Lonnie Dean Nielsen (June 29, 1953 – January 20, 2021) was an American professional golfer.

Early life and amateur career

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.

Professional career

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. 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. In 2009, Nielsen became the first tour professional to serve as a lead contributor to the GIVE (Golf For Injured Veterans Everywhere) Foundation.

Personal life

Nielsen died on January 20, 2021; he had dementia in the years prior to his death.

Awards and honors

Professional wins (39)

Regular career wins (35)

Champions Tour wins (2)

Champions Tour playoff record (0–1)

Other senior wins (2)

Results in major championships

{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}} CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied Note: Nielsen never played in the Masters Tournament or The Open Championship.

U.S. national team appearances