Larry Mize
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Hogan "Larry" Mize (born September 23, 1958) is an American
professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
and currently plays on the Champions Tour
. He is well-known for one career-defining shot — a chip from off the green at the 11th hole at Augusta
to win the playoff for the 1987 Masters Tournament
, which was his only major
title.
. He attended Georgia Tech
and turned professional in 1980. He finished in the top 125 on the money list (the level needed to retain membership of the tour) for 20 seasons from 1982 to 2001. His first PGA Tour win was the 1983 Danny Thomas Memphis Classic.
At the 1987 Masters, Mize was tied with Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman
after four rounds. Ballesteros was eliminated in the first hole of the playoff. On the second playoff hole, which was Augusta's eleventh, a par four, Mize's second shot landed well off the putting green. It appeared that a birdie would be impossible, and that even making par might be difficult. Meanwhile Norman's second shot landed on the edge of the green, giving him a potentially makeable birdie putt. On his third shot, Mize hit an incredible, memorable chip shot with a sand wedge from around 140 feet, giving him the birdie. Norman now had an opportunity to tie, but he failed to sink the putt. Mize's win was especially appreciated because he is an Augusta native and had worked on the scoreboard at Augusta National's
third hole as a teenager. His Masters win and a tie for fourth at the U.S. Open
in June briefly put him in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings
.
Mize also won four international events and played for the U.S. teams in the Ryder Cup
in 1987 and the Dunhill Cup in 2000. For many years Mize and Coca-Cola
sponsored a successful charity golf tournament to benefit cystic fibrosis
held at the Atlanta Athletic Club
. Mize currently resides in Columbus, Georgia
with his wife and three sons. His hobbies are fishing
, basketball
, and playing the piano
.
1Defeated Norman and Ballesteros in a sudden death playoff: Mize (4-3), Norman (4-x) and Ballesteros (5).
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way 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;...
who played 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...
and currently plays 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...
. He is well-known for one career-defining shot — a chip from off the green at the 11th hole at Augusta
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
to win the playoff for the 1987 Masters Tournament
1987 Masters Tournament
The 1987 Masters Tournament was the 51st Masters Tournament held from April 9-12 at Augusta National Golf Club. Larry Mize won his first, and only, major championship in a sudden-death playoff over Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman. Norman had a birdie opportunity on the 72nd hole to win it, but...
, which was his only major
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
title.
Biography
Mize was born in Augusta, GeorgiaAugusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
. He attended Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
and turned professional in 1980. He finished in the top 125 on the money list (the level needed to retain membership of the tour) for 20 seasons from 1982 to 2001. His first PGA Tour win was the 1983 Danny Thomas Memphis Classic.
At the 1987 Masters, Mize was tied with Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman
Greg Norman
Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s...
after four rounds. Ballesteros was eliminated in the first hole of the playoff. On the second playoff hole, which was Augusta's eleventh, a par four, Mize's second shot landed well off the putting green. It appeared that a birdie would be impossible, and that even making par might be difficult. Meanwhile Norman's second shot landed on the edge of the green, giving him a potentially makeable birdie putt. On his third shot, Mize hit an incredible, memorable chip shot with a sand wedge from around 140 feet, giving him the birdie. Norman now had an opportunity to tie, but he failed to sink the putt. Mize's win was especially appreciated because he is an Augusta native and had worked on the scoreboard at Augusta National's
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
third hole as a teenager. His Masters win and a tie for fourth at the 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...
in June briefly put him in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
.
Mize also won four international events and played for the U.S. teams in the Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
in 1987 and the Dunhill Cup in 2000. For many years Mize and Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
sponsored a successful charity golf tournament to benefit cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
held at the Atlanta Athletic Club
Atlanta Athletic Club
The Atlanta Athletic Club , founded in 1898, is a world-renowned private athletic club in Johns Creek, Georgia, a suburb 23 miles north of Atlanta. The original home of the club was a 10-story building located on Carnegie Way, and in 1904 a golf course was built on Atlanta's East Lake property...
. Mize currently resides in Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
with his wife and three sons. His hobbies are fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and playing the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
.
