Jim Thorpe (golfer)
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Lee Thorpe is an American
professional golfer
, currently playing on the Champions Tour
.
Thorpe was born in Roxboro, North Carolina
, the ninth of the twelve children of a fairway superintendent. He attended Morgan State University
before turning pro in 1972. He won three times on the PGA Tour
in the mid 1980s. He has surpassed this at senior level by winning over ten times, including one senior major championship
(the 2002 Tradition
) and making the top ten of the Champions Tour's career money list in 2004.
Thorpe's late success has been clouded by charges filed in federal court in Orlando, Florida
, charging him with failure to pay $1.6 million in taxes between the years 2002 and 2004. After his lawyer stated that Thorpe intended to plead innocent to the charges, Thorpe pled guilty in September 2009. On January 22, 2010, Thorpe was sentenced to one year in prison for the crime.
Thorpe was released from prison on January 17, 2011. He is currently under suspension by the PGA Tour
until March 31 and expected to resume his career on the Champions Tour
.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
The Senior British Open was not a Champions Tour major until 2003.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
, currently playing on the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
.
Thorpe was born in Roxboro, North Carolina
Roxboro, North Carolina
Roxboro is a city and the county seat of Person County, North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the city of Roxboro has a population of 8,362. The city is 30 miles north of Durham, NC. It is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill Metropolitan Area.-History:...
, the ninth of the twelve children of a fairway superintendent. He attended Morgan State University
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
before turning pro in 1972. He won three times on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
in the mid 1980s. He has surpassed this at senior level by winning over ten times, including one senior major championship
Senior major golf championships
Men's professional senior golf is for players aged 50 and above. Golf differs from all other sports in having lucrative competitions for this age group. The leading senior tour is the U.S. based Champions Tour, which was established in 1980 . It has established a roster of five major championships...
(the 2002 Tradition
The Tradition
The Tradition is one of the five major championships recognized by the U.S.-based Champions Tour, the world's leading tour for professional golfers aged fifty and older. The inaugural event was staged in 1989.Unlike the U.S...
) and making the top ten of the Champions Tour's career money list in 2004.
Thorpe's late success has been clouded by charges filed in federal court in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, charging him with failure to pay $1.6 million in taxes between the years 2002 and 2004. After his lawyer stated that Thorpe intended to plead innocent to the charges, Thorpe pled guilty in September 2009. On January 22, 2010, Thorpe was sentenced to one year in prison for the crime.
Thorpe was released from prison on January 17, 2011. He is currently under suspension by the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
until March 31 and expected to resume his career on the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
.
PGA Tour wins (3)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 15, 1985 1985 PGA Tour The 1985 PGA Tour season was played from January 10 to October 27. The season consisted of 43 official money events. Curtis Strange and Lanny Wadkins won the most tournaments, three, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed... |
Greater Milwaukee Open | 3 strokes |  Jack NicklausJack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
|
| 2 | Oct 27, 1985 1985 PGA Tour The 1985 PGA Tour season was played from January 10 to October 27. The season consisted of 43 official money events. Curtis Strange and Lanny Wadkins won the most tournaments, three, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed... |
Seiko-Tucson Match Play Championship | 4&3 | n/a | Jack Renner Jack Renner (golfer) Jack Renner is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour from 1977–1988, and on the Champions Tour from 2006–2007.... |
| 3 | Nov 2, 1986 1986 PGA Tour The 1986 PGA Tour season was played from January 8 to November 2. The season consisted of 45 official money events. Bob Tway won the most tournaments, four, and there were 11 first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The following... |
Seiko-Tucson Match Play Championship | 69-71 | 2 strokes | Scott Simpson Scott Simpson (golfer) Scott William Simpson is an American professional golfer.Simpson was born in San Diego, California. He attended the University of Southern California, where he was two-time medalist at the NCAA Championship . He turned professional in 1977 and graduated in 1978... |
Champions Tour wins (13)
EWLINE
|
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 8, 2000 2000 Senior PGA Tour The 2000 Senior PGA Tour was the 21st season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 39 official money events with purses totalling $54,850,000, including four majors. Larry Nelson won the most tournaments, six... |
The Transamerica | 3 strokes | Bruce Fleisher Bruce Fleisher -Early years and amateur career:Fleisher was born in Union City, Tennessee. He became involved in golf at age 7 by working as a caddie with his two brothers. Fleisher attended Miami-Dade Junior College and Furman University. In 1968 at age 19, he became the third youngest player to win the U.S.... |
|
| 2 | Oct 15, 2000 2000 Senior PGA Tour The 2000 Senior PGA Tour was the 21st season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 39 official money events with purses totalling $54,850,000, including four majors. Larry Nelson won the most tournaments, six... |
Gold Rush Classic Gold Rush Classic The Gold Rush Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1987 to 2001. It was played in Rancho Murieta, California at the Rancho Murieta Country Club and in El Dorado Hills, California at Serrano Country Club .... |
2 strokes | Ed Dougherty Ed Dougherty Edward Matthew "Doc" Dougherty is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.Dougherty was born in Chester, Pennsylvania. He was drafted into the Army after high school and served a tour of duty in Vietnam... |
|
| 3 | Sep 2, 2001 2001 Senior PGA Tour The 2001 Senior PGA Tour was the 22nd season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 37 official money events with purses totalling $58,150,000 , including four majors... |
Kroger Senior Classic | Playoff | Tom Jenkins Tom Jenkins Thomas Wayne Jenkins is an American golfer.Jenkins was born in Houston, Texas. He attended the University of Houston, where he was a member of the winning 1970 NCAA Division I golf team. He graduated in 1971 and turned professional. His only PGA Tour victory was the 1975 IVB-Philadelphia Golf... |
|
| 4 | Sep 9, 2001 2001 Senior PGA Tour The 2001 Senior PGA Tour was the 22nd season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 37 official money events with purses totalling $58,150,000 , including four majors... |
Allianz Championship | 2 strokes | Gil Morgan Gil Morgan Gilmer Bryan Morgan II, OD is an American professional golfer.Morgan was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma. He graduated from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma in 1968. In 1972, Morgan earned a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee before turning... |
|
| 5 | Apr 28, 2002 2002 Senior PGA Tour The 2002 Senior PGA Tour was the 23rd season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 35 official money events with purses totalling $58,205,000, including four majors. Bob Gilder and Hale Irwin won the most tournaments, four... |
The Countrywide Tradition | Playoff | John Jacobs John Jacobs (American golfer) John Alexander Jacobs is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour. Jacobs is the younger brother of professional golfer Tommy Jacobs.... |
|
| 6 | Aug 17, 2003 2003 Champions Tour The 2003 Champions Tour was the 24th season since the Champions Tour officially began in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour. The season consisted of 31 official money events with purses totalling $53,600,000. For the first time, the Senior British Open was recognized as a Champions Tour major, bringing... |
Long Island Classic | 1 stroke | Bob Gilder Bob Gilder Robert Bryan Gilder is an American professional golfer. He won six tournaments in his PGA Tour career and currently plays on the Champions Tour where he has ten wins.-Biography:... |
|
| 7 | Oct 26, 2003 2003 Champions Tour The 2003 Champions Tour was the 24th season since the Champions Tour officially began in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour. The season consisted of 31 official money events with purses totalling $53,600,000. For the first time, the Senior British Open was recognized as a Champions Tour major, bringing... |
Charles Schwab Cup Championship Charles Schwab Cup Championship The Charles Schwab Cup Championship is the final event of the season on the U.S.-based Champions Tour, the world's leading golf tour for male professionals aged 50 and above. Played in late October or early November each year, it is the Champions Tour's equivalent of the PGA Tour's Tour... |
3 strokes | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
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| 8 | Jun 6, 2004 2004 Champions Tour The 2004 Champions Tour was the 25th season since the Champions Tour officially began in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour. The season consisted of 30 official money events with purses totalling $53,932,400, including five majors. Craig Stadler won the most tournaments, five... |
Farmers Charity Classic Farmers Charity Classic The Farmers Charity Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1986 to 2004. It was played in Grand Rapids, Michigan area, first at the Elks Country Club , then at The Highlands , and finally at the Egypt Valley Country Club in nearby Ada.The purse for the 2004 tournament was... |
1 stroke | Fred Gibson Fred Gibson (golfer) Fred Gibson is an American professional golfer.Gibson was born in Washington, D.C.. He turned professional in 1977.Gibson played on the Champions Tour from 1998 to 2004 and has one win, the 1999 Vantage Championship.... |
|
| 9 | Jul 4, 2004 2004 Champions Tour The 2004 Champions Tour was the 25th season since the Champions Tour officially began in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour. The season consisted of 30 official money events with purses totalling $53,932,400, including five majors. Craig Stadler won the most tournaments, five... |
Commerce Bank Long Island Classic | 1 stroke | Andy Bean Andy Bean Thomas Andrew Bean is an American professional golfer who previously played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour... , Wayne LeviWayne Levi Wayne John Levi is an American golfer.Levi was born in Little Falls, New York and attended high school in Herkimer, New York. He enrolled at Oswego State University for two years and then the University of South Florida briefly, before turning professional in 1973.Levi went on to win 12 times on... , Bobby WadkinsBobby Wadkins Robert Edwin Wadkins is an American golfer.Wadkins was born in Richmond, Virginia. He turned pro in 1973. He never won on the PGA Tour despite six runner-up finishes, but he did win on the European Tour and the Japan Golf Tour... |
|
| 10 | May 1, 2005 2005 Champions Tour The 2005 Champions Tour was the 26th season since the Champions Tour officially began in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour. The season consisted of 28 official money events with purses totalling $51,200,000, including five majors. Hale Irwin won the most tournaments, four... |
FedEx Kinko's Classic FedEx Kinko's Classic The Triton Financial Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 2003 to 2009. It was played annually in Austin, Texas at The Hills Country Club.The purse for the 2009 tournament was US$1,600,000, with $240,000 going to the winner... |
4 strokes | Dana Quigley Dana Quigley Dana C. Quigley is an American professional golfer.Quigley was born in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1969 and turned professional in 1971.... |
