Tommy Aaron

{{about|the golfer|the baseball player and brother of Hank Aaron|Tommie Aaron}}

{{Infobox golfer

| name = Tommy Aaron

| image =

| imagesize =

| alt =

| caption =

| fullname = Thomas Dean Aaron

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1937|2|22}}

| birth_place = Gainesville, Georgia, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}

| weight = {{convert|180|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}

| nationality = {{USA}}

| residence = Gainesville, Georgia, U.S.

| spouse =

| partner =

| children =

| college = University of Florida

| yearpro = 1960

| retired =

| extour = PGA Tour
Champions Tour

| prowins = 9

| pgawins = 3

| champwins = 1

| otherwins = 5

| majorwins = 1

| masters = Won: 1973

| usopen = T29: 1975

| open = T50: 1970

| pga = T2: 1972

| usamateur = 2nd: 1958

| britamateur = R256: 1959

| wghofid =

| wghofyear =

| award1 = Senior PGA Tour
Comeback Player of the Year

| year1 = 1992

| award2 =

| year2 =

| awardssection =

}}

Thomas Dean Aaron (born February 22, 1937) is an American former professional golfer. He was a member of the PGA Tour during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Aaron is best known for winning the 1973 Masters Tournament. He is also known for an error in the 1968 Masters Tournament, when he entered a 4 instead of a 3 on Roberto De Vicenzo's scorecard, which prevented De Vicenzo from competing in a playoff.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/roberto-de-vicenzo-and-the-1968-masters-when-the-game-held-its-head-in-its-hands |title=Roberto De Vicenzo and the 1968 Masters: When the game held its head in its hands |magazine=Golf Digest |first=Jerry |last=Tarde |date=June 1, 2017}}

Early life

Thomas Dean Aaron was born on February 22, 1937, in Gainesville, Georgia.Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, Members, [http://www.gghof.org/index.php/members/detail/tommy_aaron Tommy Aaron]. Retrieved December 20, 2015. He began playing golf at age 12. He won two Georgia Amateur titles, two Southeastern Amateur events and two Georgia Open crowns, despite not having a golf course in his hometown.

Amateur career

Aaron attended the University of Florida where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity (Beta Zeta chapter). While he was a Florida student, he played for the Florida Gators men's golf team from 1956 to 1959, was a member of the Gators' 1956 Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship team, and won the individual SEC championship in 1957 and 1958.[http://web.gatorzone.com/golf/men/media/2010/supplement.pdf Florida Men's Golf 2011 Media Supplement] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402035020/http://web.gatorzone.com/golf/men/media/2010/supplement.pdf |date=April 2, 2012 }}, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 27, 35, 39, 41 (2010). Retrieved July 10, 2011. He lost the U.S. Amateur final to Charles Coe in 1958, was a member of the 1959 Walker Cup team, and won the Western Amateur in 1960. He was recognized as an All-American in 1958 and 1959.[http://www.gatorzone.com/golf/men/media/2008/pdf/5_history.pdf 2008–09 Florida Gators Men's Golf Media Guide], University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 36 (2008). Retrieved July 14, 2011. Aaron graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1960, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great."F Club, Hall of Fame, [http://www.gatorfclub.org/hall-of-fame/greats Gator Greats]. Retrieved December 15, 2014.

Professional career

Aaron turned pro in 1960. His first professional victory came at the 1969 Canadian Open. Although the event is historically considered a PGA Tour event, it was not that year.{{Cite web |url=https://www.pgatour.com/players/player.01001.tommy-aaron.html |title=Tommy Aaron – Profile |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=2020-03-10}}{{Cite news |url=https://thebrunswicknews.com/sports/local_sports/masters-winner-aaron-recalls-great-career/article_f1ceb67f-8367-534a-8fb5-d07b7291a06f.html |title=Masters winner Aaron recalls great career |last=Price |first=Kevin |newspaper=The Brunswick News |date=December 8, 2004 |access-date=2020-03-10}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/sports-outdoor-recreation/tommy-aaron-b-1937 |title=Tommy Aaron (b. 1937) |publisher=New Georgia Encyclopedia |access-date=2020-03-10}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.finegolfbooks.com/pages/author/558/tommy-aaron/ |title=Tommy Aaron |website=Fine Golf Books: Bios and Autographs |access-date=2020-03-10}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-08-04-8801200787-story.html |title=Tommy Aaron |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=August 8, 1988 |access-date=2020-03-10}}{{Cite news |date=1970-05-21 |title=International players on circuit |page=30 |newspaper=Canberra Times |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110322400|access-date=2020-10-30}} The following year he gained his first PGA Tour victory at the Atlanta Classic. In 1972, he won the Trophée Lancôme in France. Aaron's best money year was 1972, when he finished in ninth place on the PGA Tour money list.

