Bruce Alan Lietzke (July 18, 1951 – July 28, 2018) was an American professional golfer. He won 13 tournaments on the PGA Tour. His best finish in a major championship was runner-up at the 1991 PGA Championship. He also had seven victories on the Champions Tour, including one senior major title, the 2003 U.S. Senior Open.

Early life and amateur career Lietzke was born in Kansas City, Kansas. He moved to Beaumont, Texas, with his parents in 1960 and lived there until 1977, graduating from Forest Park High School in 1969.

Lietzke credited his older brother, Duane, for introducing him to the game of golf at age five. He also credits Henry Homberg, a local Beaumont professional, along with Duane for having the greatest influences on his game when he first started playing.

Lietzke attended the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. He graduated in 1973.

Professional career In 1974, Lietzke turned professional. Lietzke's first PGA Tour victory was in the 1977 Tucson Open. Overall, Lietzke won a combined total of 20 tournaments on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour, including the 2003 U.S. Senior Open. On the PGA Tour in 1981, Lietzke had three tournament victories. He played on the winning 1981 U.S. Ryder Cup team at Walton Heath Golf Club.

Lietzke's best finish in a major on the PGA Tour was a solo second place at the 1991 PGA Championship.

Lietzke was well known for not practicing a great deal, and not playing in a large number of tournaments compared to his fellow competitors, electing to spend more time with his family. He did not play more than 25 events in any PGA Tour season and never played more than 20 tournaments in a single season after 1988. He never finished below 74th on the money list. During his career, Lietzke played in 506 PGA Tour events.

Lietzke was an avid supporter of the Sour Mash Open in Parkersburg, West Virginia. He played in the event numerous times. "The Bryce-Lietzke-Martin Scholarship Fund was the first fund established by the Sour Mash Open Golf Tournament Committee in 1990 in honor of the late Dr. John Coyle Bryce, PGA Golf Professional, Bruce Lietzke, and Larry Martin. The earnings of the fund are used to provide scholarships to worthy Wood County students who have shown an interest in golf."

Personal life Lietzke and Jerry Pate were brothers-in-law. Lietzke's wife, Rose, and Pate's wife, Soozi, are sisters. Lietzke and Pate played together in the 1981 Ryder Cup.

He made his home in Dallas, Texas.

In April 2017, Lietzke was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. He died on July 28, 2018, from complications of the disease and attempts at treating it, which his body rejected.

Professional wins (22) PGA Tour wins (13) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Jan 16, 1977Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open−13 (70-66-70-69=275)Playoff Gene Littler2Feb 6, 1977Hawaiian Open−15 (67-70-67-69=273)3 strokes Don January, Takashi Murakami3Jun 25, 1978Canadian Open−1 (76-67-67-73=283)1 stroke Pat McGowan4Feb 18, 1979Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open (2)−15 (63-66-68-68=265)2 strokes Buddy Gardner, Jim Thorpe, Tom Watson5May 18, 1980Colonial National Invitation−9 (63-68-71-69=271)1 stroke Ben Crenshaw6Jan 18, 1981Bob Hope Desert Classic−25 (65-66-65-70-69=335)2 strokes Jerry Pate7Feb 8, 1981Wickes-Andy Williams San Diego Open−10 (68-72-70-68=278)Playoff Raymond Floyd, Tom Jenkins8May 10, 1981Byron Nelson Golf Classic +1 (68-74-69-70=281)Playoff Tom Watson9Aug 1, 1982Canadian Open (2)−7 (68-68-68-73=277)2 strokes Hal Sutton10Mar 4, 1984Honda Classic−8 (72-70-70-68=280)Playoff Andy Bean 11May 15, 1988GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic (2)−9 (66-69-66-70=271)Playoff Clarence Rose12May 24, 1992Southwestern Bell Colonial (2)−13 (69-68-64-66=267)Playoff Corey Pavin13Oct 23, 1994Las Vegas Invitational−28 (66-67-68-66-65=332)1 stroke Robert Gamez

PGA Tour playoff record (6–6) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11977Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open Gene LittlerWon with birdie on fourth extra hole 21977MONY Tournament of Champions Jack NicklausLost to birdie on third extra hole31978Tallahassee Open Barry JaeckelLost to par on first extra hole41981 Wickes-Andy Williams San Diego Open Raymond Floyd, Tom JenkinsWon with birdie on second extra holeJenkins eliminated by par on first hole51981Byron Nelson Golf Classic Tom WatsonWon with par on first extra hole61984Honda Classic Andy BeanWon with par on first extra hole71988GTE Byron Nelson Classic Clarence RoseWon with birdie on first extra hole81992GTE Byron Nelson Classic Billy Ray Brown, Ben Crenshaw, Raymond FloydBrown won with birdie on first extra hole91992Southwestern Bell Colonial Corey PavinWon with birdie on first extra hole101992Canadian Open Greg NormanLost to birdie on second extra hole111995Mercedes Championships Steve ElkingtonLost to birdie on second extra hole121998Bob Hope Chrysler Classic Fred CouplesLost to birdie on first extra hole

Other wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunners-up1Nov 16, 1997Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout(with Scott McCarron)−30 (68-59-59=186)2 strokes David Duval and Scott Hoch

Champions Tour wins (7) LegendSenior major championships (1)Other Champions Tour (6) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Aug 12, 2001 3M Championship−9 (72-66-69=207) 2 strokes Doug Tewell2Sep 23, 2001SAS Championship−15 (69-66-66=201)3 strokes Allen Doyle, Gary McCord3Feb 24, 2002 Audi Senior Classic−8 (75-66-67=208)1 stroke Hale Irwin, Gary McCord4May 12, 2002TD Waterhouse Championship−11 (69-64=133)2 strokes Larry Nelson5Sep 22, 2002SAS Championship (2)−14 (72-63-67=202)4 strokes Gil Morgan, Sammy Rachels, Tom Watson6Apr 27, 2003 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf −10 (70-65-71=206)1 stroke David Eger, Dana Quigley7Jun 29, 2003U.S. Senior Open−7 (69-71-64-73=277)2 strokes Tom Watson

Other senior wins (1) 2002 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf - Raphael Division (with Bill Rogers)

Results in major championships Tournament19721973197419751976197719781979Masters TournamentT286U.S. OpenCUTCUTT47T19T20T41The Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipT38T1562T16 Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989Masters TournamentCUTT11T20T42T33T6T3149T34U.S. OpenT38T17CUTCUTT31The Open ChampionshipT19T6CUTPGA ChampionshipT30T4T16T6T65T18T5T28T62T46 Tournament199019911992199319941995Masters TournamentT13T31T31U.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipCUT2T73CUTT23

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 0 0 0 2 5 14 13U.S. Open 0 0 0 0 0 3 11 7The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 2PGA Championship 0 1 0 3 4 9 19 17Totals 0 1 0 3 7 19 47 39 Most consecutive cuts made – 13 (1983 PGA – 1989 PGA) Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (1981 Open Championship – 1981 PGA)

Results in The Players Championship Tournament197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989The Players ChampionshipCUTCUTT40CUTCUTT24T44T3T12T7T40CUTCUT3 Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999The Players ChampionshipT11T6T46T28CUTT43CUTT13T32

CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place

Senior major championships Wins (1) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 2003 U.S. Senior Open −7 (69-71-64-73=277) 2 strokes Tom Watson

U.S. national team appearances Ryder Cup: 1981 (winners) UBS Cup: 2003 (tie)

See also Spring 1975 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates

Notes

References

External links

Texas Golf Hall of Fame – Bruce Lietzke