Bruce Crampton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bruce Crampton |
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Crampton with wife Joan and two-years-old son Jay after winning the 1970 Westchester Classic
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| Personal information | |
| Born | 28 September 1935 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in |
| Weight | 180 lb |
| Nationality |  Australia |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1953 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 45 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 14 |
| Champions Tour | 20 (Tied-10th all-time) |
| Other | 9 (regular) 2 (senior) |
| Best results in Major Championships |
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| The Masters Tournament | T2: 1972 |
| U.S. Open | 2nd: 1972 |
| The Open Championship | T13: 1956 |
| PGA Championship | 2nd: 1973, 1975 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Vardon Trophy | 1973, 1975 |
| Senior PGA Tour money list winner |
1986 |
Bruce Crampton (born 28 September 1935) is a famous Australian professional golfer. He is known for his many wins on both the regular and senior golf tours.
Contents
Early Life and Starting Golf
Bruce Crampton was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He went to Kogarah High School from 1948 to 1950. In 1953, when he was 17, he played in the final of the New South Wales Amateur Championship. He showed great promise in golf from a young age. A famous golfer, Norman Von Nida, even said Bruce would become "one of the greatest players Australia has produced."
Becoming a Professional Golfer
Bruce Crampton decided to become a professional golfer in late 1953. He started working as an assistant at a golf club in Sydney. This decision came after he was not chosen for the Australian amateur team.
Amazing Professional Career
Bruce Crampton had a very successful career in golf. He won the Vardon Trophy twice, in 1973 and 1975. This award is given to the player with the lowest average score on the PGA Tour.
He won 14 tournaments on the PGA Tour between 1961 and 1975. Some of his notable wins include the Milwaukee Open Invitational (1961), Bing Crosby National Pro-Am (1965), Colonial National Invitation (1965), Hawaiian Open (1969), and Westchester Classic (1970). He also won the Phoenix Open, Dean Martin Tucson Open, Houston Open, and American Golf Classic in 1973. He won the Houston Open again in 1975.
Bruce was also a runner-up in four major golf championships. These included one Masters Tournament, one U.S. Open, and two PGA Championships. Interestingly, he finished second to the legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus in all four of these major events. He was considered one of the top five golfers in the world in 1972 and 1973.
Besides the PGA Tour, Bruce won other important tournaments. These include the Australian Open (1956), New Zealand PGA Championship (1954), Far East Open (1959), and Philippine Open (1959).
Senior Tour Success
After turning 50, Bruce Crampton continued his winning ways on the Champions Tour (formerly the Senior PGA Tour). He won an amazing 20 tournaments on this tour. In 1986, he was the top earner on the Senior PGA Tour. His wins included the Benson & Hedges Invitational (1986), Las Vegas Senior Classic (1986), and Infiniti Senior Tournament of Champions (1991). He also won the Cadillac NFL Golf Classic in 1997.
He also won the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf twice (1987, 1988) with his partner Orville Moody.
Awards and Honors
Bruce Crampton's great career was recognized in 2001. He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for Australian athletes.
Major Championship Results
Bruce Crampton played in many major golf championships. Here's a quick look at his best finishes:
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 19 | 16 |
| U.S. Open | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 14 |
| The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 15 |
| Totals | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 28 | 56 | 49 |
- He made the cut in 33 tournaments in a row from 1961 to 1973.
- He had a streak of finishing in the top 10 twice.
Team Appearances
Bruce Crampton also represented Australia in team golf events.
As an Amateur
- Australian Men's Interstate Teams Matches (representing New South Wales): 1953
As a Professional
- World Cup (representing Australia): 1957, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1972
- Slazenger Trophy (representing British Commonwealth and Empire): 1956
- Vicars Shield (representing New South Wales): 1956 (his team won!)
