Thomas Bjørn
Thomas Bjørn (born 18 February 1971) is a Danish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. He is the most successful Danish golfer to have played the game having won fifteen tournaments worldwide on the European Tour. In 1997 he also became the first Dane to qualify for a European Ryder Cup team. He captained the winning European side at the 2018 Ryder Cup.
Thomas Bjørn | |||||
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![]() Bjørn after winning the 2011 Omega European Masters | |||||
Personal information | |||||
Full name | Thomas Bjørn | ||||
Nickname | The Great Dane[1] | ||||
Born | Silkeborg, Denmark | 18 February 1971||||
Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||
Weight | 88 kg (194 lb; 13.9 st) | ||||
Sporting nationality | ![]() | ||||
Residence | Silkeborg, Denmark Gothenburg, Sweden | ||||
Children | 4 | ||||
Career | |||||
Turned professional | 1993 | ||||
Current tour(s) | European Tour PGA Tour Champions European Senior Tour | ||||
Professional wins | 23 | ||||
Highest ranking | 10 (15 July 2001)[2] | ||||
Number of wins by tour | |||||
European Tour | 15 | ||||
Japan Golf Tour | 2 | ||||
Asian Tour | 2 | ||||
Sunshine Tour | 1 | ||||
Challenge Tour | 3 | ||||
European Senior Tour | 2 | ||||
Other | 1 | ||||
Best results in major championships | |||||
Masters Tournament | T8: 2014 | ||||
PGA Championship | T2: 2005 | ||||
U.S. Open | T22: 2001 | ||||
The Open Championship | T2: 2000, 2003 | ||||
Achievements and awards | |||||
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Professional career
Bjørn started his career playing on the Challenge Tour from 1993 to 1995. In 1995 he won four tournaments on the Challenge Tour to earn his card for his debut year on the European Tour in 1996. Bjørn made his breakthrough immediately winning his maiden tour title in his debut season at the Loch Lomond World Invitational. He became the first golfer from Denmark to win a tournament on the European Tour.[3] He finished the 1996 season placed tenth on the Order of Merit.
The follow-up season in 1997 was steady with a number of top ten finishes without a win, however Bjørn did not have long to wait until his next win arrived. He won early in the 1998 season in Perth, Australia taking the Heineken Classic for his second European Tour title. Despite an over par final round of 74, Bjørn won by a single stroke from Ian Woosnam. In April 1998, after a five-week break from competitive golf, Bjørn won for the second time that year at the Peugeot Open de España after a final round 66 took him to 21 under and one stroke ahead of the chasing pack. He later said: "I didn’t really expect this after taking five weeks off, but when your confidence has gone like mine did after winning in Perth, it just shows it’s best to take a break and regroup."[4] After his two wins he finished the year 6th on the Order of Merit.
After a winless period due to injuries and the birth of his first child, Bjørn returned to the winner's circle in October 1999 at the Sarazen World Open. This was his fourth career European Tour win and after an unspectacular year, he jumped up the standings to finish the season 14th on the Order of Merit.
He has finished in the top ten on the Order of Merit eight times with a best finish of fifth in 2000. He has come close 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. At the 2005 PGA Championship, he was tied for the lead before finishing as runner-up to Phil Mickelson in a second-place tie with Steve Elkington.
Bjørn picked up his first European Tour win in four years and 10th of his career in 2010 at the Estoril Open de Portugal, winning with a score of 23-under-par, five better than Richard Green. He followed this with three more wins at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters in February 2011, Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in August 2011, winning in a five-man playoff on the fifth extra hole, birdieing the final three holes and Omega European Masters in September 2011. In December 2013, Bjørn won the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.[5] It was Bjørn's 14th career European Tour win.
Bjørn was a member of the winning European Ryder Cup teams in 1997, 2002 and 2014. He also captained the 2018 European Ryder Cup team, winning over United States with 17½ points to 10½ at Le Golf National, Paris, France.
He made the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking for one week in 2001 after a second-place finish at the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.[6][7]
In 2005 and 2006, Bjørn sponsored the Thomas Bjørn Open, an event on the Challenge Tour played in his home country.[8] In 2007, Bjørn was elected chairman of the European Tour's tournament committee. In May 2022, Bjørn was named vice-captain by Team Europe's captain Henrik Stenson for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.[9]
Bjørn's last name is sometimes written Björn or Bjorn outside Denmark. The Danish (and Norwegian) letter 'ø' represents approximately the same sound as 'ö' in German and Swedish. Literally translated, his surname means bear in Danish.
