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
victory!!Runner(s)-up

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

|Phoenix Open

|−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

|Southwestern Bell Colonial

|−13 (70-66-67-64=267)

|3 strokes

|{{flagicon|USA}} David Edwards, {{flagicon|USA}} Scott Hoch,
{{flagicon|USA}} Bob Lohr

align=center|5

|align=right|Aug 25, 1991

|NEC World Series of Golf

|−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

|NEC World Series of Golf

|{{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
victory!!Runner-up

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
victory!!Runners-up

align=center|1

|align=right|Jul 7, 1981

|Jerry Ford Invitational

|−10 (69-63=132)

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|USA}} John Cook, {{flagicon|USA}} Craig Stadler,
{{flagicon|USA}} Curtis Strange

align=center|2

|align=right|Dec 7, 1986

|JCPenney Classic
(with {{flagicon|USA}} Juli Inkster)

|−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
(with {{flagicon|USA}} Lanny Wadkins)

|−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
(with {{flagicon|AUS}} Steve Elkington)

|−16 (63-63=128)

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|USA}} Fred Couples and {{flagicon|USA}} Davis Love III,
{{flagicon|USA}} Brad Faxon and {{flagicon|USA}} Rick Fehr,
{{flagicon|USA}} Jim Gallagher Jr. and {{flagicon|USA}} Bruce Lietzke

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
(with {{flagicon|USA}} Jim Colbert)

|{{flagicon|USA}} Charlie Bolling and {{flagicon|USA}} Brad Fabel,
{{flagicon|USA}} Raymond Floyd and {{flagicon|USA}} Hal Sutton,
{{flagicon|USA}} John Fought and {{flagicon|USA}} Pat McGowan,
{{flagicon|USA}} Gary Hallberg and {{flagicon|USA}} Scott Hoch

|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
victory!!Runner(s)-up

align=center|1

|align=right|Mar 16, 2003

|SBC Classic

|−9 (67-68=135)*

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|USA}} Gil Morgan

align=center|2

|align=right|Mar 21, 2004

|Toshiba Senior Classic

|−15 (60-71-67=198)

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|USA}} Morris Hatalsky

align=center|3

|align=right|Aug 7, 2005

|3M Championship

|−15 (63-69-69=201)

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|USA}} Lonnie Nielsen, {{flagicon|USA}} Craig Stadler

align=center|4

|align=right|Mar 18, 2007

|AT&T Champions Classic

|−10 (69-69-68=206)

|Playoff

|{{flagicon|USA}} Loren Roberts

*Note: The 2003 SBC Classic was shortened to 36 holes due to rain.

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

|Bank of America Championship

|{{flagicon|IRL}} Mark McNulty, {{flagicon|USA}} Don Pooley

|McNulty won with birdie on second extra hole

style="background:#D0F0C0;"

|align=center|2

|2007

|AT&T Champions Classic

|{{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
victory!!Runner-up

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

*Note: The 2005 Titanium Enterprises Australian PGA Seniors Championship was shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

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 Tournament00000286
align=left|U.S. Open000124129
align=left|The Open Championship00011254
align=left|PGA Championship000003168
Totals00023114127

  • 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}}