Tony Lema
Encyclopedia
Anthony David "Tony" Lema (February 25, 1934 – July 24, 1966) was an American professional golfer
, who rose to fame in the beginning of golf's modern era, but had his young life and career cut short in an aircraft accident. His most prestigious victory was the 1964 British Open
.
, to parents of Portuguese
ancestry. His father died when Tony was three years old, and his widowed mother struggled to raise the family of four children on welfare. He began playing golf as a boy at Lake Chabot municipal golf course and learned different aspects of the game from a variety of people. Noted African-American golf coach Lucius Bateman helped develop his swing, Oakland policeman Ralph Hall taught him course strategy, and the golf pros at Lake Chabot, Dick Fry and Bill Burch, trained him to use a square stance.
At age 17, Lema enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
and served in Korea
. After his discharge from the military in 1955, he obtained work as an assistant to the club professional at a San Francisco golf club.
Eddie Lowery
, a wealthy San Francisco businessman, who assisted talented amateur players in the area, helped to sponsor and encourage Lema. Lowery is best known as the 10-year-old caddy of champion Francis Ouimet
during the 1913 U.S. Open. Lowery's sponsorship gave Lema $200 a week expense money, to be repaid, in addition to splitting his winnings: Lema received two-thirds, Lowery one-third. One additional detail was that all debts at the end of the year were to be carried forward.
By 1957, Lema had developed his skills sufficiently enough to earn his way onto the PGA Tour
, winning the Imperial Valley Open in memorable fashion: Assuming he was out of contention, Lema headed to the clubhouse bar, where he had three highball
s. Told that he would face Paul Harney
in a sudden-death playoff, a relaxed Lema won the tournament on the second extra hole. The following year, he began developing friendships with a trio of fellow golfers: Johnny Pott, Tommy Jacobs
and Jim Ferree
, and during 11 tournaments in 1958, Lema finished in the top 15, winning $10,282 for the year.
The following year, Lema's winnings dropped to $5,900, followed by an even worse year in 1960, when he collected a mere $3,060. A raucous, off-the-course lifestyle was taking its toll until he began talking with television producer Danny Arnold
, who helped him improve his composure and bolster his confidence.
While Lema's struggles continued in 1962, along with his debt to Lowery reaching over $11,000, his luck would finally change for good. On the eve of his victory in October 1962 at the Orange County Open Invitational
in Costa Mesa, California
, Lema joked he would serve champagne to the press if he won the next day. From then on he was known as Champagne Tony, and his handsome looks and vivacious personality added to the legend, such that Johnny Miller
has stated that at the time of his death in 1966, Lema was second only to Arnold Palmer
in fan popularity.
That win sparked an impressive performance over the next four years that saw him win 12 official PGA tour events, finish second on 11 occasions, and third four times. From 1963 through July 1966, Lema finished in the top-10 over 50% of the time and never missed a cut in a professional major, finishing in the top-10 in 8 of the 15 majors in which he played. He was a member of the 1963 and 1965 United States Ryder Cup
teams, and his Ryder Cup record (9–1–1) is the best of any player who has played in two or more.
Friend and tour colleague Jack Nicklaus
wrote that Lema's play also stabilized and improved greatly after he married his wife Betty, a former airline stewardess, in 1963. One additional reason for Lema's more relaxed play that year was the end of his agreement with Lowery.
In 1963, Lema finished second by one stroke to Jack Nicklaus
at the Masters Tournament
, and missed the playoff for the U.S. Open by two shots, bogeying the last two holes, believing he needed birdies. He won the Memphis Open Invitational later that summer.
Lema won two other tournaments that fall and was named 1963 Most Improved Player by Golf Digest
. That winter, he wrote, with Gwylim S. Brown, "Golfers' Gold", an autobiographical account of his eight-year apprenticeship in the competitive cauldron of the PGA Tour.
