| Lonnie Nielsen | |
| Fullname: | Lonnie Dean Nielsen |
| Birth Date: | 29 June 1953 |
| Birth Place: | Belle Plaine, Iowa, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Clarence, New York, U.S. |
| Weight: | 200lb |
| Spouse: | Mary Jo (1977–2021) |
| Children: | 3 |
| College: | University of Iowa |
| Yearpro: | 1976 |
| Extour: | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Prowins: | 39 |
| Champwins: | 2 |
| Otherwins: | 37 |
| Masters: | DNP |
| Usopen: | CUT: 1977, 1983 |
| Open: | DNP |
| Pga: | T11: 1986 |
Lonnie Dean Nielsen (June 29, 1953 – January 20, 2021) was an American professional golfer.
Nielsen was born and raised in Belle Plaine, Iowa. His father started him in golf as a youngster on the sand green courses in and around his hometown. He attended the University of Iowa, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1976.[1] [2]
Nielsen was a member of the PGA Tour from 1978 - 1983 but did not win any tournaments. He has won over 30 other tournaments though, most of which were played in New York.[2] As a club pro, Nielsen finished T11 at the 1986 PGA Championship.
Nielsen became a member of the Champions Tour upon reaching the age of 50 in the summer of 2003. He won his first Champions Tour event at the Commerce Bank Championship in 2007. His second Champions Tour win came in 2009 at the Dick's Sporting Goods Open, where he came from three strokes behind Fred Funk in the final round with a 9 under par 63 to win by three strokes.[2]
In 2009, Nielsen became the first tour professional to serve as a lead contributor to the GIVE (Golf For Injured Veterans Everywhere) Foundation.[3]
Nielsen died on January 20, 2021; he had dementia in the years prior to his death.[4]
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commerce Bank Championship | −14 (66-64-69=199) | 2 strokes |  Loren Roberts | ||
| 2 | Jun 28, 2009 | Dick's Sporting Goods Open | −21 (66-66-63=195) | 3 strokes | Ronnie Black, Fred Funk |
Champions Tour playoff record (0–1)
| Tournament | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Open | CUT | |||
| PGA Championship |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Open | CUT | ||||||||||
| PGA Championship | CUT | T11 | T56 | CUT | CUT |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Open | ||||||||
| PGA Championship | CUT | T70 | CUT | CUT |
1988 (winners), 1996 (tie)