Amateur, while attending the University of Southern California, where he was a teammate of future PGA Tour winners Mark Pfeil and Scott Simpson.

[2] Stadler won his first two PGA Tour events in 1980, at the Bob Hope Desert Classic and the Greater Greensboro Open.

Despite playing relatively well, Stadler did not win a PGA Tour event for over 7 years (May 1984 – November 1991) during the heart of his career.

His winless streak in America was broken at the final event of the 1991 season, defeating Russ Cochran in a playoff at the Tour Championship.

[2] In 1994 he was the featured coach for the Sega Saturn video game Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Stadler underwent total left-hip-replacement surgery in Los Angeles on September 15, 2010, which limits his playing time.

Very popular with the galleries, Stadler is affectionately called "The Walrus" for his portly build and ample mustache.