In 1964, Lema won the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links
, and then three tournaments in four weeks: the Thunderbird Classic
at Westchester Country Club
in Rye, New York, the Buick Open Invitational at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club
in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and the Cleveland Open
at Highland Park Golf Course in Cleveland, Ohio (in a playoff with Arnold Palmer
).
Then, two weeks later, he captured one of the major championships
by taking that year's British Open
at St Andrews, Scotland, by five shots over Jack Nicklaus
. This was an astonishing surprise, since Lema was not only making his first appearance in the championship, but had only nine holes of practice before starting. However, Lema hired Arnold Palmer
's regular British caddy, Tip Anderson, since Palmer was not competing that year; Anderson, a descendant of a past Open champion, Jamie Anderson
, had grown up on the course and likely knew more about it than anyone else.
In the matchup of the four major champions of 1964 in the World Series of Golf
, Lema won $50,000 (then the largest payoff in golf) at Firestone Country Club
over Arnold Palmer
(Masters), Ken Venturi
(U.S. Open
), and Bobby Nichols
(PGA Championship
).
In 1965, Lema won the Buick Open
for the second consecutive year, and the Carling World Open
, finishing second in prize money to Jack Nicklaus
. In fall 1965, Lema and Nicklaus formed the U.S. team to the World Cup of Golf. Lema's last victory came in May 1966, in his wife's hometown at the Oklahoma City Open. A few weeks later he came back from an opening round 78, to almost capture a third consecutive Buick Open
, just losing out to his close friend, Phil Rodgers
.
In 1966, at age 32, he was flying from the PGA Championship
at Firestone Country Club
in Akron
, Ohio, with his wife, Betty, to an exhibition tournament, the Little Buick Open in Lincolnshire
, Illinois, south of Chicago
, when their chartered twin-engine Beechcraft Bonanza
ran out of fuel and crashed in a water hazard short of the seventh green of Lansing Country Club in Lansing
, Illinois, very close to their destination. During the fatal plunge, the pilot swerved left to avoid a group of people standing near the clubhouse. In addition to the Lemas, two other people, Dr. George Bard and Doris Mullen, were also killed. Bard and Mullen's husband, George, were owners of the ill-fated plane.
Lema and his wife were buried in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
in Hayward, California
, after funeral services at St. Elizabeth's Church in his hometown of Oakland, California.
In 1983, a San Leandro public golf course was named in his honor, the Tony Lema Golf Course, in his which is now part of the Monarch Bay Golf complex.
DNP = did not play
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
, who rose to fame in the beginning of golf's modern era, but had his young life and career cut short in an aircraft accident. His most prestigious victory was the 1964 British Open
1964 Open Championship
The 1964 Open Championship was a golf competition held at the Old Course at St Andrews. The competition was won by Tony Lema.-First round:-Second round:...
.
Biography
Lema was born in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, to parents of Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
ancestry. His father died when Tony was three years old, and his widowed mother struggled to raise the family of four children on welfare. He began playing golf as a boy at Lake Chabot municipal golf course and learned different aspects of the game from a variety of people. Noted African-American golf coach Lucius Bateman helped develop his swing, Oakland policeman Ralph Hall taught him course strategy, and the golf pros at Lake Chabot, Dick Fry and Bill Burch, trained him to use a square stance.
At age 17, Lema enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
and served in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. After his discharge from the military in 1955, he obtained work as an assistant to the club professional at a San Francisco golf club.
Eddie Lowery
Eddie Lowery
Edward Edgar Lowery was an American caddy, amateur golfer, and businessman.Lowery is best known as the 10-year-old caddy of Francis Ouimet during the 1913 U.S. Open held at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, which Ouimet won in a playoff over Harry Vardon and Ted Ray...
, a wealthy San Francisco businessman, who assisted talented amateur players in the area, helped to sponsor and encourage Lema. Lowery is best known as the 10-year-old caddy of champion Francis Ouimet
Francis Ouimet
Francis DeSales Ouimet was an American golfer, who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the 1913 U.S. Open, and was the first American elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews...
during the 1913 U.S. Open. Lowery's sponsorship gave Lema $200 a week expense money, to be repaid, in addition to splitting his winnings: Lema received two-thirds, Lowery one-third. One additional detail was that all debts at the end of the year were to be carried forward.
