Tom Purtzer
{{short description|American professional golfer (born 1951)}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name = Tom Purtzer
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| fullname = Thomas Warren Purtzer
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|12|5}}
| birth_place = Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}
| weight = {{convert|210|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}
| nationality = {{USA}}
| residence = Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
| spouse =
| partner =
| children =
| college = Arizona State University
| yearpro = 1973
| retired =
| tour = Champions Tour
| extour = PGA Tour
| prowins = 15
| pgawins = 5
| japwins = 1
| champwins = 4
| seneurowins =
| otherwins = 5
| majorwins =
| masters = T24: 1989
| usopen = 4th: 1977
| open = T4: 1982
| pga = T16: 1982
| wghofid =
| wghofyear =
| award1 =
| year1 =
| award2 =
| year2 =
| awardssection =
}}
Thomas Warren Purtzer (born December 5, 1951) is an American professional golfer. Purtzer won a number of tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.
Early life and amateur career
Purtzer was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He attended Arizona State University in Tempe, where he was a member of the school's golf team. He graduated in 1973.
Professional career
In 1973, he turned pro. Purtzer is often described in golf literature as having the "sweetest swing in golf".{{cite web |title=Sweet-Swinging Purtzer Works on Putting |publisher=The Golf Channel |date=March 8, 2005 |url=http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=15102&select=15629|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927204420/http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=15102&select=15629|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 27, 2007}} He won five tournaments on the PGA Tour in three different decades, and won four times on the Champions Tour. His best finishes in major championships were 4th at the 1977 U.S. Open and T4 at the 1982 Open Championship.{{cite web |title=Golf Major Championships – Tom Purtzer |url=http://golfmajorchampionships.com/players?player=386 |accessdate=October 23, 2013}}
Personal life
His brother, Paul Purtzer, was also a professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. Purtzer and his brother operate Purtzer Performance Golf School and Academy in Phoenix, Arizona.
Purtzer lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Professional wins (15)
=PGA Tour wins (5)=
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of |
align=center|1
|align=right|Feb 20, 1977 |Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open |−11 (68-67-66-72=273) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Lanny Wadkins |
align=center|2
|align=right|Jan 22, 1984 |−16 (68-67-68-65=268) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Corey Pavin |
align=center|3
|align=right|Oct 9, 1988 |Gatlin Brothers-Southwest Golf Classic |−19 (64-72-69-64=269) |Playoff |{{flagicon|USA}} Mark Brooks |
align=center|4
|align=right|May 26, 1991 |−13 (70-66-67-64=267) |3 strokes |{{flagicon|USA}} David Edwards, {{flagicon|USA}} Scott Hoch, |
align=center|5
|align=right|Aug 25, 1991 |−1 (72-69-67-71=279) |Playoff |{{flagicon|USA}} Jim Gallagher Jr., {{flagicon|USA}} Davis Love III |
PGA Tour playoff record (2–0)
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result |
style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|1 |1988 |Gatlin Brothers-Southwest Golf Classic |{{flagicon|USA}} Mark Brooks |Won with par on first extra hole |
style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|2 |1991 |{{flagicon|USA}} Jim Gallagher Jr., {{flagicon|USA}} Davis Love III |Won with par on second extra hole |
=PGA of Japan Tour wins (1)=
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of |
align=center|1
|align=right|Nov 11, 1979 |ABC Japan vs USA Golf Matches |−12 (69-67-68-72=276) |10 strokes |{{flagicon|USA}} Bill Rogers |
=Other wins (4)=
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of |
align=center|1
|align=right|Jul 7, 1981 |−10 (69-63=132) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} John Cook, {{flagicon|USA}} Craig Stadler, |
align=center|2
|align=right|Dec 7, 1986 |JCPenney Classic |−23 (61-69-66-69=265) |2 strokes |{{flagicon|USA}} Mike Hulbert and {{flagicon|USA}} Val Skinner |
align=center|3
|align=right|Nov 24, 1991 |Shark Shootout |−27 (61-65-63=189) |4 strokes |{{flagicon|USA}} Jack Nicklaus and {{flagicon|AUS}} Greg Norman |
align=center|4
|align=right|Aug 24, 1993 |Fred Meyer Challenge |−16 (63-63=128) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Fred Couples and {{flagicon|USA}} Davis Love III, |
Other playoff record (0–1)
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponents!!Result |
style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|1 |1985 |Chrysler Team Championship |{{flagicon|USA}} Charlie Bolling and {{flagicon|USA}} Brad Fabel, |Floyd/Sutton won with birdie on first extra hole |
=Champions Tour wins (4)=
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of |
align=center|1