Aaron won the Masters Tournament in 1973, which was his one major championship. He also finished in the top ten at the Masters from 1967 to 1970. His only other top ten major championship finishes came at the PGA Championship in 1965 and 1972. In 2000, he made the cut at the Masters at the age of 63, breaking a record previously held by Gary Player.

Aaron played for the U.S. team in the Ryder Cup in 1969 and 1973, and had a record of one win, one tie and four losses.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Aaron played on the Senior PGA Tour, winning $3,646,302. The 1992 Kaanapali Classic was his last professional win.

Aaron is also known for being the playing partner of Argentinian Roberto De Vicenzo for the final round of the 1968 Masters Tournament. On the seventeenth hole, Aaron incorrectly recorded a par 4 on De Vicenzo's scorecard, when his partner had actually scored a birdie 3 for the hole. Because De Vicenzo signed the scorecard without correcting the error, PGA rules required him to stand by the incorrect, higher score. Instead of a De Vicenzo–Bob Goalby playoff for the green jacket, Goalby won the tournament outright due to the technicality.

Ironically, Aaron's 4th round playing partner at the 1973 Masters, Johnny Miller, recorded a higher score when keeping Aaron's card. Aaron caught the mistake.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OKJUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r48DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7087,500329&dq=jc+snead+tommy+aaron+masters&hl=en |title=Aaron can count strokes, money |newspaper=Daily Record |location=Ellensburg, Washington |date=April 10, 1973 |page=6}}

Awards and honors

Aaron was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1980.{{cite web |title=Tommy Aaron |url=http://www.gshf.org/pdf_files/inductees/golf/tommy_aaron.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928184314/http://www.gshf.org/pdf_files/inductees/golf/tommy_aaron.pdf |archive-date=September 28, 2011 |access-date=July 19, 2011 |publisher=Georgia Sports Hall of Fame}}
Aaron was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in 1989.

Amateur wins

1957 SEC Championship (individual), Georgia Amateur
1958 SEC Championship (individual), Southeastern Amateur
1959 Sunnehanna Amateur
1960 Western Amateur, Georgia Amateur, Southeastern Amateur

Professional wins (9)

=PGA Tour wins (2)=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

! Legend

style="background:#e5d1cb;"

| Major championships (1)

Other PGA Tour (1)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.

!Date

!Tournament

!Winning score

!Margin of
victory

!Runner-up

align=center|1

|align=right|May 24, 1970

|Atlanta Classic

|−13 (68-68-70-69=275)

|3 strokes

|{{flagicon|USA}} Dan Sikes

style="background:#e5d1cb;"

|align=center|2

|align=right|Apr 9, 1973

|Masters Tournament

|−5 (68-73-74-68=283)

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|USA}} J. C. Snead

PGA Tour playoff record (0–4)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|1

|1963

|Memphis Open Invitational

|{{flagicon|USA}} Tony Lema

|Lost to par on first extra hole

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|2

|1963

|Cleveland Open Invitational

|{{flagicon|USA}} Tony Lema, {{flagicon|USA}} Arnold Palmer

|Palmer won 18-hole playoff;
Palmer: −4 (67),
Aaron: −1 (70),
Lema: −1 (70)

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|3

|1972

|Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open

|{{flagicon|USA}} George Archer, {{flagicon|USA}} Dave Hill

|Archer won 18-hole playoff;
Archer: −5 (66),
Aaron: −3 (68),
Hill: −3 (68)

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|4

|1972

|Greater Greensboro Open

|{{flagicon|USA}} George Archer

|Lost to par on second extra hole

Source:{{Cite web |title=Tommy Aaron |url=https://www.pgatour.com/player/01001/tommy-aaron |access-date=2025-01-01 |publisher=PGA Tour}}

= Other wins (6) =

1957 Georgia Open (as an amateur)
1960 Georgia Open
1969 Canadian Open
1972 Trophée Lancôme, ABC Japan vs USA Golf Matches
1975 Georgia Open

=Senior PGA Tour wins (1)=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.

