | Trowbridge, Melissa | $250 |
| Calbot, Michael F | $1,000 | 57 | Vidulich, Thomas | $250 |
| Chancellor, Warren E. Mr. Jr. | $1,000 | 58 | Greenwell, Kevin | $200 |
| Colbert, James J Jr (both) | $1,000 | 59 | St Clair, Joanna L | $200 |
| Diehl, Terrence | $1,000 | 60 | ||
| Douglass, Dale | $1,000 | 61 | ||
| Elizabeth Morrow | $1,000 | 62 | ||
| Essig, Iii, Don | $1,000 | 63 | ||
| Koch, Gary D. | $1,000 | 64 | ||
| Kostis, Sandy | $1,000 | 65 | ||
| Murphy, James K. Mr. | $1,000 | 66 | ||
| O’Neal Dye, Alice | $1,000 | 67 | ||
| Parker, Tammie G | $1,000 | 68 | ||
| Pate, Jerry | $1,000 | 69 | ||
| Rand, William | $1,000 | 70 | ||
| Reid, Michael | $1,000 | 71 | ||
| Renkes, Maureen | $1,000 | 72 | ||
| Rollins, Scott C. Mr. | $1,000 | 73 | ||
| Rosendahl, Lynn H. | $1,000 | 74 | ||
| Summers, Stephen R | $1,000 | 75 | ||
| Wadkins, Jerry L Jr | $1,000 | 76 | ||
| Watts, Edwin | $1,000 | 77 | ||
| Waynick, Elizabeth S | $1,000 | 78 | ||
| Williams, Evan | $1,000 | 79 | ||
| Fitzhugh, Cary G Mr. | $900 | 80 | ||
| Kelly, Glenn Mr. | $800 | 81 | ||
| Nicol, Ron Mr. | $757 | 82 | ||
| Gibson, Kelly Mr. | $750 | 83 | ||
| Morrow, Elizabeth | $750 | 84 | ||
| Riley, Christopher J Mr. | $750 | 85 | ||
| Thompson, Leonard | $750 | 86 | ||
| Bin, Richard Mr. | $700 | 87 | ||
| Johnson, Christa Anne Ms. | $700 | 88 | ||
| Ferree, Jim Mr. | $650 | 89 | ||
| Lowell, Walter | $600 | 90 | ||
| Ball, Steve | $500 | 91 | ||
| Bell, Peggy | $500 | 92 | ||
| Burns, Randy Mr. | $500 | 93 | ||
| Cole, Clayton | $500 | 94 | ||
| Collins, Cary | $500 | 95 | ||
| Couples, Fred | $500 | 96 | ||
| Dalton, Tolbert M Iii | $500 | 97 | ||
| Digiacomo, Mark Mr. | $500 | 98 | ||
| Elliott, Robert A Mr. | $500 | 99 | ||
| Flynn, Robert W Mr. | $500 | 100 | ||
| Johnson, Zachary H. | $500 | 101 | ||
| Light, Robert A | $500 | 102 | ||
| Marino, Maria | $500 | 103 | ||
| Mcqueen, Jim | $500 | 104 | ||
| Olson, Tanya | $500 | 105 | ||
| Orlosky, Kevin A Mr. | $500 | 106 | ||
| Patten, Zeb | $500 | 107 | ||
| Preisler, David | $500 | 108 | ||
| Preisler, Debbie | $500 | 109 | ||
| Rogers, Bill Mr. | $500 | 110 | ||
| Scott, Ken M | $500 | 111 | ||
| Sipe, Brent A | $500 | 112 | ||
| Smith, Jeffrey M | $500 | 113 | ||
| Stefanik, Matthew | $500 | 114 | ||
| Stewart, James E Mr. | $500 | 115 | ||
| Summerhays, Bruce P | $482 | 116 | ||
| Jacobs, Tommy Mr. | $475 | 117 | ||
| King, William | $450 | 118 | ||
| L Schroeder, John Mr. | $400 | 119 | ||
| Anthony-Ryan, Terri A | $300 | 120 | ||
| Carman, J.R. | $300 | 121 | ||
| Jerauld, Jill J | $300 | 122 | ||
| Landrey, Frank E Mr. | $300 | 123 | ||
| Mast, Richard L Mr. Jr. | $300 | 124 | ||
| Mc Williams, Kevin Mr. | $300 | 125 | ||
| Neidlinger, William | $300 | 126 | ||
| Nieporte, Tom Mr. Sr. | $300 | 127 | ||
| Creagh, Darwin W Mr. | $275 | 128 | ||
| Randall, Frank H. Iii | $271 | 129 | ||
| Blackwelder, Myra | $250 | 130 | ||
| Blanton, Bufort C. | $250 | 131 | ||
| Brown, Tim L. Mr. | $250 | 132 | ||
| Burke, Jack Mr. Jr. | $250 | 133 | ||
| Cox, Gordon | $250 | 134 | ||
| Crosby, Elaine | $250 | 135 | ||
| Dodson, John Mr. | $250 | 136 | ||
| Doos, Chris Mr. | $250 | 137 | ||
| Estes, Bob Mr. | $250 | 138 | ||
| Forsman, Daniel Mr. | $250 | 139 | ||
| Gibbons, William D | $250 | 140 | ||
| Guipe, Tom | $250 | 141 | ||
| Guttman, Maurice | $250 | 142 | ||
| James, Stuart L. Mr. | $250 | 143 | ||
| Kelly, Jerry M. Mr. | $250 | 144 | ||
| Lacrosse, Douglas W. | $250 | 145 | ||
| Malen, Donald | $250 | 146 | ||
| Mcgowan, Patrick Mr. | $250 | 147 | ||
| Miller, J. Kenneth | $250 | 148 | ||
| Mills, Richard B | $250 | 149 | ||
| Pepper, Dottie Ms. | $250 | 150 | ||
| Stockton, David W | $250 | 151 | ||
| Taylor, Brett | $250 | 152 | ||
| Alexander, Bif | $225 | 153 | ||
| Hay, Virginia Mrs. | $225 | 154 | ||
| Mattiace, Leonard Mr. | $220 | 155 | ||
| Heit, Brent S Mr. | $201 | 156 | ||
| Bailey, John P Mr. | $200 | 157 | ||
| Baiocchi, Hugh J Mr. | $200 | 158 | ||
| Craig, George J Mr. | $200 | 159 | ||
| Gavins, John J Mr. | $200 | 160 | ||
| Goecke, Garay W Mr. | $200 | 161 | ||
| Haney, Hank Mr. | $200 | 162 | ||
| Hofer, Scotty A. Mr. | $200 | 163 | ||
| Powers, Don Mr. | $200 | 164 | ||
| Sampson, Mark Mr. | $200 | 165 | ||
| Total to Republicans | $229,524 | Total to Democrats | $81,400 |