Tapio Pulkkanen
Tapio Pulkkanen (born 21 May 1990) is a Finnish professional golfer. He had his first win on the Challenge Tour in 2017, taking the Kazakhstan Open. He finished first in the 2017 Challenge Tour Order of Merit to earn his European Tour card for 2018. He is noted for wearing a trilby hat.[1]
Tapio Pulkkanen | |||
---|---|---|---|
Personal information | |||
Born | Kotka, Finland | 21 May 1990||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
Nationality | |||
Career | |||
Turned professional | 2013 | ||
Current tour(s) | European Tour | ||
Former tour(s) | Challenge Tour | ||
Professional wins | 7 | ||
Number of wins by tour | |||
Challenge Tour | 1 | ||
Other | 6 | ||
Achievements and awards | |||
|
Professional career
Pulkkanen turned professional in early 2013 and was runner-up in his first tournament on the Challenge Tour, the Challenge de Madrid in April.[2] The remainder of 2013 and 2014 were disappointing with a best finish of 34th place. Pulkkanen played on the Nordic Golf League in 2015, won five events and headed the Order Of Merit. The return to the Challenge Tour in 2016 was again a disappointment with a best finish of 30th place. His 2017 Challenge Tour season started with a second place in the Turkish Airlines Challenge,[3] followed up with another runner-up finish in the D+D Real Czech Challenge.[4] Later in the year he had his first win, taking the Kazakhstan Open after a playoff with Chase Koepka.[5] He finished first in the 2017 Challenge Tour Order of Merit to earn his European Tour card for 2018.
In December 2017 Pulkkanen was tied for third in the Joburg Open, level with Shaun Norris. The event was part of the Open Qualifying Series, with three places available to the 2018 Open Championship. Norris received the entry because he had a higher world ranking, 192 to Pulkkanen's 197.[6]
Professional wins (6)
Challenge Tour wins (1)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 24 Sep 2017 | Kazakhstan Open | −17 (67-70-66-68=271) | Playoff |
Challenge Tour playoff record (1–0)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2017 | Kazakhstan Open | Won with par on third extra hole |
Nordic Golf League wins (6)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 14 Jul 2012 | Teho Sport Finnish Open (as an amateur) |
|||
2 | 8 May 2015 | NorthSide Charity Challenge | −7 (71-72-66=209) | Playoff | |
3 | 26 Jun 2015 | ECCO German Masters | −8 (71-70-70=211) | 3 strokes | |
4 | 12 Jul 2015 | Finnish Open | −9 (67-71-69=207) | 4 strokes | |
5 | 31 Jul 2015 | Made in Denmark European Tour Qualifier | −5 (69-67-75=211) | Playoff | |
6 | 13 Sep 2015 | Kristianstad Åhus Open | −8 (70-71-67=208) | 3 strokes |
Team appearances
Amateur
- Eisenhower Trophy (representing Finland): 2010, 2012
- St Andrews Trophy (representing the Continent of Europe): 2012 (winners)
See also
References
- "Tapio Pulkkanen". PGA European Tour Biography. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
- "Classy Calmels cruises to victory in Madrid". PGA European Tour. 27 April 2013.
- "Heaven for Evans as he takes Turkish title". PGA European Tour. 23 April 2017.
- "Suri seals maiden success at Czech Challenge". PGA European Tour. 28 May 2017.
- "Pulkkanen wins thriller in Kazakhstan". PGA European Tour. 24 September 2017.
- "Sharma romps to maiden win at Joburg Open". European Tour. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
External links
- Official website
- Tapio Pulkkanen at the European Tour official site
- Tapio Pulkkanen at the Official World Golf Ranking official site