Thomas Bjørn
Name:
Thomas BjørnCountry:
DenmarkBorn:
Feb 18, 1971 in Silkeborg, Jutland, Denmark.Original/Home Club:
Silkeborg, DenmarkOccupation:
Professional golfer; course designer.Turned Pro:
1993Ryder Cup player (1997, 2002, '14). Ryder Cup captain (2018). Multiple wins on the European, Sunshine and Japan Tours. European Tour Rookie of the Year (1996).
Bjørn worked with Rick Baril on the design of Lyngbygaard Golf, Denmark. Other projects include designing changes to the Dubai Creek course in UAE.
Thomas Bjørn has established himself as Denmark's most successful golfer of all time, and one of the European Tour's top players. His career on the Tour got off to a flying start in his rookie season, with a win at the 1996 Loch Lomond World Invitational. The following year he became the first Dane to play in the Ryder Cup, and later was appointed the first Scandinavian to captain the European Ryder Cup team (2018).
Bjørn has been a serious contender for Major honours, not least at the 2003 Open Championship, when he held a 2 shot lead with three holes to play. Alas for Thomas the greenside bunker at Royal St George's 16th hole cost him a double-bogey and golf's most coveted trophy went instead to rookie American, Ben Curtis.
A big football fan, Bjorn (whose surname means 'bear' in Danish) is a supporter of Liverpool Football Club (nickname 'The Reds').
Europe
Omega
Played as the Omega European Masters (Sept 5-8; Eurpn/Asian Trs event). Bjørn (Den) beat Craig Lee (Scot) with a birdie at the first playoff hole. [GC Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans-Montana, Switzerland].
Africa
Nedbank
Played as the Nedbank Golf Challenge (Dec 5-8; Eurpn/Sunshine Trs event; Eurpn Tr 2014 season; limited field of 30 top tour professionals). Second-placed Jamie Donaldson (Wales) and Sergio Garcia (Esp) finished 2 shots behind Bjørn (Den), who shot a final round 7-under-par 65 to claim victory. [Gary Player CC, Sun City Resort, North West Prov, South Africa].
Europe
Commercialbank
Played as the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy (Feb 3-6; European Tour event). Second-placed Álvaro Quirós (Esp) finished 4 shots behind Thomas Bjørn (Den). [Doha GC, Qatar].
Europe
Omega
Played as the Omega European Masters (Sept 1-4; Eurpn/Asian Trs event). Second-placed Martin Kaymer (Ger) finished 4 shots behind Bjørn (Den), who recorded a final day 62 to claim back-to-back wins on the European Tour. [GC Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans-Montana, Switzerland].
Europe
Johnnie Walker
Played as the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles (Aug 25-28). Bjørn (Den) won a five-way playoff beating George Coetzee (RSA) at the fifth playoff hole. Bernd Weisberger (Aut) was eliminated at the first extra hole; Pablo Larrazabal (Esp) at the second and Mark Foster (Eng) at the fourth. [PGA Centenary Course, Gleneagles, Perthshire].
Europe
x
Played as the Estoril Open de Portugal (June 10-13; for the last time until 2017). Second-placed Richard Green (Aus) finished 5 shots behind Bjørn (Den), who recorded his first European Tour win for four years. [Penha Longa Resort, Sintra, Portugal].
Europe
Nissan
Played as the Nissan Irish Open (May 18-21). Second-placed Paul Casey (Eng) finished 1 shot behind Bjørn (Den). [Montgomerie Course, Carton House, Maynooth, Co. Kildare].
Europe
Daily Telegraph/Dunlop
Played as the Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters (May 12-15). Bjørn (Den) beat David Howell (Eng) with a par at the second playoff hole. Brian Davis (Eng) was eliminated at the first playoff. [Arden course, Forest of Arden CC, Meriden, nr Birmingham].
Japan
Dunlop
Played as the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (Nov 20-23; Japan Tr event). Second-placed Daisuke Maruyama (Jpn) finished 2 shots behind Bjørn (Den), who won this event for the second time. [Phoenix CC, Miyazaki, Japan].
Europe
BMW
Played as the BMW International Open (Aug 29-Sep 1). Second-placed John Bickerton (Eng) and Bernhard Langer (Ger) finished 4 shots behind Thomas Bjørn (Den), who won this event for the second time in three years. [Golfclub München Eichenried, nr Munich, Germany].
Europe
x
Played as the Dubai Desert Classic (March 1-4; European Tour event). Second-placed Padraig Harrington (Ire) and Tiger Woods (USA) finished 2 shots behind Thomas Bjørn (Den). [Majlis course, Emirates GC, Dubai, UAE].
Europe
BMW
Played as the BMW International Open (Aug 31-Sep 3). Second-placed Bernhard Langer (Ger) finished 3 shots behind Thomas Bjørn (Den), who recorded his fifth European Tour win. [Golfclub München Eichenried, nr Munich, Germany].
Europe
x
Played as the Sarazen World Open (Oct 14-17; Eurpn Tr event, previously played from 1994-98 in the USA). Second-placed Paolo Quirici (Sui) and Katsuyoshi Tomori (Jpn) finished 2 shots behind Bjørn (Den). [Stadium course, PGA Catalunya, Caldes de Malavella, nr Girona].
Japan
Dunlop
Played as the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (Nov 18-21; Japan Tr event). Bjørn (Den) beat Sergio Garcia (Esp) with a birdie at the fourth playoff hole (par-5 18th) to claim his first Japan Tour win. Bjørn's first prize equated to US$377,000. [Phoenix CC, Miyazaki, Japan].
Aus/NZ
Heineken
Played as the Heineken Classic (Jan 29-Feb 1; Aus/Eurpn Trs event). Second-placed Ian Woosnam (Wales) finished 1 shot behind Thomas Bjørn (Den), who recorded his second European Tour win. [The Vines Resort & CC, nr Perth, Aus; composite of Lakes & Ellenbrook courses].
Europe
Peugeot
Played as the Peugeot Open de Espana (April 23-26). Second-placed Greg Chalmers (Aus) and José María Olazábal (Esp) finished 1 shot behind Bjørn (Den). [Real (Royal) GC El Prat, El Prat de Llobregat, nr Barcelona Airport. Club now located in Terrassa, nr Barcelona].
Awards
Eurpn Tr
Bjørn (Den) won the European Tour 1996 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award as the leading first-season player. Bjørn finished 10th on the Tour's Order of Merit, with earnings of £292,247.
Europe
Loch Lomond
Played as the inaugural Loch Lomond World Invitational (Sept 19-22; subsequently designated as the second Scottish Open of 1996; played at Loch Lomond, the host venue for the next 14 Scottish Opens). Second-placed Jean Van de Velde (Fra) finished 1 shot behind 25-year-old Thomas Bjørn (Den), who recorded his first European Tour win. [Loch Lomond GC, Luss, Dunbartonshire].
Tournaments:
2021 Opens: whether by accident or design, four of the top five mens’ Open Championships played in the British Isles occupy consecutive weeks in July: the Irish Open (1-4), Scottish Open (8-11), The Open (15-18) and Wales Open (22-25). The recently relaunched English Open is scheduled for early-August.
Hoag Classic: Ernie Els defends his title in this prestigious PGA Tour Champions event, played since 1991 at the Newport Beach Country Club, CA (Mar 5-7).
Who's Who:
Brooks Koepka: won his second Phoenix Open title, with a chip-in eagle at TPC Scottsdale’s short par-4 17th included in his final round.
Annika Sörenstam: the legendary Swede makes a return to the LPGA Tour in the Gainbridge LPGA, to be played at Lake Nona, her home club (Feb 25-28).
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