Larry Nelson
Encyclopedia
Larry Gene Nelson is an American professional golfer
who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour
and Champions Tour
level.
Nelson was born in Fort Payne, Alabama
and grew up in Acworth
, Georgia
, northwest of Atlanta
. He didn't play the game as a child – atypical for a successful professional golfer – in high school he focused on basketball
and baseball
. Nelson took up golf
at the age of 21 after he returned from serving in the infantry
in Vietnam
(Nelson was a 20-year-old newlywed when he was drafted into the U.S. Army
). Nelson carefully studied Ben Hogan
's book The Five Fundamentals of Golf while learning how to play the game. He soon found that he had a talent for the game, breaking 100 the first time he played and 70 within nine months. He went on to graduate from Kennesaw Junior College in 1970 and turned professional the following year. He qualified for the PGA Tour at 27. His breakthrough year came in 1979 when he won twice and finished second in the money list to Tom Watson
.
Nelson won 10 times on the PGA Tour
, of which three, a high proportion, were major championships
. He earned his first major title at the 1981 PGA Championship
which he won by four strokes. In 1983 he was victorious at the U.S. Open
at Oakmont
, coming from seven behind at the half-way point to defeat Tom Watson
by a single shot. Nelson scored a U.S. Open record 65-67 over the last 36 holes at the difficult Oakmont course, which broke a 51 year Open record established by Gene Sarazen
. Nelson's 10 under par 132 record score has yet to be equaled. In 1987 he finished tied with Lanny Wadkins
after the regulation 72 holes of PGA Championship
, and won the title with a par at the first playoff hole.
Nelson played on the U.S. Ryder Cup
team in 1979, 1981, and 1987. His record of 9-3-1 is one of the best in the last 25 years. He also won four tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour
.
Since turning 50 in 1997 Nelson has had a successful Champions Tour
career, winning 19 times, although he has not won a senior major
. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame
in April 2006 and inducted in October 2006. In 2011, Nelson received the PGA Distinguished Service Award from
the PGA of America. The award "honors outstanding individuals who display leadership and humanitarian qualities, including integrity, sportsmanship and enthusiasm for the game of golf".
Nelson is also active in golf course design.
PGA Tour playoff record (3-2)
1Defeated Lanny Wadkins with a par on the first extra hole.
DNP = did not play
DQ = disqualified
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
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 has won numerous tournaments at both 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 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...
level.
Nelson was born in Fort Payne, Alabama
Fort Payne, Alabama
Fort Payne is a city in DeKalb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 12,938. The city is the county seat of DeKalb County. It bills itself as the "Official Sock Capital of the World."...
and grew up in Acworth
Acworth, Georgia
Acworth is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,425. Acworth is located in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains along the southeastern banks of Lake Acworth and Lake Allatoona on the Etowah River.Acworth's nickname is "The...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, northwest of Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. He didn't play the game as a child – atypical for a successful professional golfer – in high school he focused on 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 baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. Nelson took up golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
at the age of 21 after he returned from serving in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
(Nelson was a 20-year-old newlywed when he was drafted into the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
). Nelson carefully studied Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan
William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
's book The Five Fundamentals of Golf while learning how to play the game. He soon found that he had a talent for the game, breaking 100 the first time he played and 70 within nine months. He went on to graduate from Kennesaw Junior College in 1970 and turned professional the following year. He qualified for the PGA Tour at 27. His breakthrough year came in 1979 when he won twice and finished second in the money list to 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....
.
Nelson won 10 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...
, of which three, a high proportion, were major championships
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...
. He earned his first major title at the 1981 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...
which he won by four strokes. In 1983 he was victorious 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...
at Oakmont
Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont Country Club is a country club and the "oldest top-ranked golf course in the U. S.", in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Plum and Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA. The Pennsylvania Turnpike separates the eastern seven holes from the rest of the course....
, coming from seven behind at the half-way point to defeat 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....
by a single shot. Nelson scored a U.S. Open record 65-67 over the last 36 holes at the difficult Oakmont course, which broke a 51 year Open record established by Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S...
