Tsuneyuki Nakajima
Encyclopedia
Tsuneyuki "Tommy" Nakajima 20 October 1954) is a Japan
ese professional golf
er.
Nakajima was born in Gunma
. He turned professional in 1975. He has won 48 events on the Japan Golf Tour
, ranking third on the most Japan Golf Tour wins
list. He also was the leading money winner four times in five years: 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986. He is second on the career money list (through 2009).
Nakajima featured in the top 5 of the Official World Golf Rankings
and was ranked in the top-10 for 85 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1987. He ranked as high as fifth on its predecessor McCormack's World Golf Rankings.
At the 1978 Masters Tournament
, Nakajima made a 13 on the par-5 13th hole. After hitting his fourth shot into Rae's Creek, Nakajima elected to play the ball rather than take a drop. He popped the ball straight up and it landed on his foot, causing a two-stroke penalty. When he handed the club to his caddie, it sliped out of his hand and fell into the creek, incurring another two-stroke penalty. He chipped over the green, chipped back on and two-putted for the highest single-hole score in the history of the tournament.
Also in 1978, Nakajima was in contention at the Open Championship on the third day at St Andrews
until he putted into - and then took four attempts to escape from - the Road Hole bunker at the 17th for a quintuple bogey, which led the British tabloids to christen that bunker, for a while, "the Sands of Nakajima". Nakajima's best finish in a major was a solo third at the 1988 PGA Championship
.
He would also feature in an epic match at the 1982 Suntory World Match Play Championship at Wentworth when he lost to Sandy Lyle
only after an extended playoff.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Yellow background for top-10
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese professional 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....
er.
Nakajima was born in Gunma
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
. He turned professional in 1975. He has won 48 events 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...
, ranking third on the most Japan Golf Tour wins
Golfers with most Japan Golf Tour wins
This is a list of golfers who have won 10 or more events on the Japan Golf Tour since it was established in 1973. The official Japan Golf Tour website lists winners beginning with the 1985 season...
list. He also was the leading money winner four times in five years: 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986. He is second on the career money list (through 2009).
Nakajima featured in the top 5 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...
and was ranked in the top-10 for 85 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1987. He ranked as high as fifth on its predecessor McCormack's World Golf Rankings.
At the 1978 Masters Tournament
1978 Masters Tournament
The 1978 Masters Tournament was a golf tournament held April 6-9 at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Gary Player overcame a 7-shot deficit going into the final round to win his third Masters and ninth major championship...
, Nakajima made a 13 on the par-5 13th hole. After hitting his fourth shot into Rae's Creek, Nakajima elected to play the ball rather than take a drop. He popped the ball straight up and it landed on his foot, causing a two-stroke penalty. When he handed the club to his caddie, it sliped out of his hand and fell into the creek, incurring another two-stroke penalty. He chipped over the green, chipped back on and two-putted for the highest single-hole score in the history of the tournament.
Also in 1978, Nakajima was in contention at the Open Championship on the third day at St Andrews
Old Course at St Andrews
The Old Course at St Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world. The Old Course is a public course over common land in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and is held in trust by The St Andrews Links Trust under an act of Parliament...
until he putted into - and then took four attempts to escape from - the Road Hole bunker at the 17th for a quintuple bogey, which led the British tabloids to christen that bunker, for a while, "the Sands of Nakajima". Nakajima's best finish in a major was a solo third at the 1988 PGA Championship
1988 PGA Championship
The 1988 PGA Championship was the 70th PGA Championship held from August 11-14 at Oak Tree Golf Club in Edmond, Oklahoma. Jeff Sluman won his first major championship by three strokes over Paul Azinger.-Final leaderboard:-External links:*...
.
He would also feature in an epic match at the 1982 Suntory World Match Play Championship at Wentworth when he lost to Sandy Lyle
Sandy Lyle
Alexander Walter Barr "Sandy" Lyle, MBE is a Scottish professional golfer. Lyle has won two major championships during his career. Along with Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, he became one of Britain's top golfers during the 1980s...
only after an extended playoff.
Japan Golf Tour wins (48)
- 1976 (1) Golf Digest TournamentGolf Digest TournamentThe Golf Digest Tournament was a golf tournament in Japan. It was founded in 1971 and was part of the Japan Golf Tour from 1973 to 1997. It was played in October at the Tomei Country Club in Shizuoka.-Winners:Golf Digest Tournament*1997 Brandt Jobe...
- 1977 (1) Japan PGA ChampionshipJapan PGA ChampionshipThe is an annual golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour. It has been played since 1926. It is played at a variety of courses throughout Japan. The purse for the 2011 event was ¥150,000,000, with ¥30,000,000 going to the winner...