|align=right|Mar 16, 2003 |−9 (67-68=135)* |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Gil Morgan |
align=center|2
|align=right|Mar 21, 2004 |−15 (60-71-67=198) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Morris Hatalsky |
align=center|3
|align=right|Aug 7, 2005 |−15 (63-69-69=201) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Lonnie Nielsen, {{flagicon|USA}} Craig Stadler |
align=center|4
|align=right|Mar 18, 2007 |−10 (69-69-68=206) |Playoff |{{flagicon|USA}} Loren Roberts |
Champions Tour playoff record (1–1)
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result |
style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|1 |2005 |{{flagicon|IRL}} Mark McNulty, {{flagicon|USA}} Don Pooley |McNulty won with birdie on second extra hole |
style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|2 |2007 |{{flagicon|USA}} Loren Roberts |Won with birdie on fourth extra hole |
=Other senior wins (1)=
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of |
align=center|1
|align=right|Apr 9, 2005 |Titanium Enterprises Australian PGA Seniors Championship |−10 (67-68-71=206)* |5 strokes |{{flagicon|SCO}} John Chillas |
Results in major championships
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !! 1976 !! 1977 !! 1978 !! 1979 |
align=left|Masters Tournament
|style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |T37 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |
align=left|U.S. Open
|T44 |style="background:yellow;"|4 |T24 |style="background:yellow;"|8 |
align=left|The Open Championship
|style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |
align=left|PGA Championship
|style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |T54 |CUT |
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !! 1980 !! 1981 !! 1982 !! 1983 !! 1984 !! 1985 !! 1986 !! 1987 !! 1988 !! 1989 |
align=left|Masters Tournament
|32 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T25 |CUT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T24 |
align=left|U.S. Open
|CUT |CUT |CUT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T16 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T68 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |
align=left|The Open Championship
|style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:yellow;"|T4 |CUT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |
align=left|PGA Championship
|CUT |T19 |T16 |CUT |CUT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |T47 |CUT |T53 |
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !1990 !1991 !1992 !1993 !1994 !1995 !1996 !1997 |
align=left|Masters Tournament
|T45 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T61 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |
align=left|U.S. Open
|style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T37 |T33 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T32 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |
align=left|The Open Championship
|style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T22 |T70 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T62 |
align=left|PGA Championship
|T31 |T32 |T21 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |
{{legend|yellow|Top 10}}
{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
=Summary=
class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Tournament !! Wins !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Top-5 !! Top-10 !! Top-25 !! Events !! Cuts made | ||||||||
align=left|Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 |
align=left|U.S. Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 9 |
align=left|The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
align=left|PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 8 |
Totals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 41 | 27 |
---|
- Most consecutive cuts made – 12 (1989 Masters – 1996 Open Championship)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (three times)
Results in The Players Championship
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !1977 !1978 !1979 |
align=left|The Players Championship
|T59 |CUT |CUT |
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !1980 !1981 !1982 !1983 !1984 !1985 !1986 !1987 !1988 !1989 |
align=left|The Players Championship
|CUT |T19 |CUT |T19 |T41 |T40 |T48 |style="background:yellow;"|T9 |T45 |T55 |
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !1990 !1991 !1992 !1993 !1994 !1995 !1996 !1997 !1998 !1999 |
align=left|The Players Championship
|style="background:yellow;"|T3 |CUT |CUT |CUT |CUT |CUT |T62 |T24 |CUT |CUT |
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !2000 !2001 |
align=left|The Players Championship
|CUT |CUT |
{{legend|yellow|Top 10}}
CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
U.S. national team appearances
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{PGATour player|01975}}
- {{OWGR|169}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Purtzer, Tom}}
Category:American male golfers
Category:Arizona State Sun Devils men's golfers
Category:PGA Tour Champions golfers
Category:Golfers from Scottsdale, Arizona
Category:Sportspeople from Des Moines, Iowa