Personal life
Bjørn has three children, Filippa and twins Oliver and Julia with his former wife Pernilla. Bjørn currently resides in London.[10] Perth-born air stewardess Dagmara Leniartek had a five-year affair with Bjørn. Bjørn initially cut relations with Leniartek and denied he was the father of her daughter. However, Danish media reported a DNA test had subsequently proved Bjørn was the father of the child – a girl named Isabella.[11][12][13]
Bjørn is a football fan and a keen follower of Liverpool F.C. Alongside football he also states his other interest to be movies.[14]
Professional wins (23)
European Tour wins (15)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 Sep 1996 | Loch Lomond World Invitational | −11 (70-68-69-70=277) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
2 | 1 Feb 1998 | Heineken Classic | −8 (70-68-68-74=280) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
3 | 26 Apr 1998 | Peugeot Open de España | −21 (68-67-66-66=267) | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() |
4 | 17 Oct 1999 | Sarazen World Open | −15 (66-69-70-68=273) | 2 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
5 | 3 Sep 2000 | BMW International Open | −20 (69-63-69-67=268) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
6 | 4 Mar 2001 | Dubai Desert Classic | −22 (64-66-67-69=266) | 2 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
7 | 1 Sep 2002 | BMW International Open (2) | −24 (68-64-66-66=264) | 4 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
8 | 15 May 2005 | Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters | −6 (73-68-73-68=282) | Playoff | ![]() ![]() |
9 | 21 May 2006 | Nissan Irish Open | −5 (78-66-67-72=283) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
10 | 13 Jun 2010 | Estoril Open de Portugal | −23 (67-65-65-68=265) | 5 strokes | ![]() |
11 | 6 Feb 2011 | Commercialbank Qatar Masters | −14 (74-65-66-69=274) | 4 strokes | ![]() |
12 | 28 Aug 2011 | Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles | −11 (68-69-71-69=277) | Playoff | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
13 | 4 Sep 2011 | Omega European Masters1 | −20 (68-68-66-62=264) | 4 strokes | ![]() |
14 | 8 Sep 2013 | Omega European Masters1 (2) | −20 (66-66-67-65=264) | Playoff | ![]() |
15 | 8 Dec 2013 (2014 season) |
Nedbank Golf Challenge2 | −20 (67-70-66-65=268) | 2 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
1Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour
2Co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour
European Tour playoff record (3–2)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2003 | Deutsche Bank - SAP Open TPC of Europe | ![]() |
Lost to par on first extra hole |
2 | 2003 | Nissan Irish Open | ![]() ![]() |
Campbell won with birdie on first extra hole |
3 | 2005 | Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters | ![]() ![]() |
Won with par on second extra hole Davis eliminated by par on first hole |
4 | 2011 | Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Won with birdie on fifth extra hole Foster eliminated by par on fourth hole Larrazábal eliminated by par on second hole Wiesberger eliminated by par on first hole |
5 | 2013 | Omega European Masters | ![]() |
Won with birdie on first extra hole |
Japan Golf Tour wins (2)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 21 Nov 1999 | Dunlop Phoenix Tournament | −14 (69-66-68-67=270) | Playoff | ![]() |
2 | 23 Nov 2003 | Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (2) | −12 (67-65-69-71=272) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
Japan Golf Tour playoff record (1–0)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1999 | Dunlop Phoenix Tournament | ![]() |
Won with birdie on fourth extra hole |
Challenge Tour wins (3)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 11 Jun 1995 | Himmerland Open | E (70-70-76=216) | Playoff | ![]() ![]() |
2 | 23 Jul 1995 | Interlaken Open | −16 (64-71-65=200) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
3 | 28 Aug 1995 | Coca-Cola Open | −8 (70-70-69-71=280) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
Other wins (1)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 13 Aug 1995 | Esbjerg Danish Closed | −4 (73-75-64=212) | Playoff | ![]() |
Other playoff record (1–1)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1995 | Esbjerg Danish Closed | ![]() |
|
2 | 2001 | WGC-World Cup (with ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
South Africa won with par on second extra hole New Zealand and United States eliminated by birdie on first hole |
European Senior Tour wins (2)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 Aug 2021 | Irish Legends | −15 (67-66-65=198) | Playoff | ![]() |
2 | 11 Dec 2022 | MCB Tour Championship – Mauritius | −20 (68-61-67=196) | 7 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
European Senior Tour playoff record (1–0)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2021 | Irish Legends | ![]() |
Won with birdie on second extra hole |
Results in major championships
![](../I/Thomas_Bj%C3%B6rn_02.jpg.webp)
Tournament | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | CUT | |||
U.S. Open | T68 | T25 | CUT | |
The Open Championship | CUT | CUT | T9 | T30 |
PGA Championship | T45 | CUT | T70 |
Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T28 | CUT | T18 | CUT | T25 | T32 | CUT | |||
U.S. Open | T46 | T22 | T37 | CUT | CUT | T52 | T48 | CUT | ||
The Open Championship | T2 | CUT | T8 | T2 | CUT | CUT | T41 | T53 | ||
PGA Championship | 3 | T63 | CUT | CUT | T2 | CUT | T62 |
Tournament | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T37 | T46 | T8 | CUT | ||||
U.S. Open | CUT | |||||||
The Open Championship | CUT | 4 | T54 | T73 | T26 | CUT | ||
PGA Championship | CUT | T48 | CUT | CUT | T48 | CUT |
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Summary
Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 7 |
U.S. Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 7 |
The Open Championship | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 11 |
PGA Championship | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 8 |
Totals | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 58 | 33 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 6 (1999 Open Championship – 2000 PGA)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (2000 Open Championship – 2000 PGA)
Results in The Players Championship
Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Players Championship | T22 | CUT | T22 | T22 | WD | 69 | CUT |
CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Results in World Golf Championships
Results not in chronological order prior to 2015.