- 1980 (1) Mitsubishi Galant Tournament
- 1982 (5) Dunlop International Open, Fujisankei ClassicFujisankei ClassicThe is an annual golf event on the Japan Golf Tour. It was first played in 1973 on the Takasaka Country Club - Yoneyama Course. The tournament moved to the Higashi-Matsuyama Golf Club in 1979 and to the Kawana Hotel's Fuji course in 1981. The tournament has been held at the Fujizakura Country Club...
, Naganoken Open, JPGA East-West Tournament, Nippon Series - 1983 (8) Shizuoka OpenShizuoka OpenThe Shizuoka Open was a golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour from 1973 to 2002. It was played in March at Shizuoka Country Club in Shizuoka.-Winners:this list may be incompleteDydo Drinco Shizuoka Open*2002 Kiyoshi Murota...
, Japan PGA Match-Play ChampionshipJapan PGA Match-Play Championship-Winners:Japan PGA Match-Play Championship*2003 Todd HamiltonJapan PGA Match-Play Championship Promise Cup*2002 Nobuhito Sato*2001 Dean Wilson*2000 Kaname Yokoo*1999 Mamo Osanai*1998 Katsunori Kuwabara*1997 Shigeki Maruyama*1996 Nobuo Serizawa...
, Mitsubishi Galant Tournament, Japan PGA ChampionshipJapan PGA ChampionshipThe is an annual golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour. It has been played since 1926. It is played at a variety of courses throughout Japan. The purse for the 2011 event was ¥150,000,000, with ¥30,000,000 going to the winner...
, JPGA East-West Tournament, 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...
, ANA Sapporo Open, Gold Win Cup Japan vs USA - 1984 (2) Japan PGA ChampionshipJapan PGA ChampionshipThe is an annual golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour. It has been played since 1926. It is played at a variety of courses throughout Japan. The purse for the 2011 event was ¥150,000,000, with ¥30,000,000 going to the winner...
, Kanto OpenKanto OpenThe Kanto Open is a golf tournament in Japan. It was played as early as 1955 and was an event on the Japan Golf Tour from 1973 to 1991. It was played in September at a variety of courses in Japan.-Winners:this list is incomplete*1999 Hisayuki Sasaki... - 1985 (6) Yomiuri OpenYomiuri OpenThe Yomiuri Open was a golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour from at least 1979 to 2006. In 2007 it merged with the Mizuno Open to form the Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open Yomiuri Classic...
, Kanto Pro ChampionshipKanto Pro ChampionshipThe Kanto Pro Championship was a golf tournament in Japan It was first played in 1931 and was an event on the Japan Golf Tour from 1973 to 1990. It was played in July at a variety of courses in Japan.-Winners:this list is incomplete...
, ANA OpenANA OpenThe is a Japan Golf Tour event. ANA is an acronym for All Nippon Airways, the tournament's sponsor. First played in 1973, it is usually held in September each year. The host venues are the Sapporo golf club Wattsu and Yuni courses. The tournament record is 268 , set by Masashi Ozaki in 1994...
, Japan OpenJapan Open Golf ChampionshipThe is Japan's national open golf championship. As of 2011, it is one of the three richest tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour, with a prize fund of ¥200 million...
, Taiheiyo Masters, Phoenix TournamentDunlop 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... - 1986 (6) Japan PGA Match-Play ChampionshipJapan PGA Match-Play Championship-Winners:Japan PGA Match-Play Championship*2003 Todd HamiltonJapan PGA Match-Play Championship Promise Cup*2002 Nobuhito Sato*2001 Dean Wilson*2000 Kaname Yokoo*1999 Mamo Osanai*1998 Katsunori Kuwabara*1997 Shigeki Maruyama*1996 Nobuo Serizawa...
, Mitsubishi Galant Tournament, Mizuno OpenMizuno OpenThe is a golf tournament played in Japan since 1971. It has been a Japan Golf Tour event since 1979. Beginning in 1998, the top four finishers in the Mizuno Open that were not already exempt into The Open Championship received exemptions. There is also a mini-money list of events up to and...
, Kanto Pro ChampionshipKanto Pro ChampionshipThe Kanto Pro Championship was a golf tournament in Japan It was first played in 1931 and was an event on the Japan Golf Tour from 1973 to 1990. It was played in July at a variety of courses in Japan.-Winners:this list is incomplete...
, Japan OpenJapan Open Golf ChampionshipThe is Japan's national open golf championship. As of 2011, it is one of the three richest tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour, with a prize fund of ¥200 million...
