# Tom Purtzer

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". 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.

## 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. | 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)

| 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)

| 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)

| 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)

| 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

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

### Summary

| 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

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

## U.S. national team appearances

* Four Tours World Championship: 1991