Biography

Thomas Bjørn

Bjorn and his older brother, Soren, who played on the golf team at Baylor University, were introduced to the game early by their mother, who carried a 5-handicap. Bjorn turned professional in 1993 and spent two years in the U.S. playing mini-tour events before gaining his card on His summary was; Europe's Challenge Tour. He won four times in 1995, was named Challenge Tour player of the Year and moved up to the PGA European Tour.

He was then European Rookie of the Year in 1996 after winning at Loch Lomond, making him the first, and thus far only, Dane to win the award . . .At the 1997 Ryder Cup, Bjorn played just twice, winning in four-balls on Saturday with Ian Woosnam and halving with Justin Leonard in the singles after starting the match four down through four holes. . .Winner of the Danish Amateur in 1990 and '91. . .

He played on the Challenge Tour from 1993 to 1995. He then made an immediate impact on the European Tour in his first season, finishing tenth on the 1996 order of merit. He has won nine tournaments on the European tour and his finished in the top ten on the order of merit five times, his best being fifth in 2000.

He came closest to winning a major championship at the 2003 Open Championship when he was in the lead with 4 holes to play before a slump handed victory to Ben Curtis and at the US PGA Championship in 2005, when he tied for the lead before finishing as runner-up to Phil Mickelson in a second-place tie with Steve Elkington. Bjørn was a member of the winning European Ryder Cup teams in 1997 and 2002.

Career Victories

European Tour

8 - 1996 Loch Lomond World Invitational, 1998 Heineken Classic, Peugeot Open De Espana, 1999 Sarazen World Open, 2000 BMW International Open, 2001 Dubai Desert Classic, 2002 BMW International Open, Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters 

Other

2 - 1999 Dunlop Phoenix, 2003 Dunlop Phoenix.

Career Summary

1996 PGA European Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 28; in money - 18; top-10 finishes - 6; scoring average 71.99 (ranked T48th); money ?409,469 or £292,478 (ranked 10th); winner Loch Lomond World Invitational.

1997 PGA European Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 24; in money - 18; top-10 finishes - 6; scoring average 70.61 (ranked 10th); money ?370,913 or £264,938 (ranked 15th); best finish 3rd, Dimension Data Pro-am and Linde German Masters.

1998 PGA European Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 20; in money - 16; top-10 finishes - 7; scoring average 70.64 (ranked 9th); money ?1,659,117 or £470,768 (ranked 6th); Winner, Heineken Classic and Peugeot Open de Espana.

1998 PGA Tour Summary

Played in three events, T-25th in U.S. Open, T-9th in British Open and missed cut in PGA Championship.

1999 PGA European Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 23; in money - 19; top-10 finishes - 4; scoring average 71.31 (ranked 30th); money ?546,933 or £390,667 (ranked 14th); Winner, The Sarazen World Open. 

1999 PGA Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 9; in money - 5; top-10 finishes - 0; money $30,066 (ranked 244th); best finish, T17th, Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship.

2000 PGA European Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 27; in money - 23; top-10 finishes - 9; scoring average 70.74 (ranked 9th); money ?1,929,657 or £1,147,615 (ranked 5th); Winner, BMW International Open.

2000 PGA Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 9; rounds played - 30 ; in money - 8; top-10 finishes - 4 money $1,049,647 (ranked 44th - unofficial); best finish T2nd at the British Open;

2000 Stats

Scoring - 70.44 / (n/a); driving distance - 276.2 / (n/a); driving accuracy -65.7% / (n/a); GIR - 59.8% / (n/a); putting - 1.771 / (n/a); birdie average - 3.33 per rd / (n/a) / total birdies - 100; sand saves - 66.7% / (n/a); scrambling - 59.0% / (n/a); all-around rank - / (n/a).

2001 PGA European Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 22; in money - 21; top-10 finishes - 9; scoring average 70.19 (ranked 12th); money ?1,474,802 or £916,972 (ranked 7th); Winner, Dubai Desert Classic.

2001 PGA Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 7; rounds played - 22 ; in money - 4; top-10 finishes - 0; money $163,779 (ranked 199th-unofficial).; best finish T12th at the WorldCom Classic

2002 PGA European Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 22; in money - 18; top-10 finishes - 5; scoring average 70.77 (ranked 11th); money ?1,110,213 or £707,886 (ranked 12th); Winner, BMW International Open.

2002 PGA Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 9; rounds played - 32 ; in money - 7; top-10 finishes - 1; money $470,004 (ranked 137th-unofficial); best finish T8th at the British Open.

2003 Notes

Collected enough money as a non-member to get fully-exempt playing privileges on the PGA Tour in 2004.

2003 PGA European Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 22; in money - 19; top-10 finishes - 4; scoring average 70.51 (ranked 11th); money ?1,327,1483 or £925,300 (ranked 8th); Best finish, 2nd Deutsche Bank, T2nd British Open & Nissan Irish Open.

2003 PGA Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 6; Rounds Played - 16; in money - 4; top -10 Finishes - ; money $650,733 Rank (104th - unofficial); Best finish: T-2nd at the British Open 

2003 Stats

Scoring - 69.62 / (na); Driving Distance - 301.1 / (na); Driving Accuracy - 45.1% / (na); GIR - 61.1% / (na); Putting - 1.852 / (na); Birdie Average - 2.19 per rd / (na) / Total Birdies - 35; Sand Saves - 30.8% / (na); All-Around Rank - / (na).

2004 Notes

regained his playing privileges but decided not to join tour. 

2004 PGA European Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 18; in money - 13; top-10 finishes - 3; scoring average 71.14 (ranked 29th); money ?994,043 or £687,405 (ranked 21st); Best finish, 2nd WGC-American Express Championship. 

2004 PGA Tour Summary

Tournaments entered - 12; Rounds Played - 34; in money - 8; top -10 Finishes - 2; money $1,050,803 Rank (73rd); Best finish: 2nd WGC-American Express Championship.

European Tour wins

1996 Loch Lomond World Invitational
1998 Peugeot Open de Espana, Heineken Classic
1999 The Sarazen World Open
2000 BMW International Open
2001 Dubai Desert Classic 2002 BMW International Open
2005 Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters 2006 Irish Open

Other professional wins

1995 Coca-Cola Open, C*Esbjerg Danish Closed, Interlaken Open, Himmerland Open (all Challenge Tour)1999 Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (Japan Golf Tour) 2003 Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (Japan Golf Tour)

Professional teams

Ryder Cup: 1997 (winners), 2002 (winners)
World Cup: 1996, 1997, 2001
Seve Trophy: 2000 (winners), 2002, 2003,2005

Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bj%C3%B6rn
http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2005/scoring/profiles/10944.html