, Golf Digest TournamentGolf Digest TournamentThe Golf Digest Tournament was a golf tournament in Japan. It was founded in 1971 and was part of the Japan Golf Tour from 1973 to 1997. It was played in October at the Tomei Country Club in Shizuoka.-Winners:Golf Digest Tournament*1997 Brandt Jobe... - 1987 (1) Tokai Classic
- 1990 (3) Kanto Pro ChampionshipKanto Pro ChampionshipThe Kanto Pro Championship was a golf tournament in Japan It was first played in 1931 and was an event on the Japan Golf Tour from 1973 to 1990. It was played in July at a variety of courses in Japan.-Winners:this list is incomplete...
, ANA OpenANA OpenThe is a Japan Golf Tour event. ANA is an acronym for All Nippon Airways, the tournament's sponsor. First played in 1973, it is usually held in September each year. The host venues are the Sapporo golf club Wattsu and Yuni courses. The tournament record is 268 , set by Masashi Ozaki in 1994...
, Japan OpenJapan Open Golf ChampionshipThe is Japan's national open golf championship. As of 2011, it is one of the three richest tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour, with a prize fund of ¥200 million... - 1991 (2) Yomiuri OpenYomiuri OpenThe Yomiuri Open was a golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour from at least 1979 to 2006. In 2007 it merged with the Mizuno Open to form the Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open Yomiuri Classic...
, Japan OpenJapan Open Golf ChampionshipThe is Japan's national open golf championship. As of 2011, it is one of the three richest tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour, with a prize fund of ¥200 million... - 1992 (3) Pepsi Ube Kosan Open, NST Niigata OpenNST Niigata OpenThe NST Niigata Open was a Japan Golf Tour event from 1982 to 2004. It was played on different courses in Niigata almost every year. The tournament record of 264 was set in 2001 at Nakajo Golf Club.-Winners:Sato Foods NST Niigata Open...
, Japan PGA Match-Play Championship Promise Cup - 1993 (2) ANA OpenANA OpenThe is a Japan Golf Tour event. ANA is an acronym for All Nippon Airways, the tournament's sponsor. First played in 1973, it is usually held in September each year. The host venues are the Sapporo golf club Wattsu and Yuni courses. The tournament record is 268 , set by Masashi Ozaki in 1994...
, Nippon Series - 1994 (3) Dydo Shizuoka Open, Tsuruya OpenTsuruya OpenThe is a golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour. It has been played annually since 1994. The tournament's to-par record is -17 set by Katsumasa Miyamoto in 1998. The aggregate record is 268 set by Brendan Jones in 2007. The course measures 6,770 yards and the par is 71...
, Pepsi Ube Kosan Open - 1995 (1) Fujisankei ClassicFujisankei ClassicThe is an annual golf event on the Japan Golf Tour. It was first played in 1973 on the Takasaka Country Club - Yoneyama Course. The tournament moved to the Higashi-Matsuyama Golf Club in 1979 and to the Kawana Hotel's Fuji course in 1981. The tournament has been held at the Fujizakura Country Club...
- 2002 (2) Diamond Cup Tournament, Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo MastersMitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Mastersis an annual golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour. It is played in November and in recent years at the Taiheiyo Club, Gotenba Course, Gotenba, Shizuoka and attracts some of the leading international golfers. It was founded in 1972...
- 2006 (1) Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo MastersMitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Mastersis an annual golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour. It is played in November and in recent years at the Taiheiyo Club, Gotenba Course, Gotenba, Shizuoka and attracts some of the leading international golfers. It was founded in 1972...
Other wins
this list may be incomplete- 1976 Young Lions Tournament
- 1977 Young Lions Tournament
Japan Senior PGA Tour wins (4)
this list may be incomplete- 2005 Japan Senior Open
- 2006 Japan Senior Open, Japan PGA Senior ChampionshipJapan PGA Senior ChampionshipThe Japan PGA Senior Championship is one of the major events on the Japan Senior Tour. It was first played in 1962. The 2007 prize money was ¥50,000,000.-Winners:this list is incomplete*2010 Hideki Kase*2009 Kiyoshi Murota*2008 Tsukasa Watanabe...
- 2008 Japan Senior Open
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | 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 |
| 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... |
T17 | 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... |
DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | DNP | DNP | DNP | T16 | T33 | T47 | T8 | 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... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T26 | CUT | DNP | T53 | T9 | T32 | 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 | T36 | DNP | T8 | T59 | 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 | CUT | T10 | CUT | T47 | CUT | 3 | DNP |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | DNP | T10 | CUT | DNP | DNP | CUT | 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 |
| 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 | CUT | DNP | T55 | T49 | 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 | T21 | CUT | T61 | CUT | T52 | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 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 |
| 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 | 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... |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Yellow background for top-10