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| 11 | May 16, 2005 2005 Champions Tour The 2005 Champions Tour was the 26th season since the Champions Tour officially began in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour. The season consisted of 28 official money events with purses totalling $51,200,000, including five majors. Hale Irwin won the most tournaments, four... |
Blue Angels Classic | Playoff | Morris Hatalsky Morris Hatalsky Morris Hatalsky is an American professional golfer.-Early years and amateur career:Hatalsky was born in San Diego, California. He started in golf at age 10, when his older brother bought him a set of junior clubs. As an amateur, he won the 1968 Mexico National Junior Championship... |
|
| 12 | Oct 19, 2006 2006 Champions Tour The 2006 Champions Tour was the 27th season since the Champions Tour officially began in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour. The season consisted of 28 official money events with purses totalling $50,950,000, including five majors. One other tournament, the Bank of America Championship, with a purse of... |
Charles Schwab Cup Championship Charles Schwab Cup Championship The Charles Schwab Cup Championship is the final event of the season on the U.S.-based Champions Tour, the world's leading golf tour for male professionals aged 50 and above. Played in late October or early November each year, it is the Champions Tour's equivalent of the PGA Tour's Tour... |
2 strokes | Tom Kite Tom Kite Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994.... |
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| 13 | Oct 28, 2007 2007 Champions Tour The 2007 Champions Tour was the 28th season since the Champions Tour officially began in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour. The season consisted of 29 official money events with purses totalling $54,100,000, including five majors. Jay Haas won the most tournaments, four... |
Charles Schwab Cup Championship Charles Schwab Cup Championship The Charles Schwab Cup Championship is the final event of the season on the U.S.-based Champions Tour, the world's leading golf tour for male professionals aged 50 and above. Played in late October or early November each year, it is the Champions Tour's equivalent of the PGA Tour's Tour... |
3 strokes | Fred Funk Fred Funk Frederick Funk is an American professional golfer.Funk was born in Takoma Park, Maryland. He graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1980 with a degree in law enforcement. He turned professional in 1981, but worked as a golf coach at his alma mater from 1982 to 1988; he did not... ,  Denis WatsonDenis Watson Denis Leslie Watson is a professional golfer from Zimbabwe.Watson was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia and educated at Oriel Boys High School, Chisipite... |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | CUT | T18 | T45 | T42 | WD | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | T11 | T30 | T13 | T4 | T34 | CUT | T9 | CUT | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
CUT | DNP | T39 | T34 | T14 | T59 | DNP | T7 | CUT | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | CUT | DNP | T97 |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Countrywide Tradition | −11 (67−70−70−70=277) | Playoff | John Jacobs John Jacobs (American golfer) John Alexander Jacobs is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour. Jacobs is the younger brother of professional golfer Tommy Jacobs.... |
Results timeline
Results not in chronological order before 2011.| Tournament | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Tradition The Tradition The Tradition is one of the five major championships recognized by the U.S.-based Champions Tour, the world's leading tour for professional golfers aged fifty and older. The inaugural event was staged in 1989.Unlike the U.S... |
T7 | T15 | T19 | 1 |
| Senior PGA Championship Senior PGA Championship The Senior PGA Championship is one of the five major championships in men's senior golf. It is administered by the Professional Golfers' Association of America and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour. It was formerly an unofficial money... |
T34 | T32 | 2 | T4 |
| U.S. Senior Open | T27 | T6 | T21 | T11 |
| Senior Players Championship Senior Players Championship The Senior Players Championship is one of the five major championships on golf's Champions Tour. Unlike the U.S. Senior Open, the Senior PGA Championship and the Senior British Open, it is not recognized as a major by the European Seniors Tour, and is not part of that tour's schedule. The inaugural... |
T22 | T10 | T26 | T2 |
| Tournament | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Tradition The Tradition The Tradition is one of the five major championships recognized by the U.S.-based Champions Tour, the world's leading tour for professional golfers aged fifty and older. The inaugural event was staged in 1989.Unlike the U.S... |
T7 | T14 | T67 | T36 | T40 | T18 | T31 | DNP | T49 |
| Senior PGA Championship Senior PGA Championship The Senior PGA Championship is one of the five major championships in men's senior golf. It is administered by the Professional Golfers' Association of America and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour. It was formerly an unofficial money... |
T60 | CUT | T19 | T14 | T52 | T71 | CUT | DNP | CUT |
| Senior British Open Championship Senior British Open Championship The Senior Open Championship, or simply The Senior Open is a professional golf tournament for men aged 50 and over. It is run by The R&A, the same body that organises The Open Championship. Prize money won in the event is official money on both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Senior Open | T30 | T19 | CUT | T20 | T22 | T29 | T32 | DNP | T37 |
| Senior Players Championship Senior Players Championship The Senior Players Championship is one of the five major championships on golf's Champions Tour. Unlike the U.S. Senior Open, the Senior PGA Championship and the Senior British Open, it is not recognized as a major by the European Seniors Tour, and is not part of that tour's schedule. The inaugural... |
T2 | T7 | T45 | 2 | T46 | T47 | T53 | DNP | T55 |
The Senior British Open was not a Champions Tour major until 2003.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.