!Date

!Tournament

!Winning score

!Margin of
victory

!Runner-up

align=center|1

|Nov 1, 1992

|Kaanapali Classic

|−15 (67-67-64=198)

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|USA}} Dave Stockton

Senior PGA Tour playoff record (0–2)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|1

|1992

|Vintage ARCO Invitational

|{{flagicon|USA}} Jim Colbert, {{flagicon|USA}} Mike Hill

|Hill won with birdie on first extra hole

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|2

|1992

|Murata Reunion Pro-Am

|{{flagicon|USA}} George Archer

|Lost to birdie on third extra hole

Major championships

= Wins (1) =

class="wikitable"

!Year!!Championship!!54 holes!!Winning score!!Margin!!Runner-up

style="background:#D0F0C0;"

| 1973

Masters Tournament

4-shot deficit

−5 (68-73-74-68=283)

1 stroke

{{flagicon|USA}} J. C. Snead

= Results timeline =

Amateur

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"

!Tournament

!1958

!1959

!1960

align=left|Masters Tournament

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

|T25

align=left|U.S. Open

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|The Open Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|U.S. Amateur

|style="background:yellow;"|2

|style="background:yellow;"|R16

|R64

align=left|The Amateur Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|R256

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

Professional

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"

!Tournament

!1961

!1962

!1963

!1964

!1965

!1966

!1967

!1968

!1969

align=left|Masters Tournament

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T11

|T13

|style="background:yellow;"|T8

|style="background:yellow;"|T7

|style="background:yellow;"|T8

align=left|U.S. Open

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T30

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T40

align=left|The Open Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|PGA Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T21

|style="background:yellow;"|T8

|T22

|T20

|T26

|T57

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"

!Tournament

!1970

!1971

!1972

!1973

!1974

!1975

!1976

!1977

!1978

!1979

align=left|Masters Tournament

|style="background:yellow;"|T5

|T22

|CUT

|style="background:lime;"|1

|CUT

|T38

|42

|T35

|36

|T28

align=left|U.S. Open

|T46

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T55

|T45

|CUT

|T29

|T47

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|The Open Championship

|T50

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|PGA Championship

|T45

|CUT

|style="background:yellow;"|T2

|T44

|T55

|CUT

|T38

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T46

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"

!Tournament

!1980

!1981

!1982

!1983

!1984

!1985

!1986

!1987

!1988

!1989

align=left|The Masters

|CUT

|48

|T36

|CUT

|T50

|CUT

|T38

align=left|U.S. Open

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|The Open Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|PGA Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!Tournament

!1990

!1991

!1992

!1993

!1994

!1995

!1996

!1997

!1998

!1999

align=left|Masters Tournament

|CUT

|T49

|T54

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

align=left|U.S. Open

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|The Open Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|PGA Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"

!Tournament

!2000

!2001

!2002

!2003

!2004

!2005

align=left|Masters Tournament

|57

|CUT

align=left|U.S. Open

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|The Open Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|PGA Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

CUT = missed the halfway cut

WD = withdrew

R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play

"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Source for The Masters: [https://web.archive.org/web/20100326225029/http://www.masters.com/en_US/history/past_winners.html www.masters.com]

Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: [https://web.archive.org/web/20101221024412/http://champsdatabase.usga.org/ USGA Championship Database]

Source for The British Open: [http://www.opengolf.com/en/History/PreviousOpens.aspx?eventid=2003040&view= www.opengolf.com]

Source for PGA Championship: [http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship.cfm?pgachampid=year PGA Championship Media Guide]

Source for 1959 British Amateur: [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19590526&printsec=frontpage&hl=en The Glasgow Herald, May 26, 1959, p. 6.]