Mark Brooks is one of the most accomplished and enduring professional golfers in Texas history. A Fort Worth native, Brooks attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned All-American honors four times while competing for the Longhorns. He turned professional in 1983 and went on to build a distinguished career on the PGA TOUR.

Brooks captured seven PGA TOUR victories, highlighted by his dramatic win at the 1996 PGA Championship. He was in contention at the British Open at St Andrews in 1995 and lost a playoff for the 2001 U.S. Open at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Ok., along with other impressive finishes in the majors.

Brooks represented the United States in the Presidents Cup, led by Captain Arnold Palmer, which was the same year he won his major. Known for his work ethic, consistency, determination, and longevity, Brooks competed in 803 PGA TOUR events, the most starts in TOUR history.

While still competing professionally, Brooks expanded his career into various golf businesses. Brooks created a company in 1992 with longtime Fort Worth friend Burt Baine called Brooks-Baine Golf to provide design and consulting services to the golf community. Over the next few years, they worked with clients including Club Corporation, the Department of Defense, Lincoln Property Company, and private clients and municipalities. Today they host a popular event called the Rival Cup, with Longhorn and Aggie alumni competing against each other for a day of golf to win the cup. With mentor and businessman, the late Howard Lester, then CEO of Williams Sonoma, Brooks designed and became part owner of Southern Oaks Golf Club near Fort Worth. The 18-hole golf course opened in 1999 and quickly earned recognition for its thoughtful and challenging design.

For eleven years, Mark and his family hosted a charity golf tournament and gala in honor of his dad, the late Reverend W. Hal Brooks, who passed from cancer at age 53 in 1987. The proceeds went to various Fort Worth charities including Teens in Crisis, Hospice, and the Brooks House counseling center.

After turning 50 in 2011, Brooks continued his competitive career on PGA TOUR Champions, making the cut in 212 of his 216 starts. He later brought his extensive knowledge of the game to broadcasting, joining Fox Sports in 2015 as an on-air analyst for its U.S. Open coverage. In 2020 Fox ceased its golf coverage of the U.S. Open and Brooks soon after began covering feature groups for ESPN on their PGA Championship coverage, which he continues to be part of today. Coach George Hannon was the celebrated UT golf Coach of Brooks, Crenshaw and Kite. Mark is currently on the Board of Directors for the Hannon Cup tournament that raises funds each year for the UT golf teams. Most recently, he was honored to become a board member for the Save Muny Initiative, the Ben Crenshaw and Scotty Sayers effort to preserve the first integrated golf course in the South.

When Mark’s daughters decided to raise their kids in Austin, Texas, it was a no-brainer for him and his wife, Cynthia, to make their home near their families. With his love for broadcast work Mark quickly accepted an invitation to be one of four broadcasters on The Fifteenth Club on Austin station KLBJ. He joined Scotty Sayers, show creator and Ben Crenshaw’s high school friend, and Ben’s manager still today, Ed Clements, well-known Austin broadcaster, and Ben Clements, football analyst. Brooks has said he considers this Saturday afternoon 2-hour show with his close friends one of his most enjoyable experiences.

Mark’s deepest passion is his love for teaching golf to many high school/college-aged young women and men, drawing on a lifetime of experience at the highest levels of competition. He has become involved with the Longhorn women’s golf team, has helped several strong young golfers grow their game and has become a mentor to these young athletes.

Mark and Cynthia have two grown daughters, Lyndsay and Hallie, and three grandchildren.

Birthplace: Fort Worth, Texas

Born: March 25, 1961