Tournament | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Championship | T59 | T40 | NT1 | T27 | T28 | 2 | WD | T41 | T11 | T28 | T24 | T44 | WD | ||||
Match Play | R32 | R16 | R64 | R32 | R64 | R64 | R32 | R64 | R64 | R32 | |||||||
Invitational | T10 | T31 | T15 | T61 | 18 | T18 | T68 | T40 | T15 | 69 | |||||||
Champions | T42 | T21 | T39 | T41 |
1Cancelled due to 9/11
WD = Withdrew
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied
NT = No tournament
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
Team appearances
Amateur
- Jacques Léglise Trophy (representing the Continent of Europe): 1988
- European Youths' Team Championship (representing Denmark): 1990[15]
- St Andrews Trophy (representing the Continent of Europe): 1990
- European Amateur Team Championship (representing Denmark): 1991
- Eisenhower Trophy (representing Denmark): 1992
Professional
- World Cup (representing Denmark): 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2013
- Ryder Cup (representing Europe): 1997 (winners), 2002 (winners), 2014 (winners), 2018 (non-playing captain) (winners)
1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2004 | 2006 | 2008 | 2010 | 2012 | 2014 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.5 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.5 | 4 |
- Seve Trophy (representing Continental Europe): 2000 (winners), 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 (non-playing captain), 2011, 2013 (winners)
- Royal Trophy (representing Europe): 2006 (winners)
- EurAsia Cup (representing Europe): 2014, 2018 (non-playing captain, winners)
References
- "The Great Dane's Challenge Tour legacy". PGA European Tour. 16 April 2013.
- "Week 28 2001 Ending 15 Jul 2001" (pdf). OWGR. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- "First Danish winner on the European Tour". PGA European Tour. 22 September 1996. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- "Bjorn wins for the second time in two months". PGA European Tour. 26 April 1998. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- "Nedbank Challenge: Thomas Bjorn wins by two shots in Sun City". BBC Sport. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- 69 Players Who Have Reached The Top-10 In World Ranking
- "Official World Golf Ranking – Week 28 – 2001" (PDF). 15 July 2001.
- "Bjorn to sponsor new Danish event". BBC Sport. 22 March 2005. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
- "Bjorn named Team Europe's vice captain for 2023 Ryder Cup". Reuters. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- "Bjorn player profile". PGA European Tour. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- Deceglie, Anthony (14 August 2010). "WA hostie and the Danish golf star". Perth Now. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- Greenslade, Nick (21 September 2014). "Mamma mia! 'Barmy' Dane is Bjorn again". The Times. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- Sundling, Anders (28 December 2015). "Thomas Bjørns talentfulde datter: Jul uden far" [Thomas Bjørns talented daughter: Christmas without father] (in Danish). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- "Bjorn a supporter of Liverpool F.C." PGA European Tour. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- "Hemmaseger i JEM-rysare, Lag-EM Juniorer" [Home victory in exciting European Youth's Team Championship]. Svensk Golf (in Swedish). No. 9/1990. September 1990. p. 84. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
External links
![](../I/Commons-logo.svg.png.webp)
- Thomas Bjørn at the European Tour official site
- Thomas Bjørn at the PGA Tour official site
- Thomas Bjørn at the Japan Golf Tour official site
- Thomas Bjørn at the Official World Golf Ranking official site