Tom Purtzer
Personal information
Full nameThomas Warren Purtzer
Born (1951-12-05) December 5, 1951
Des Moines, Iowa
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight210 lb (95 kg; 15 st)
Sporting nationality United States
ResidenceScottsdale, Arizona
Career
CollegeArizona State University
Turned professional1973
Current tour(s)Champions Tour
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Professional wins15
Highest ranking28 (January 19, 1992)[1]
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour5
Japan Golf Tour1
PGA Tour Champions4
Other5
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentT24: 1989
PGA ChampionshipT16: 1982
U.S. Open4th: 1977
The Open ChampionshipT4: 1982

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".[2] 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.[3]

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)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1 Feb 20, 1977 Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open −11 (68-67-66-72=273) 1 stroke United States Lanny Wadkins
2 Jan 22, 1984 Phoenix Open −16 (68-67-68-65=268) 1 stroke United States Corey Pavin
3 Oct 9, 1988 Gatlin Brothers-Southwest Golf Classic −19 (64-72-69-64=269) Playoff United States Mark Brooks
4 May 26, 1991 Southwestern Bell Colonial −13 (70-66-67-64=267) 3 strokes United States David Edwards, United States Scott Hoch,
United States Bob Lohr
5 Aug 25, 1991 NEC World Series of Golf −1 (72-69-67-71=279) Playoff United States Jim Gallagher Jr., United States Davis Love III

PGA Tour playoff record (2–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
1 1988 Gatlin Brothers-Southwest Golf Classic United States Mark Brooks Won with par on first extra hole
2 1991 NEC World Series of Golf United States Jim Gallagher Jr., United States Davis Love III Won with par on second extra hole

PGA of Japan Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1 Nov 11, 1979 ABC Japan vs USA Golf Matches −12 (69-67-68-72=276) 10 strokes United States Bill Rogers

Other wins (4)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runners-up
1 Jul 7, 1981 Jerry Ford Invitational −10 (69-63=132) 1 stroke United States John Cook, United States Craig Stadler,
United States Curtis Strange
2 Dec 7, 1986 JCPenney Classic
(with United States Juli Inkster)
−23 (61-69-66-69=265) 2 strokes United States Mike Hulbert and United States Val Skinner
3 Nov 24, 1991 Shark Shootout
(with United States Lanny Wadkins)
−27 (61-65-63=189) 4 strokes United States Jack Nicklaus and Australia Greg Norman
4 Aug 24, 1993 Fred Meyer Challenge
(with Australia Steve Elkington)
−16 (63-63=128) 1 stroke United States Fred Couples and United States Davis Love III,
United States Brad Faxon and United States Rick Fehr,
United States Jim Gallagher Jr. and United States Bruce Lietzke

Other playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
1 1985 Chrysler Team Championship
(with United States Jim Colbert)
United States Charlie Bolling and United States Brad Fabel,
United States Raymond Floyd and United States Hal Sutton,
United States John Fought and United States Pat McGowan,
United States Gary Hallberg and United States Scott Hoch
Floyd/Sutton won with birdie on first extra hole

Champions Tour wins (4)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1 Mar 16, 2003 SBC Classic −9 (67-68=135)* 1 stroke United States Gil Morgan
2 Mar 21, 2004 Toshiba Senior Classic −15 (60-71-67=198) 1 stroke United States Morris Hatalsky
3 Aug 7, 2005 3M Championship −15 (63-69-69=201) 1 stroke United States Lonnie Nielsen, United States Craig Stadler
4 Mar 18, 2007 AT&T Champions Classic −10 (69-69-68=206) Playoff United States Loren Roberts

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

Champions Tour playoff record (1–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
1 2005 Bank of America Championship Republic of Ireland Mark McNulty, United States Don Pooley McNulty won with birdie on second extra hole
2 2007 AT&T Champions Classic United States Loren Roberts Won with birdie on fourth extra hole

Other senior wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1 Apr 9, 2005 Titanium Enterprises Australian PGA Seniors Championship −10 (67-68-71=206)* 5 strokes Scotland John Chillas

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

Results in major championships

Tournament1976197719781979
Masters Tournament CUT T37
U.S. Open T44 4 T24 8
The Open Championship
PGA Championship CUT T54 CUT
Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
Masters Tournament 32 T25 CUT T24
U.S. Open CUT CUT CUT T16 T68
The Open Championship T4 CUT
PGA Championship CUT T19 T16 CUT CUT CUT T47 CUT T53
Tournament 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Masters Tournament T45 T61
U.S. Open T37 T33 T32
The Open Championship T22 T70 T62
PGA Championship T31 T32 T21 CUT
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament00000286
U.S. Open000124129
The Open Championship00011254
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

Tournament 1977 1978 1979
The Players Championship T59 CUT CUT
Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
The Players Championship CUT T19 CUT T19 T41 T40 T48 T9 T45 T55
Tournament 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
The Players Championship T3 CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT T62 T24 CUT CUT
Tournament 2000 2001
The Players Championship CUT CUT
  Top 10

CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

U.S. national team appearances

See also

References

  1. "Week 3 1992 Ending 19 Jan 1992" (pdf). OWGR. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  2. "Sweet-Swinging Purtzer Works on Putting". The Golf Channel. March 8, 2005. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
  3. "Golf Major Championships – Tom Purtzer". Retrieved October 23, 2013.
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