Bob Byman


Robert Thomas Byman is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour.

Early life

Byman was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, but moved to Colorado when 13 years old. He only lived in Colorado for five years, but won the state amateur stroke-play championship three years in a row 1971–73, the first player since Hale Irwin 1963–65 to do so. As a 17-year-old, he won the U.S Junior Amateur, beating Scott Simpson in the final.

Amateur career

Byman attended Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and was a member of the golf team. He played with Jay Haas and Curtis Strange on the 1974 and 1975 teams, which won the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships. Golf World has called the 1974–75 teams "the greatest college team of all time". At the end of 1976 Golf Digest ranked Byman the No. 2 amateur in the country behind only Scott Simpson.

Professional career

Byman turned pro in 1976. He spent the early part of his professional career playing on the European Tour, where he had a great deal of success, winning four times. Tiger Woods is the only American golfer with more regular European Tour wins. He played full-time on the PGA Tour 1979–84. His best year was 1979 when he won the Bay Hill Citrus Classic in a playoff against John Schroeder, earned $94,243, and made the cut in all 20 of his starts. His best finish in a major championship was T-7 in the 1979 British Open.
Byman also won the New Zealand Open, an official event on the Australian Tour. Almost uniquely for an American golfer he won more events internationally than domestically.
Byman played on the European Seniors Tour in 2005.

Amateur wins (6)

this list may be incomplete
  • 1971 Colorado Amateur
  • 1972 U.S. Junior Amateur, Colorado Amateur
  • 1973 Colorado Amateur
  • 1976 Northeast Amateur, Rice Planters Amateur

    Professional wins (6)

PGA Tour wins (1)

PGA Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11979Bay Hill Citrus Classic

European Tour wins (4)

New Zealand Golf Circuit wins (1)

Results in major championships

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied