Billy Ray Brown
William (Billy) Ray Brown (born April 5, 1963) is a former American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1980s and 1990s, and a current on course reporter for Golf Channel and commentator for CBS Sports.
| Billy Ray Brown | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | April 5, 1963 Missouri City, Texas, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st) |
| Sporting nationality | United States |
| Residence | Missouri City, Texas |
| Career | |
| College | University of Houston |
| Turned professional | 1987 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 3 |
| Highest ranking | 54 (May 17, 1992) |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 3 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | T19: 1992 |
| PGA Championship | T40: 1992 |
| U.S. Open | T3: 1990 |
| The Open Championship | CUT: 1992 |
Brown was born, raised, and makes his home in Missouri City, Texas. His father, Charlie Brown, played football for the Houston Cougars football and professionally in the CFL and AFL. Billy Ray attended the University of Houston and was a member of the Cougar golf team. He won the 1982 NCAA Division I Championship as a freshman. He was also a member of the 1984 and 1985 national championship teams, and was an All-American all four years.
Brown won three PGA Tour events in a career cut short by an injury and subsequent surgeries to his wrist. His best finish in a major championship was T-3 at the 1990 U.S. Open, one stroke out of the playoff. He had 17 top-10 finishes in 315 PGA Tour events.
After his playing days ended, Brown moved into the media to serve as an on-course reporter for ABC Sports from 1999 until 2006. In 2007, Brown joined the Golf Channel as an on-course reporter for their PGA Tour and Champions Tour coverage.