Tommy Bolt
Name:
Thomas Henry "Tommy" BoltCountry:
USALived:
[1916-2008]. Born on March 31, 1916 in Haworth, Oklahoma. Died on Aug 30, 2008 in Cherokee Village, Arkansas aged 92.Original/Home Club:
OklahomaOccupation:
Professional golferTurned Pro:
1946MAJORS (1): US Open (1958). Ryder Cup player (1955, '57). Total professional wins (18), including PGA Tour wins (15). World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 2002).
Nicknamed 'Thunder' and 'Terrible Tommy', Bolt was well known for his fiery temper, and was not unknown to break and/or throw clubs in fits of 'golf rage'. He is credited with having said, 'there's no better game in the world when you are in good company, and no worse game when you are in bad company'.
America
Liberty Mutual
Played as the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (unofficial two-man better-ball team event). Second-placed Sam Snead (USA) & Don January (USA) finished 2 shots behind Tommy Bolt (USA) and Art Wall (USA). [Onion Creek Club, Austin, Texas].
America
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Played as the World Professional Senior's Golf Championship (Sept 7; 36-hole match between the US and British PGA Senior Champions). Bolt (USA) beat John Panton (Scot) at the 39th hole. [Bide-a-Wee GC, Portsmouth, Virginia].
America
PGA of America
Played as the PGA Seniors' Championship. Second-placed Pete Fleming (USA) finished 1 shot behind Bolt (USA). [East Course, BallenIsles CC, Palm Beach Gdns, FL. at the time known as Champions course, PGA National GC].
America
x
Played as the Pensacola Open (March 9-12). Second-placed Gary Player (RSA) finished 2 shots behind Bolt (USA), who recorded the last of his 15 PGA Tour wins. [Pensacola CC, Pensacola, FL].
America
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Played as the Memphis Open Invitational (June 2-5). Bolt (USA) beat Ben Hogan (USA) and Gene Littler (USA) in an 18-hole playoff (Bolt 68, Hogan 69, Littler 71). [Colonial CC, White Station, Memphis, TN. Club relocated to Cordova, nr Memphis in 1972].
Majors
USGA
The US Open (58th) (Jun 12-14). Second-placed Gary Player (RSA) finished 4 shots behind 42-year-old native Oklahoman Tommy Bolt (USA), who recorded his first and only major championship win. 22-year-old Player was making his debut in the U.S. Open, a tournament he would win seven years later in 1965. [Southern Hills CC, Tulsa, Oklahoma].
America
x
Played as the Colonial National Invitation (May 1-4). Second-placed Ken Venturi (USA) finished 1 shot behind Tommy Bolt (USA). [Colonial CC, Ft Worth, TX].
America
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Played as the Eastern Open (July 25-28). Second-placed Billy Casper (USA) and Fred Hawkins (USA) finished 4 shots behind 38-year-old Tommy Bolt (USA). [Mt Pleasant Municipal GC, Baltimore, MD].
America
Convair
Played as the Convair San Diego Open (Jan 20-23). Second-placed Johnny Palmer (USA) finished 2 shots behind Bolt (USA), who won this event for the second time in three years. [Riverwalk GC, San Diego, CA; at the time known as Mission Valley CC].
America
x
Played as the Tucson Open (Feb 10-13). Second-placed Bud Holscher (USA) and Art Wall Jr (USA) finished 3 shots behind defending champion Tommy Bolt (USA), who holed a 30-foot eagle putt on the final hole to seal the win. [El Rio G&CC, Tucson, AZ. Now known as El Rio GC].
America
x
Played as the inaugural Rubber City Open (Sept 2-5). Second-placed Fred Hawkins (USA) finished 5 shots behind Tommy Bolt (USA). [South course, Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio].
America
x
Played as the Insurance City Open (June 24-28). Tommy Bolt (USA) beat Earl Stewart (USA) in an 18-hole Monday playoff. Bolt, on 63 after 17 holes, came to the par-4 18th with a one shot lead, and watched Stewart drive his tee shot out of bounds. Bolt was on the 18th green in two, within easy range of a par four, while Stewart was putting for six. Stewart picked-up and conceded the playoff in the middle of a heavy rain shower. [Wethersfield CC, nr Hartford, CT].
America
x
Played as the Tucson Open (Jan 29-Feb 1). Second-placed Chandler Harper (USA) finished 1 shot behind Tommy Bolt (USA). [El Rio G&CC, Tucson, AZ. Now known as El Rio GC].
America
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Played as the San Diego Open (15-18). Second-placed Doug Ford (USA) finished 3 shots behind Bolt (USA). [San Diego CC, Chula Vista, CA].
America
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Played as the Los Angeles Open (Jan 4-8). Tommy Bolt (USA) beat Jack Burke Jr (USA) and E.J. "Dutch" Harrison (USA) in an 18-hole playoff (Bolt 69, Burke 71, Harrison 74). This was Bolt's second PGA Tour win. [Riviera CC, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, CA].
America
x
Played as the (50th and last) North & South Open (Nov 7-11). Second-placed John Barnum (USA) finished 3 shots behind 33-year-old Tommy Bolt (USA), who recorded the first of his 15 PGA Tour wins. [No.2 Course, Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina].
The Sentry: known for many years as the Tournament of Champions, the PGA Tour’s 2025 season-opener gets underway on Kapalua’s Plantation course (Jan 2-5). Chris Kirk defends.
Tournament of Champions: the LPGA Tour’s 2025 season is launched at Lake Nona with the their Tournament of Champions (Jan 30-Feb 2). The 2024 edition gave Lydia Ko her 20th LPGA Tour title.
Attahya Thitikul: also known as “Jeeno”, the Thai golfer won the LPGA Tour’s 2024 CME Group Tour Championship … and an eye-watering $4 million, the richest first-prize in women’s golf.
Rory McIlroy: scooped the 2024 European (DP World) Tour season-long Order of Merit title, joining Seve Ballesteros as a six-time winner of this prestigious award.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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