Larry Nelson
3 Major Championships • Multiple Major Winner
Major Championship Wins
About Larry Nelson
Larry Nelson has established himself as one of golf's elite players with 3 major championship wins. His first major came at the 1981 PGA at age 33.
Learn more: Wikipedia
Career Highlights
- 1981 PGA Championship — Won first major at age 33 at Atlanta Athletic Club
- 1983 U.S. Open — Shot final-round 67 at Oakmont to defeat Tom Watson by one stroke
- 1987 PGA Championship — Captured second PGA title, defeating Lanny Wadkins in playoff
- 10 PGA Tour Wins — Career victories despite starting golf later than most pros
- Ryder Cup Dominance — 9-3-1 record across three teams (1979, 1981, 1987), starting career 9-0-0
- Clutch Performer — Tom Watson said if he had to pick one American for a must-win Ryder Cup match, it would be Nelson
Did You Know?
- Self-Taught from a Book: Nelson didn't start playing golf until age 21 after returning from military service in Vietnam. He learned by studying Ben Hogan's "Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf"
- Rapid Progress: Broke 100 the first time he played 18 holes and broke 70 within just nine months of picking up a club
- Perfect Ryder Cup Start: Won his first 9 Ryder Cup matches before losing one, one of the most dominant stretches in competition history