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.

Tom Purtzer
Personal information
Full nameThomas Warren Purtzer
Born (1951-12-05) December 5, 1951 (age 72)
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight210 lb (95 kg; 15 st)
Sporting nationality United States
ResidenceScottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
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

Early life and amateur career

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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

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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

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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)

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PGA Tour wins (5)

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

PGA Tour playoff record (2–0)

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

PGA of Japan Tour wins (1)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner-up
1 Nov 11, 1979 ABC Japan vs USA Golf Matches −12 (69-67-68-72=276) 10 strokes   Bill Rogers

Other wins (4)

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

Other playoff record (0–1)

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

Champions Tour wins (4)

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

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

Champions Tour playoff record (1–1)

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

Other senior wins (1)

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

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

Results in major championships

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Tournament 1976 1977 1978 1979
Masters Tournament CUT T37
U.S. Open T44 4 T24 8
The Open Championship
PGA Championship CUT T54 CUT
Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
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

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Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts made
Masters Tournament 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 6
U.S. Open 0 0 0 1 2 4 12 9
The Open Championship 0 0 0 1 1 2 5 4
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

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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

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See also

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References

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  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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