Thomas Edward Lehman (born March 7, 1959) is an American professional golfer. A former #1 ranked golfer, his tournament wins include one major title, the 1996 Open Championship. He is also the only golfer in history to have been awarded the Player of the Year honor on all three PGA Tours: the developmental Ben Hogan Tour, the regular PGA Tour and the senior PGA Tour Champions.
Amateur career In 1959, Lehman was born in Austin, Minnesota. He was raised in Alexandria, Minnesota.
Lehman played college golf at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis–Saint Paul. He graduated with a degree in business/accounting.
Professional career In 1982, Lehman turned professional. It took Lehman many years to become a leading tour professional. He played on the PGA Tour with little success from 1983 to 1985 and was then obliged to play elsewhere for the following six seasons. This included time on the Asia Golf Circuit and Southern African Tour and on the second-tier Ben Hogan Tour in the United States. He regained his PGA Tour card by topping the Ben Hogan Tour's 1991 money list, and enjoyed unbroken membership of the PGA Tour from 1992 until shortly after he joined the Champions Tour. He was named PGA Tour Player of the Year in 1996.
From 1995 to 1997, Lehman held the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Open, but each time failed to win. During this period he won his only major championship to date, The Open Championship in 1996. In April 1997, he was #1 in the Official World Golf Ranking for what would be only one week. He has won five times on the PGA Tour, but in addition to his Open win these wins have included the season-ending Tour Championship and Memorial Tournament, and he has won at least nineteen professional events in total.
Although Lehman did not win a lot of tournaments on the PGA Tour he was one of the most consistent players on tour with 19 runner-up finishes between 1992 and 2006.
Unusually for a star American golfer, Lehman won almost as many regular tour events internationally as he did in the United States. His most well-known victory was at the 1996 Open Championship in England. He also won the 1993 Casio World Open on the Japan Golf Tour and the 1997 Gulfstream Loch Lomond World Invitational on the European Tour. He also recorded runner-up finishes at the 1989 South African Open and the 2000 Scottish Open, the European Tour event he won three years previous.
Lehman was captain of the Ryder Cup team in 2006, which lost 18½ to 9½ to Europe at the K Club in Ireland.
In April 2009, Lehman became the 13th Champions Tour player to win his debut tournament. He teamed with Bernhard Langer to win the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in a playoff over Jeff Sluman and Craig Stadler. On May 30, 2010, Lehman won the Senior PGA Championship in a playoff over Fred Couples and David Frost for his first Champions Tour major championship. In 2011, Lehman topped the Champions Tour money list and was voted the Champions Tour Player of the Year. He is the first golfer to win "Player of the Year" honors on all three tours operated by the PGA Tour.
In June 2012, Lehman defended his title at the Regions Tradition, to win his third senior major championship. He won by two strokes from Germany's Bernhard Langer and Taiwan's Lu Chien-soon. In his next major appearance at the Senior Players Championship, he finished runner-up, two strokes behind Joe Daley.
Personal life Lehman and his wife Melissa have lived for many years in Scottsdale, Arizona, and they have four children: two daughters and two sons. Lehman is a devout Christian. Lehman is also a golf course designer who’s collaborated with Arnold Palmer to build TPC Twin Cities and redesigned the course at Phoenix Country Club with John Fought. His most notable original design is the Dunes course at the Prairie Club in Nebraska, which has been listed as a top 50 public course in the United States.
Awards and honors
In 1991, Lehman earned Ben Hogan Tour Player of the Year honors and won the money list. In 1996, earned the PGA Tour Player of the Year honors and won the money list. In 1996, Lehman also earned PGA of America Player of the Year, the Byron Nelson Award, and the Vardon Trophy. In 2011, Lehman was the Champions Tour Charles Schwab Cup winner, won the money list, and earned Player of the Year honors. In 2012, he was the Champions Tour Player of the Year and was the Charles Schwab Cup winner.