. Nelson's 10 under par 132 record score has yet to be equaled. In 1987 he finished tied with Lanny Wadkins
Lanny Wadkins
Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988....
after the regulation 72 holes of 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...
, and won the title with a par at the first playoff hole.
Nelson played on the U.S. 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...
team in 1979, 1981, and 1987. His record of 9-3-1 is one of the best in the last 25 years. He also won four tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour
Japan Golf Tour
The Japan Golf Tour is a prominent golf tour. It was founded in 1973 and as of 2006 it offers the third highest annual prize fund out of the regular men's professional tours after the PGA Tour and the European Tour. However since the early 1990s, the growth in prize money has not kept pace with...
.
Since turning 50 in 1997 Nelson has had a successful 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...
career, winning 19 times, although he has not won a senior major
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...
. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame
World Golf Hall of Fame
The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
in April 2006 and inducted in October 2006. In 2011, Nelson received the PGA Distinguished Service Award from
the PGA of America. The award "honors outstanding individuals who display leadership and humanitarian qualities, including integrity, sportsmanship and enthusiasm for the game of golf".
Nelson is also active in golf course design.
PGA Tour wins (10)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 11, 1979 1979 PGA Tour The 1979 PGA Tour season was played from January 11 to October 28. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Tom Watson won the most tournaments, five, and there were 11 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.... |
Jackie Gleason-Inverrary Classic | 3 strokes |  Grier Jones |
|
| 2 | Jul 8, 1979 1979 PGA Tour The 1979 PGA Tour season was played from January 11 to October 28. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Tom Watson won the most tournaments, five, and there were 11 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.... |
Western Open Western Open The Western Open, a professional golf tournament, was first played in 1899. At the time of its 2006 playing, the Western Open was the 3rd oldest active PGA Tour tournament, after the British Open and U.S. Open... |
Playoff | Ben Crenshaw Ben Crenshaw Ben Daniel Crenshaw is an American professional golfer.Crenshaw was born in Austin, Texas. He attended and played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas, where he won three NCAA Championships from 1971 to 1973... |
|
| 3 | Jun 8, 1980 1980 PGA Tour The 1980 PGA Tour season was played from January 10 to October 19. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Tom Watson won the most tournaments, seven, and there were 11 first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The... |
Atlanta Classic | 7 strokes | 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... , Don PooleyDon Pooley Sheldon George "Don" Pooley, Jr. is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.... |
|
| 4 | Apr 5, 1981 1981 PGA Tour The 1981 PGA Tour season was played from January 8 to October 25. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Bill Rogers won the most tournaments, four, and there were five first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The... |
Greater Greensboro Open | Playoff | Mark Hayes Mark Hayes (golfer) Mark S. Hayes is an American professional golfer.-Early years and amateur career:Hayes was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He played collegiately at Oklahoma State University, where he was a two-time All-American... |
|
| 5 | Aug 9, 1981 1981 PGA Tour The 1981 PGA Tour season was played from January 8 to October 25. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Bill Rogers won the most tournaments, four, and there were five first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The... |
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... |
4 strokes | 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.... |
|
| 6 | Jun 19, 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... |
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... |
1 stroke | 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.... |
|
| 7 | Oct 21, 1984 1984 PGA Tour The 1984 PGA Tour season was played from January 5 to October 30. The season consisted of 43 official money events. Denis Watson and Tom Watson won the most tournaments, three, and there were seven first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament... |
Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic | 1 stroke | Hubert Green Hubert Green Hubert Myatt Green is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.... |
|
| 8 | Aug 9, 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... |
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... |
Playoff | Lanny Wadkins Lanny Wadkins Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988.... |
|
| 9 | Oct 18, 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... |
Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic | 1 stroke | 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... , Mark O'MearaMark O'Meara Mark Francis O'Meara is an American professional golfer who was a prolific tournament winner on the PGA Tour and around the world from the mid 1980s to the late 1990s... |
|
