Marty Fleckman

Martin Alan Fleckman is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s.

Early life and amateur career

In 1944, Fleckman was born in Port Arthur, Texas. Fleckman credits Byron Nelson, Carl Lohren, and Jim Hardy with teaching him how to play golf. At the age of 20 in 1964, Fleckman won the individual title at the Texas State Amateur. In 1965, he won the NCAA Division I [Men's Golf Championships|NCAA Championship] while at the University of Houston, where he was a three-time All-American member of the golf team: third-team in 1964, first-team in 1965 and 1966. He competed for the United States in Israel in the 1965 Maccabiah Games. He was a member of the Walker Cup team in 1967.
While still an amateur, Fleckman played in the U.S. Open at Baltusrol in 1967. He led after the first and third rounds, but shot on Sunday amid a surge by eventual champion Jack Nicklaus. The last amateur to lead the U.S. Open at 54 holes was Johnny Goodman, 34 years earlier in 1933. Fleckman finished in a tie for 18th place and was the low amateur, a stroke ahead of Bob Murphy, who shot 69 in the final round.

Professional career

In his first start on the PGA Tour in December 1967, Fleckman won the Cajun Classic Open Invitational in a playoff. At Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette, Louisiana, he sank a birdie putt on the first extra hole to defeat Jack Montgomery and take the winner's share of $5,000. It was his third consecutive birdie, finishing regulation play with two. Fleckman is only one of five other players to win his first tour event as a professional, and has since been joined by Ben Crenshaw (1973), Robert Gamez (1990), Garrett Willis (2001), and Russell Henley (2013). This was to be his only Tour title. His best finish in a major golf championships|major] was a tie for fourth at the PGA Championship in 1968.
He currently works as director of golf instruction at Blackhorse Teaching Center in Texas.

Awards and honors

In 1986, Fleckman was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame.
In 2006, he was inducted into the University of Houston Hall of Honor.
In 2007, Fleckman received the Teacher of the Year Award for the Southern Texas Section of the PGA.