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Jim Thorpe

b. 1949

Professional golfer

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About Jim Thorpe

Born 1949. Jim Thorpe is an American golfer.

Jimmy Lee Thorpe (born February 1, 1949) is an American retired professional golfer, who last played on the Champions Tour.

Early life Thorpe was born in Roxboro, North Carolina, the ninth of the twelve children of a fairway superintendent. He attended Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Professional career In 1972, Thorpe turned professional. He won three times on the PGA Tour in the mid-1980s. He has surpassed this at senior level by winning over ten times on the Senior PGA Tour, including one senior major championship, the 2002 Tradition. He made the top ten of the senior tour's career money list in 2004.

Personal life Thorpe's late success has been clouded by charges filed in federal court in Orlando, Florida, charging him with failure to pay $1.6 million in taxes between the years 2002 and 2004. After his lawyer stated that Thorpe intended to plead innocent to the charges. However, Thorpe pleaded guilty in September 2009. On January 22, 2010, Thorpe was sentenced to one year in prison for the crime.

Thorpe was released from prison on January 17, 2011. He was under suspension by the PGA Tour until March 31. He then resumed his career on the Champions Tour.

Professional wins (21) PGA Tour wins (3)

PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

Other wins (4)

1982 Labatt's International

1991 Amoco Centel Championship, Jamaica Open 1993 Jerry Ford Invitational (tie with Jay Delsing, and Donnie Hammond)

Champions Tour wins (13) LegendChampions Tour major championships (1) Tour Championships (3)Other Champions Tour (9)

Champions Tour playoff record (3–1)

Other senior wins (1) 2014 Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf - Legends Division (with Jim Colbert)

Results in major championships

CUT = missed the half-way cut WD = withdrew "T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary Most consecutive cuts made – 4 (twice) Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (three times)

Results in The Players Championship

CUT = missed the halfway cut WD = withdrew "T" indicates a tie for a place

Senior major championships Wins (1) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 2002 The Countrywide Tradition βˆ’11 (67-70-70-70=277) Playoff John Jacobs

Results timeline Results not in chronological order before 2016.

The Senior British Open was not a Champions Tour major until 2003.

CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Morgan State University
Also known as
Jimmy Lee Thorpe

People in Jim Thorpe's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jim Thorpe's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jim Thorpe?

professional golfer

When was Jim Thorpe born?

Jim Thorpe was born on 1 February 1949 in Roxboro.

What is Jim Thorpe's occupation?

Jim Thorpe is a golfer.

What nationality is Jim Thorpe?

Jim Thorpe is American.

Sources & further reading

Β· Wikipedia: Jim Thorpe

Β· Wikidata: Q6198496

Β· DBpedia: Jim Thorpe (golfer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jim Thorpe. https://biography.guide/jim-thorpe/

MLA: "Jim Thorpe." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jim-thorpe/.

Chicago: "Jim Thorpe." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jim-thorpe/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.

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