Amateur wins 1981 Minnesota State Amateur
Professional wins (35) PGA Tour wins (5) LegendMajor championships (1) Tour Championships (1)Other PGA Tour (3) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1May 22, 1994Memorial Tournament67-67-67-67=268−205 strokes Greg Norman2May 28, 1995Colonial National Invitation67-68-68-68=271−91 stroke Craig Parry3Jul 21, 1996The Open Championship67-67-64-73=271−132 strokes Ernie Els, Mark McCumber4Oct 28, 1996The Tour Championship66-67-64-71=268−126 strokes Brad Faxon5Jan 30, 2000Phoenix Open63-67-73-67=270−141 stroke Robert Allenby, Rocco Mediate
PGA Tour playoff record (0–3) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11997Mercedes Championships Tiger WoodsLost to birdie on first extra hole21999Bay Hill Invitational Tim HerronLost to birdie on second extra hole32006The International Dean WilsonLost to birdie on second extra hole
European Tour wins (2) LegendMajor championships (1)Other European Tour (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Jul 21, 1996The Open Championship67-67-64-73=271−13 2 strokes Ernie Els, Mark McCumber2Jul 12, 1997Gulfstream Loch Lomond World Invitational65-66-67-67=265−19 4 strokes Ernie Els
PGA of Japan Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner-up1Nov 28, 1993Casio World Open69-69-67-69=274−141 stroke Phil Mickelson
Ben Hogan Tour wins (4) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Aug 26, 1990Ben Hogan Reflection Ridge66-69-67=202−141 stroke Greg Whisman2Mar 17, 1991Ben Hogan Gulf Coast Classic66-71=137−7Playoff Tim Straub, John Wilson3May 5, 1991Ben Hogan South Carolina Classic67-66-69=202−14Playoff Ray Pearce4Oct 13, 1991Ben Hogan Santa Rosa Open69-67-71=207−91 stroke Mike Foster, Brad Greer, Webb Heintzelman, Jeff Woodland
Ben Hogan Tour playoff record (2–2) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11991Ben Hogan Gulf Coast Classic Tim Straub, John WilsonWon with par on eighth extra holeStraub eliminated by par on first hole21991Ben Hogan South Carolina Classic Ray PearceWon with birdie on first extra hole31991Ben Hogan Tulsa Open Frank ConnerLost to birdie on second extra hole41991Ben Hogan Reno Open Rob Boldt, John Flannery, Esteban ToledoFlannery won with birdie on fourth extra holeBoldt and Lehman eliminated by birdie on first hole
Tour de las Américas wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunners-up1Dec 6, 2009Torneo de Maestros171-66-67-70=274−105 strokes Miguel Ángel Carballo, Daniel Vancsik 1Co-sanctioned by the TPG Tour
Other wins (10) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Jul 20, 1986Waterloo Open Golf Classic63-67=130−142 strokes John Benda2Jul 30, 1989Minnesota State Open67-71-67=205−112 strokes John Harris (a)3Jul 29, 1990Minnesota State Open (2)69-74-73=206−104 strokes Jon Chaffee, Tim Herron (a)4Dec 10, 1995Diners Club Matches(with Duffy Waldorf)1 up John Huston and Kenny Perry5Nov 15, 1996MasterCard PGA Grand Slam of Golf68-66=134−102 strokes Steve Jones6Dec 15, 1996Diners Club Matches (2)(with Duffy Waldorf)2 and 1 Scott Hoch and Kenny Perry7Nov 30, 1997Skins Game$300,000$60,000 Mark O'Meara8Nov 22, 1998Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational66-70-69-68=273−152 strokes Rocco Mediate, Kirk Triplett9Jan 2, 2000Williams World Challenge68-65-67-67=267−133 strokes David Duval10Dec 17, 2000Hyundai Team Matches (3)(with Duffy Waldorf)20 holes Mark Calcavecchia and Fred Couples
Other playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult12019PNC Father-Son Challenge(with son Thomas Lehman) Retief Goosen and son Leo Goosen, Bernhard Langer and son Jason LangerTeam Langer won with eagle on first extra hole
