Thomas Nieporte (October 21, 1928 – December 21, 2014) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.

Tom Nieporte
Personal information
Full nameThomas Nieporte
Born(1928-10-21)October 21, 1928
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
DiedDecember 21, 2014(2014-12-21) (aged 86)
Boca Raton, Florida, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st)
Sporting nationality United States
Career
CollegeOhio State University
Turned professional1953
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Champions Tour
Professional wins11
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour3
Other8
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentT26: 1965
PGA ChampionshipT5: 1964
U.S. OpenT17: 1958
The Open ChampionshipDNP

Nieporte grew up in the Cincinnati suburb of North College Hill, Ohio. He attended the Ohio State University and was a distinguished member of the golf team, winning the NCAA Championship in 1951. He was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame in 1983.

Nieporte turned pro in 1953. He played full-time on the PGA Tour for five years, but like most professional golfers of his generation, he spent most of his career earning his living as a club pro. He won three PGA Tour events. The biggest win of his career came in 1967 at the Bob Hope Desert Classic; the Champions Trophy was presented to Nieporte by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Bob Hope. His best finish in a major was T5 at the 1964 PGA Championship.[1]

Nieporte co-authored the book "Mind over Golf" with Donald Sauers.

Nieporte was the head pro at Piping Rock Club on Long Island from 1963 to 1978. From 1978 until his retirement in 2006, he was the head pro at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, the site of five U.S. Opens and one PGA Championship. On December 21, 2014, Nieporte died at the age of 86 in Boca Raton, Florida.[2][3] He was survived by his wife Joan and their nine children.[4]

Amateur wins

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Professional wins (11)

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PGA Tour wins (3)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner-up
1 Aug 23, 1959 Rubber City Open Invitational −13 (67-69-65-66=267) 3 strokes   Bob Goalby
2 Apr 3, 1960 Azalea Open −11 (64-68-72-73=277) 2 strokes   Gay Brewer
3 Feb 5, 1967 Bob Hope Desert Classic −11 (76-68-68-68-69=349) 1 stroke   Doug Sanders

Other wins (8)

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References

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  1. ^ "Golf Major Championships". Retrieved 2008-02-11.
  2. ^ "Longtime Winged Foot head pro Nieporte dies". Golf Channel. December 22, 2014.
  3. ^ Weinman, Sam (December 23, 2014). "Golf loses a class act with the death of longtime Winged Foot head pro Tom Nieporte". Golf Digest.
  4. ^ Livsey, Laury (December 27, 2014). "Three-time Tour winner Nieporte passes away". PGA Tour.
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