Bruce Devlin
Age: 87
Bruce William Devlin (born 10 October 1937) is an Australian professional golfer, sportscaster and golf course designer.
Devlin was born in Armidale, Australia. He turned pro in 1961 and joined the PGA Tour in 1962 after an amateur career in Australia which included a win at the Australian Amateur in 1959. During his PGA Tour career, he had eight victories all of which occurred between 1964 and 1972. In 1972, he earned $119,768 and finished eighth on the money list.
On the Senior PGA Tour, Devlin won one tournament, the 1995 FHP Health Care Classic. At the end of the 1998 golf season, Devlin decided to retire from the Senior PGA Tour to concentrate on his Golf Course Architecture and Design business and his commitment to ESPN's Golf Telecasts.
The main focus of Devlin's career in the past 30 years has been his work as a Golf Course Architect and Designer. Devlin has designed and built more than 150 golf courses throughout the world including Australia, Japan, Scotland, the Bahamas, and the United States. About two-thirds of the golf courses he designed have been in Florida and Texas. Many of these courses have hosted all of the professional golf tours, including: The Houston Open, HealthSouth LPGA Classic, Key Biscayne Golf Classic, and The Nike Cleveland Open. His golf design business is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Devlin has also worked as a television commentator. He worked for NBC from 1977 to 1982; ESPN from 1983 to 1987; and since 1999 has occasionally covered professional golf for ESPN.
Devlin's most infamous moment came in 1975 at the Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational. On the 72nd hole at Torrey Pines South Course, he made a 10 after hitting multiple shots into the water in front of the green. Many have referred to this moment as a real life Tin Cup moment (the movie starring Kevin Costner).
Amateur wins (2)
this list may be incomplete
- 1958 Lake Macquarie Amateur
- 1959 Australian Amateur
Professional wins (27)
PGA Tour wins (8)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 15 Mar 1964 | St. Petersburg Open Invitational | −16 (69-64-69-70=272) | 4 strokes | Dan Sikes |
2 | 22 May 1966 | Colonial National Invitation | Even (67-68-70-75=280) | 1 stroke | R. H. Sikes |
3 | 3 Sep 1966 | Carling World Open | −6 (73-70-74-69=286) | 1 stroke | Billy Casper |
4 | 27 Apr 1969 | Byron Nelson Golf Classic | −3 (71-66-70-70=277) | 1 stroke | Frank Beard, Bruce Crampton |
5 | 8 Feb 1970 | Bob Hope Desert Classic | −21 (67-68-68-70-66=339) | 4 strokes | Larry Ziegler |
6 | 28 Jun 1970 | Cleveland Open | −12 (69-69-66-64=268) | 4 strokes | Steve Eichstaedt |
7 | 8 May 1972 | Houston Open | −10 (69-70-67-72=278) | 2 strokes | Tommy Aaron, Lou Graham, Doug Sanders |
8 | 20 Aug 1972 | USI Classic | −13 (69-68-69-69=275) | 3 strokes | Lee Elder |
PGA Tour playoff record (0-3)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1968 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | Billy Casper, Johnny Pott | Pott won with birdie on first extra hole |
2 | 1969 | Atlanta Classic | Bert Yancey | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
3 | 1972 | Cleveland Open | David Graham | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
Australasian wins (15)
- 1960 Australian Open (as an amateur)
- 1962 Wills Classic (Australia), Victorian Open
- 1963 New Zealand Open, Queensland Open, Victorian Open, Adelaide Advertiser Tournament
- 1964 Victorian PGA Championship
- 1965 Wills Masters (Australia), Dunlop International
- 1968 Dunlop International
- 1969 Australian PGA Championship, Dunlop International
- 1970 Australian PGA Championship
- 1983 Air New Zealand/Shell Open
Other wins (3)
- 1963 French Open
- 1970 Alcan Golfer of the Year Championship, World Cup (team with David Graham)
Senior PGA Tour wins (1)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5 Mar 1995 | FHP Health Care Classic | −10 (64-66=130) | Playoff | Dave Eichelberger |
Senior PGA Tour playoff record (1-0)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1995 | FHP Health Care Classic | Dave Eichelberger | Won with birdie on second extra hole |
Results in major championships
Tournament | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | CUT | DNP | 4 | T15 | T28 | T10 | 4 | T19 |
U.S. Open | CUT | DNP | CUT | T6 | T26 | T23 | T9 | T10 |
The Open Championship | CUT | T33 | 5 | T8 | T4 | T8 | T10 | T16 |
PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | T39 | T6 | T28 | WD | DNP | T32 |
Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T31 | T13 | T5 | T8 | T31 | T15 | T19 | T42 | DNP | DNP |
U.S. Open | T8 | T27 | T65 | CUT | DNP | DNP | T60 | CUT | DNP | DNP |
The Open Championship | T25 | T37 | T26 | T18 | T39 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
PGA Championship | T18 | T13 | CUT | T24 | T22 | T50 | DNP | T51 | DNP | DNP |
Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | DNP | T31 | DNP | CUT |
U.S. Open | T12 | T26 | T10 | T65 |
The Open Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
PGA Championship | T30 | CUT | DNP | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Yellow background for top-10
Summary
Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 15 |
U.S. Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 13 |
The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 12 |
PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 11 |
Totals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 30 | 61 | 51 |
- Most consecutive cuts made - 18 (1968 Masters - 1972 Open Championship)
- Longest streak of top-10s - 3 (twice)
Team appearances
these lists may be incomplete
Amateur
- Eisenhower Trophy (representing Australia): 1958 (team winners and individual winner, tie), 1960
Professional
- World Cup (representing Australia): 1963, 1964, 1966, 1970 (winners), 1971