PGA Tour Champions wins (12) LegendPGA Tour Champions major championships (3) Tour Championships (1)Other PGA Tour Champions (8) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Apr 26, 2009 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf(with Bernhard Langer)61-66-62=189−27Playoff Jeff Sluman and Craig Stadler2May 30, 2010 Senior PGA Championship68-71-71-71=281−7Playoff Fred Couples, David Frost3Feb 13, 2011 Allianz Championship65-69-69=203−131 stroke Jeff Sluman, Rod Spittle4Apr 3, 2011 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic67-64-69=200−161 stroke David Frost, Nick Price, Jeff Sluman5May 8, 2011 Regions Tradition67-71-68-69=275−13Playoff Peter Senior6Jun 10, 2012 Regions Tradition (2)69-69-68-68=274−14 2 strokes Bernhard Langer, Lu Chien-soon7Nov 4, 2012 Charles Schwab Cup Championship68-63-62-65=258−22 6 strokes Jay Haas8Jun 22, 2014 Encompass Championship65-66-70=201−15 1 stroke Michael Allen, Kirk Triplett9Oct 11, 2015 SAS Championship68-71-65=204−121 stroke Joe Durant10Mar 19, 2017 Tucson Conquistadores Classic66-67-66=199−201 stroke Steve Stricker11Jun 10, 2018 Principal Charity Classic66-65=131−132 strokes Woody Austin, Glen Day Bernhard Langer, Scott Parel12Jan 19, 2019 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai69-65-65=199−171 stroke David Toms
PGA Tour Champions playoff record (3–2) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result12009Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf(with Bernhard Langer) Jeff Sluman and Craig StadlerWon with par on second extra hole22010Senior PGA Championship Fred Couples, David FrostWon with par on first extra hole32011Regions Tradition Peter SeniorWon with par on second extra hole42015Insperity Invitational Kenny Perry, Ian WoosnamWoosnam won with birdie on first extra hole52018Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf(with Bernhard Langer) Paul Broadhurst and Kirk TriplettLost to birdie on first extra hole
European Senior Tour wins (2) LegendSenior major championships (1) Tour Championships (1)Other European Senior Tour (0) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1May 30, 2010Senior PGA Championship68-71-71-71=281−7Playoff Fred Couples, David Frost2Dec 11, 2011MCB Tour Championship65-68-71=204−12 1 stroke David Frost
European Senior Tour playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult12010Senior PGA Championship Fred Couples, David FrostWon with par on first extra hole
Major championships Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunners-up 1996 The Open Championship 6 shot lead −13 (67-67-64-73=271) 2 strokes Ernie Els, Mark McCumber
Results timeline Tournament1986198719881989Masters TournamentU.S. OpenCUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipPGA Championship
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999Masters TournamentT3240T18T12CUTT31U.S. OpenCUTT6T19T333T23T5T28The Open ChampionshipT59T241T24CUTCUTPGA ChampionshipCUTT39CUTT14T10T29T34
Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009Masters Tournament6T18CUTCUTT13CUTU.S. OpenT23T24T45CUTCUTT47The Open ChampionshipT4CUTCUTT46CUTT23CUTT51T32T60PGA ChampionshipWDCUTT29CUTCUTCUTT69T42T60 Tournament201020112012201320142015201620172018Masters TournamentU.S. OpenCUTThe Open ChampionshipT14T22CUTT58CUTCUTCUTPGA ChampionshipT55 Tournament2019Masters TournamentPGA Championship U.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipCUT
WD = Withdrew CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" indicates a tie for a place
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 1 1 2 3 7 13 9PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 1 2 17 10U.S. Open 0 1 2 4 5 8 18 12The Open Championship 1 0 0 2 2 7 24 13Totals 1 2 3 8 11 24 72 44 Most consecutive cuts made – 8 (1996 Masters – 1997 PGA) Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (1996 U.S. Open – 1996 Open Championship)
Results in The Players Championship Tournament19921993199419951996199719981999The Players ChampionshipT13T11CUTT14T86T2CUT