Culture / Sporting Life

Grandsons of a Fort Worth Golf Legend Create Their Own PGA Tour Path — The Incredible Tale of Twin Brothers Pierceson and Parker Coody

Charles Coody Won The Masters in 1971 and Built His Game and Name at TCU

BY // 05.12.23

Pierceson and Parker Coody are twin brothers hailing from Plano. These North Texas natives and University of Texas graduates are trying to make it on the PGA Tour and they certainly have the family pedigree in golf. They are the grandsons of Charles Coody, the 1971 Masters champion who went to TCU. They’re both headed to Charles Schwab Challenge held at Fort Worth’s storied Colonial golf course later this month.

First, they have a job to do in McKinney this weekend. Both of the Coody twins are playing in AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch. Pierceson Coody shot a 3-under 68 in Thursday’s first round, good for tie for 46th place. And Parker Coody posted a 69, putting him in a tie for 65th heading into Friday’s second round. Both brothers are in position to make the cut if they can match that round or do even better on day two.

Charles Coody watched the action firsthand — and he’s tracking his grandson’s chances.

“They’ve already had to qualify in a few tournaments just to make it to the Big Show,” Charles Coody tells PaperCity Fort Worth. “Parker shot a 69 today and Pierceson shot a 68. That’s good, but they’ll have to do at least that well tomorrow to make the cut.”

These 23-year-old twins are all-round athletes who finally settled on the family sport of golf after playing football, baseball and basketball. They combined to help to propel the University of Texas men’s golf team to the 2022 NCAA Championship.

Of course, their grandfather has a green jacket hanging in his closet. After winning the Masters in 1971, out dueling Hall of Fame golfers Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller in the process, Charles Coody represented the United States in the Ryder Cup later that year.

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Overall, Charles Coody played in 629 PGA Tour events and 481 Champions Tour events. Only six golfers in history have made more pro starts than Coody’s 1,110 overall. He won 15 times as a pro, including three on the PGA Tour, with two European Tour wins and five Champions Tour wins.

Charles Coody takes a picture of his grandsons during The Masters Par 3 Contest at the the 2008 tournament. (Golf Digest Photo)
Charles Coody takes a picture of his grandsons during The Masters Par 3 Contest at the the 2008 tournament. (Golf Digest Photo)

The first time the Coody twins competed in a PGA Tour event was a few months ago at the Honda Classic.

“Those cute little boys in white overalls who caddied for Grandpa at the 2006 Masters Par 3 Contest when they were six are starting to compete at the game’s highest level and thinking about their future pathway to Augusta National,” their father Kyle Coody, a former professional golfer himself who tried to make the PGA Tour seven times through Qualifying School, told Jeff Banineau, a writer for the PGA Tour.

Kyle was referring to Charles Coody’s final appearance at The Masters, when Parker and his twin caddied for their grandfather in the Par 3 Contest, each putting “on alternate holes, with Pierceson making a 40-footer on No. 9.”

“Their dad has worked very hard with them. As you know, the game is not an inexpensive one,” Charles Coody tells PaperCity. “He’s kind of been in double jeopardy for a lot of years ― paying entry fees for both of them at the amateur level.

“I hope someday they will be able to turn around and repay him for all he has poured into their careers.”

The Charles Coody Legacy

Charles Coody’s legacy looms large in Fort Worth. The Master’s winner grew up in the tiny West Texas town of Stamford, just north of Abilene, before heading to Fort Worth and graduating in 1960 from Texas Christian University with a business degree. For many years, he hosted his own charity tournament called The Charles Coody Classic. He also founded his own golf course in Abilene ― Diamond Back National.

The Coody twins are following in his footsteps. Along with his brother, Pierceson helped his high school team at Plano West bring home a state title in 2016. Having played in five PGA Tour events this year already, he’s won $363,960 in official prize money, making three cuts and finishing tied for 14th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.

While at Plano West High School, Parker Coody won an individual state title in 2017, joining his grandfather as the second Coody with an individual state title. Charles Coody won the Texas 1A state title while at Stamford High School. With his win at PGA Tour Canada’s CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open in 2022, Parker became the first brother to win a Tour affiliated tournament.

Considering his own pro golf success, including that epic Masters win, I asked Charles how difficult it is to resist the urge to coach “The Boys” these days.

“I’ve been politely told to keep my mouth shut,” Charles Coody laughs. “My son tells me, ‘Dad you’re old school’. But the better you understand the fundamentals of the game, the better of a golfer you’ll become.”

While golf technology has certainly changed, in many ways, Charles Coody feels the fundamentals of the game haven’t.

But he’s happy to watch his grandsons these days — and know more big Texas golf tournaments are coming.

Following the AT&T Byron Nelson, Parker and Pierceson will take their first shot at the Charles Schwab Challenge, which gets underway at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, beginning on May 25, with its purse of $8,700,000.

“Colonial was always one of my favorite tournaments,” Charles Coody says. “Though I didn’t get to play the course often while I was in college at TCU ― and that’s a shame. It’s a great golf course. One that will really teach you how to play.

“Both of them received an invitation to play this year, and that was very nice. And I will be at Colonial to watch the boys play.”

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