PGA Tour wins (4)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 26, 1983 1983 PGA Tour The 1983 PGA Tour season was played from January 6 to October 30. The season consisted of 43 official money golf tournaments. Seve Ballesteros, Jim Colbert, Mark McCumber, Gil Morgan, Calvin Peete, Hal Sutton, Lanny Wadkins, and Fuzzy Zoeller won the most tournaments, two, and there were 10... |
Danny Thomas Memphis Classic | 1 stroke |  Chip Beck, Sammy RachelsSammy Rachels Sammy Tindol Rachels III is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour, but found his greatest level of success on the Champions Tour.... , Fuzzy ZoellerFuzzy Zoeller Frank Urban "Fuzzy" Zoeller, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He is one of three golfers to have won The Masters in his first appearance in the event. He also won the 1984 U.S. Open, which earned him the 1985 Bob Jones Award.... |
|
| 2 | Apr 12, 1987 1987 PGA Tour The 1987 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to November 1. The season consisted of 46 official money events. Paul Azinger and Curtis Strange won the most tournaments, three, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament... |
Masters Tournament | Playoff |  Seve Ballesteros,  Greg NormanGreg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s... |
|
| 3 | Jan 24, 1993 1993 PGA Tour The 1993 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to October 31. The season consisted of 43 official money events. Nick Price won the most tournaments, four, and there were seven first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The... |
Northern Telecom Open | 2 strokes | Jeff Maggert Jeff Maggert Jeffrey Allan Maggert is an American professional golfer.Maggert was born in Columbia, Missouri and was raised on a golf course in The Woodlands, Texas, where he attended McCullough High School. He attended Texas A&M University, where he was an All-American member of the golf team.Maggert turned... |
|
| 4 | Aug 8, 1993 1993 PGA Tour The 1993 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to October 31. The season consisted of 43 official money events. Nick Price won the most tournaments, four, and there were seven first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The... |
Buick Open Buick Open The Buick Open was a PGA Tour golf tournament from 1958 to 2009. In 2007, the tournament was held at the end of June, a change from its traditional spot between The Open Championship and the PGA Championship... |
1 stroke | Fuzzy Zoeller Fuzzy Zoeller Frank Urban "Fuzzy" Zoeller, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He is one of three golfers to have won The Masters in his first appearance in the event. He also won the 1984 U.S. Open, which earned him the 1985 Bob Jones Award.... |
Japan Golf Tour wins (3)
- 1988 Casio World OpenCasio World OpenThe is an annual event on the Japan Golf Tour. It is played in November and attracts some of the leading international golfers. It was founded in 1981...
- 1989 Dunlop PhoenixDunlop Phoenix TournamentThe is an annual event on the Japan Golf Tour. It is played in November at the Phoenix Country Club and attracts some of the leading international golfers.-Winners:*2011 Toshinori Muto - Japan*2010 Yuta Ikeda - Japan*2009 Edoardo Molinari - Italy...
- 1990 Dunlop PhoenixDunlop Phoenix TournamentThe is an annual event on the Japan Golf Tour. It is played in November at the Phoenix Country Club and attracts some of the leading international golfers.-Winners:*2011 Toshinori Muto - Japan*2010 Yuta Ikeda - Japan*2009 Edoardo Molinari - Italy...
Other wins (2)
- 1993 Johnnie Walker World Golf ChampionshipJohnnie Walker World Golf ChampionshipThe Johnnie Walker World Golf Championship was a golf event held at the Tryall Golf Club in Jamaica from 1991 to 1995.The tournament was intended to be an official World Championship event to rival the four majors but was terminated after just five stagings....
(unofficial event) - 2000 Straight Down Fall ClassicStraight Down Fall ClassicThe Straight Down Fall Classic is a professional golf team tournament. It is played at San Luis Golf and Country Club near San Luis Obispo, California the weekend after the PGA Tour's final tournament of a season. It pairs a professional with an amateur who play as a team over two days. The...
(with Jim Lehman)
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 1987 Masters Tournament The 1987 Masters Tournament was the 51st Masters Tournament held from April 9-12 at Augusta National Golf Club. Larry Mize won his first, and only, major championship in a sudden-death playoff over Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman. Norman had a birdie opportunity on the 72nd hole to win it, but... |
Masters Tournament | 2 shot deficit |
| Playoff1 | Greg Norman Greg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s... , Seve Ballesteros |
1Defeated Norman and Ballesteros in a sudden death playoff: Mize (4-3), Norman (4-x) and Ballesteros (5).
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T11 | T47 | T16 | 1 | T45 | T26 |
| 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 | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP | T39 | T24 | T4 | T12 | T33 |
| 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 | CUT | DNP | T46 | T26 | CUT | T19 |
| 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... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T47 | T6 | T23 | T53 | CUT | CUT | T17 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T14 | T17 | T6 | T21 | 3 | CUT | T23 | T30 | CUT | 23 |
| 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... |
T14 | T55 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | T58 | DNP | 64 |
| 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... |
T31 | CUT | CUT | T27 | T11 | CUT | DNP | DNP | T52 | 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... |
T12 | CUT | T40 | CUT | T15 | CUT | T8 | T58 | CUT | DNP |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T25 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | T42 | CUT | CUT | T30 |
| 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... |
T37 | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 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 | 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... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | CUT |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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... |
DNP | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10