Gavan Neil Levenson (born 18 December 1953) is a South African professional golfer.

Gavan Levenson
Personal information
Full nameGavan Neil Levenson
Born (1953-12-18) 18 December 1953 (age 70)
Johannesburg, South Africa
Height1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Sporting nationality South Africa
ResidenceBedfordview, South Africa
Career
Turned professional1978
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
European Tour
Southern Africa Tour
European Seniors Tour
Professional wins8
Number of wins by tour
European Tour2
Sunshine Tour5
European Senior Tour1
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipCUT: 1984
U.S. OpenCUT: 1983, 1984
The Open ChampionshipT36: 1984
Achievements and awards
Southern Africa Tour
Order of Merit winner
1983–84

Early life and amateur career

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Levenson was born in Johannesburg. He represented South Africa in the 1976 Eisenhower Trophy and won several major amateur tournaments including the French and Rhodesian Open Amateur Championships in 1978.

Professional career

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In 1978, Levenson turned professional and joined the European Tour the following year. He won the Belgian Open and finishing in 29th place on the Order of Merit in his rookie season.

After two seasons in Europe, Levenson qualified for the United States-based PGA Tour. He spent four largely unsuccessful years on the tour, only recording one top ten finish when he tied for 4th place at the 1982 Greater Hartford Open. He returned to Europe in 1985, and although he consistently finished inside the top 100 on the Order of Merit, he did not win again on the European Tour until the 1991 Open de Baleares.

Levenson also played on the Southern Africa Tour during the northern hemisphere winters. He won five titles in South Africa, including one South African Open Championship and one South African PGA Championship, and topped the Order of Merit in 1983/84.

Since turning fifty, Levenson has played on the European Seniors Tour, where he has one victory, achieved in just his second tournament, the 2004 DGM Barbados Open.

Amateur wins

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  • 1975 South African Amateur Stroke-Play Championship
  • 1978 French Amateur Open Championship, Rhodesian Amateur Open Championship

Professional wins (8)

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European Tour wins (2)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1 10 Jun 1979 Belgian Open −5 (68-71-68-72=279) 3 strokes   Bobby Cole,   Nick Faldo,
  Michael King
2 10 Mar 1991 Open de Baleares −6 (72-74-67-69=282) 1 stroke   Steven Richardson

Southern Africa Tour wins (5)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner-up
1 12 Feb 1983 Sigma Vaal Reefs Open −14 (75-67-70-62=274) 2 strokes   Nick Price
2 4 Feb 1984 Lexington PGA Championship −9 (70-66-68-67=271) 3 strokes   Nick Price
3 26 Jan 1985 South African Open −8 (69-68-72-71=280) 3 strokes   Phil Simmons
4 19 Jan 1986 ICL International −18 (71-65-67-67=270) 1 stroke   David Frost
5 13 Jan 1990 ICL International (2) −19 (67-68-66-68=269) 2 strokes   Wayne Westner

European Seniors Tour wins (1)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runners-up
1 28 Mar 2004 DGM Barbados Open −12 (69-64-71=204) 2 strokes   Denis Durnian,   Carl Mason

Results in major championships

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Tournament 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
U.S. Open
The Open Championship CUT CUT
PGA Championship
Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
U.S. Open CUT CUT
The Open Championship CUT T36 CUT 79
PGA Championship CUT
Tournament 1990 1991
U.S. Open
The Open Championship CUT T57
PGA Championship

Note: Levenson never played in the Masters Tournament.

  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Team appearances

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Amateur

See also

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