| 10 | Jun 1, 1988 1988 PGA Tour The 1988 PGA Tour season was played from January 14 to November 13. The season consisted of 47 official money events. Curtis Strange 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... |
Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf Classic | 1 stroke | Chip Beck |
PGA Tour playoff record (3-2)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1979 | Danny Thomas Memphis Classic | 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... |
Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
| 2 | 1979 | Western Open Western Open The Western Open, a professional golf tournament, was first played in 1899. At the time of its 2006 playing, the Western Open was the 3rd oldest active PGA Tour tournament, after the British Open and U.S. Open... |
Ben Crenshaw Ben Crenshaw Ben Daniel Crenshaw is an American professional golfer.Crenshaw was born in Austin, Texas. He attended and played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas, where he won three NCAA Championships from 1971 to 1973... |
Won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 3 | 1981 | Greater Greensboro Open | Mark Hayes Mark Hayes (golfer) Mark S. Hayes is an American professional golfer.-Early years and amateur career:Hayes was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He played collegiately at Oklahoma State University, where he was a two-time All-American... |
Won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 4 | 1987 | 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... |
Lanny Wadkins Lanny Wadkins Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988.... |
Won with par on first extra hole |
| 5 | 1989 | GTE Byron Nelson Classic | Jodie Mudd Jodie Mudd Joseph Martin "Jodie" Mudd is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour.Mudd was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, where he developed into an honored amateur golfer.Mudd won four PGA Tour events during his career... |
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
Japan Golf Tour wins (4)
- 1980 Tokai Classic
- 1983 Dunlop International Open
- 1989 Suntory OpenSuntory OpenThe Suntory Open was a golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour. It was first played in 1973. The event is held in Chiba, currently at the Sobu Country Club...
- 1991 Dunlop Phoenix
Other wins (2)
- 1978 Georgia OpenGeorgia OpenThe Georgia Open is the Georgia state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Georgia section of the PGA of America...
- 1988 PGA Grand Slam of GolfPGA Grand Slam of GolfThe PGA Grand Slam of Golf is an annual off-season golf tournament contested by the year's winners of the four major championships of regular men's golf, which are the Masters Tournament, the U.S. Open, The Open Championship , and the PGA Championship...
(United States - unofficial event)
Champions Tour wins (19)
- 19981998 Senior PGA TourThe 1998 Senior PGA Tour was the 19th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 38 official money events with purses totalling $45,850,650, including four majors. Hale Irwin won the most tournaments, seven...
(3) American Express Invitational, Pittsburgh Senior ClassicPittsburgh Senior ClassicThe Pittsburgh Senior Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1993 to 1998. It was played in the greater Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area; first in Midway, Pennsylvania at the Quicksilver Golf Club and then in Sewickley Heights, Pennsylvania at the Sewickley Heights Golf Club.The...
, Boone Valley ClassicBoone Valley ClassicThe Boone Valley Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1996 to 2001. It was last played in Augusta, Missouri at the Boone Valley Golf Club. The event was played at stroke play except that the last event, called the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Match Play Championship, was contested at... - 19991999 Senior PGA TourThe 1999 Senior PGA Tour was the 20th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 38 official money events with purses totalling $48,900,000, including four majors. Bruce Fleisher won the most tournaments, seven...
(2) GTE Classic, Bruno's Memorial Classic - 20002000 Senior PGA TourThe 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...
(6) Las Vegas Senior ClassicLas Vegas Senior ClassicThe Las Vegas Senior Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1986 to 2001. It was played in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Desert Inn Country Club and at the TPC at The Canyons, now known as TPC Las Vegas, ....
, Boone Valley ClassicBoone Valley ClassicThe Boone Valley Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1996 to 2001. It was last played in Augusta, Missouri at the Boone Valley Golf Club. The event was played at stroke play except that the last event, called the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Match Play Championship, was contested at...
, FleetBoston Classic, Foremost Insurance Championship, Bank One Senior ChampionshipBank One Senior ChampionshipThe Bank One Senior Championship was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour in 1999 and 2000. It was played in Dallas, Texas at the Bent Tree Country Club.The purse for the 2000 tournament was US$1,400,000, with $210,000 going to the winner.-Winners:...
, Vantage ChampionshipRJR ChampionshipThe RJR Championship was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1987 to 2002. It was played in Clemmons, North Carolina at Tanglewood Park.The purse for the 2002 tournament was US$1,600,000, with $240,000 going to the winner... - 20012001 Senior PGA TourThe 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...
