Tom Purtzer

Tom Purtzer
Tom Purtzer
Personal information
Full name	Thomas Warren Purtzer
Born	December 5, 1951 (age 72); Des Moines, Iowa
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	210 lb (95 kg; 15 st)
Sporting nationality	United States
Residence	Scottsdale, Arizona
Career
College	Arizona State University
Turned professional	1973
Current tour(s)	Champions Tour
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour
Professional wins	15
Highest ranking	28 (January 19, 1992)
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	5
Japan Golf Tour	1
PGA Tour Champions	4
Other	5
Best results in major championships;
Masters Tournament	T24: 1989
PGA Championship	T16: 1982
U.S. Open	4th: 1977
The Open Championship	T4: 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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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)[edit]

PGA Tour wins (5)[edit]

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)[edit]

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)[edit]

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)[edit]

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)[edit]

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[edit]

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	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[edit]

Tournament	Top-5	Top-10	Top-25	Events	Cuts made
Masters Tournament	0	0	2	8	6
U.S. Open	1	2	4	12	9
The Open Championship	1	1	2	5	4
PGA Championship	0	0	3	16	8
Totals	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[edit]

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