(5) MasterCard Championship, Royal Caribbean Classic, FleetBoston Classic, Farmers Charity ClassicFarmers Charity ClassicThe 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...
, SBC Championship - 20032003 Champions TourThe 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...
(1) Constellation Energy ClassicConstellation Energy ClassicThe Constellation Energy Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1998 to 2006. It was last played in Hunt Valley, Maryland at the Hayfields Country Club.The purse for the 2006 tournament was US$1,750,000, with $255,000 going to the winner... - 20042004 Champions TourThe 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...
(2) FedEx Kinko's ClassicFedEx Kinko's ClassicThe 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...
, Administaff Small Business ClassicAdministaff Small Business ClassicThe Insperity Championship is a golf tournament on the Champions Tour. The tournament was founded in 2004 as the Administaff Small Business Classic. It is played annually in October in The Woodlands, Texas at the Woodlands Country Club. From 2004 to 2007 it was played in Spring, Texas at the...
Other senior wins (5)
- 1998 Wendy's 3-Tour ChallengeWendy's 3-Tour ChallengeThe Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge is an unofficial golf event held every November at the Lake Las Vegas Resort in Henderson, Nevada. The tournament is a unique stroke play event, and, as the name suggests, pits three-member teams from the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour, and Champions Tour against each other...
(with Hale IrwinHale IrwinHale S. Irwin is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was...
and Gil MorganGil MorganGilmer 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...
) - 1999 Chrysler Senior Match Play Challenge
- 2004 Office Depot Father/Son Challenge (with son Drew)
- 2007 Del Webb Father/Son Challenge (with son Josh)
- 2008 Del Webb Father/Son Challenge (with son Drew)
Wins (3)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 1981 PGA Championship The 1981 PGA Championship was the 63rd PGA Championship held from August 6-9 at Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands Course in Duluth, Georgia. Larry Nelson won his first major championship by four strokes over Fuzzy Zoeller.-Final leaderboard:-External links:... |
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... |
4 shot lead |
| 4 strokes | 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.... |
|
| 1983 | 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... |
1 shot deficit |
| 1 stroke | 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.... |
|
| 1987 1987 PGA Championship The 1987 PGA Championship was the 69th PGA Championship held from August 6-9 at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Larry Nelson won his second PGA Championship and third major title on the first sudden-death playoff hole over Lanny Wadkins.-Final leaderboard:*Nelson ... |
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... (2) |
3 shot deficit |
| Playoff1 | Lanny Wadkins Lanny Wadkins Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988.... |
1Defeated Lanny Wadkins with a par on the first extra hole.
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | T31 |
| 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... |
T21 | T54 | CUT | T4 |
| British Open 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 |
| 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... |
T34 | T54 | T12 | T28 |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T6 | CUT | T7 | CUT | 5 | T36 | T36 | CUT | T33 | 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... |
T60 | T20 | T19 | 1 | CUT | T39 | T35 | CUT | T62 | T13 |
| British Open 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... |
T12 | DNP | T32 | T53 | CUT | T55 | CUT | T48 | T13 | CUT |
| 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 | 1 | CUT | T36 | CUT | T23 | CUT | 1 | T38 | T46 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | 48 | 55 | DQ | 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... |
T14 | T3 | CUT | T46 | CUT | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP |
| British Open 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... |
CUT | CUT | T28 | T56 | CUT | CUT | WD | T71 | DNP | CUT |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | 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 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| British Open 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 | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | 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 |
| British Open 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 | CUT |
DNP = did not play
DQ = disqualified
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
See also
- Golfers with most PGA Tour winsGolfers with most PGA Tour winsThis is a list of golfers who have won five or more official money events on the PGA Tour.Players under 50 years of age are shown in bold. On his 50th birthday a golfer becomes eligible to compete on the Champions Tour, and he is unlikely to add to his tally of PGA Tour wins after that date This is...
- Golfers with most Champions Tour winsGolfers with most Champions Tour winsThis is a list of all the golfers who have won ten or more official events on the U.S. based Champions Tour, the leading golf tour in the world for men aged 50 and above. The list is up-to-date through August 7, 2011.-See also:...