By 1957, Lema had developed his skills sufficiently enough to earn his way onto the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
, winning the Imperial Valley Open in memorable fashion: Assuming he was out of contention, Lema headed to the clubhouse bar, where he had three highball
Highball
Highball is a type of alcoholic drinkHighball may also refer to:* Highball glass, a drinking vessel* Highball Wilson , professional baseball pitcher* the British Highball bouncing bomb project from World War 2...
s. Told that he would face Paul Harney
Paul Harney
Paul Harney was an American professional golfer and golf course owner who spent part of his career as a full-time PGA Tour player, but mostly was a club professional, part-time Tour player, and owner-operator of his own course....
in a sudden-death playoff, a relaxed Lema won the tournament on the second extra hole. The following year, he began developing friendships with a trio of fellow golfers: Johnny Pott, Tommy Jacobs
Tommy Jacobs
Keith Thomas Jacobs, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course owner/operator who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour...
and Jim Ferree
Jim Ferree
Jim Ferree is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour.Ferree was born in Pinebluff, North Carolina, and grew up in Winston-Salem, where he attended Reynolds High School. He learned the game of golf from his father, Purvis, long-time pro at Winston-Salem's...
, and during 11 tournaments in 1958, Lema finished in the top 15, winning $10,282 for the year.
The following year, Lema's winnings dropped to $5,900, followed by an even worse year in 1960, when he collected a mere $3,060. A raucous, off-the-course lifestyle was taking its toll until he began talking with television producer Danny Arnold
Danny Arnold
Danny Arnold was an American producer, writer, comedian, actor and director known for producing Barney Miller, That Girl and Bewitched.-Life and career:...
, who helped him improve his composure and bolster his confidence.
While Lema's struggles continued in 1962, along with his debt to Lowery reaching over $11,000, his luck would finally change for good. On the eve of his victory in October 1962 at the Orange County Open Invitational
Orange County Open Invitational
The Orange County Open Invitational was a PGA Tour event that was played for four years at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa, California during the late 1950s and early 1960s....
in Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
, Lema joked he would serve champagne to the press if he won the next day. From then on he was known as Champagne Tony, and his handsome looks and vivacious personality added to the legend, such that Johnny Miller
Johnny Miller
John Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf...
has stated that at the time of his death in 1966, Lema was second only to Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
in fan popularity.
That win sparked an impressive performance over the next four years that saw him win 12 official PGA tour events, finish second on 11 occasions, and third four times. From 1963 through July 1966, Lema finished in the top-10 over 50% of the time and never missed a cut in a professional major, finishing in the top-10 in 8 of the 15 majors in which he played. He was a member of the 1963 and 1965 United States Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
teams, and his Ryder Cup record (9–1–1) is the best of any player who has played in two or more.
Friend and tour colleague Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
wrote that Lema's play also stabilized and improved greatly after he married his wife Betty, a former airline stewardess, in 1963. One additional reason for Lema's more relaxed play that year was the end of his agreement with Lowery.
In 1963, Lema finished second by one stroke to Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
at the Masters Tournament
1963 Masters Tournament
The 1963 Masters Tournament was contested from April 4 to April 7 at Augusta National Golf Club. It was the 27th Masters Tournament. 84 players entered the tournament and 50 of them made the cut at eight-over-par ....
, and missed the playoff for the U.S. Open by two shots, bogeying the last two holes, believing he needed birdies. He won the Memphis Open Invitational later that summer.
Lema won two other tournaments that fall and was named 1963 Most Improved Player by Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
. That winter, he wrote, with Gwylim S. Brown, "Golfers' Gold", an autobiographical account of his eight-year apprenticeship in the competitive cauldron of the PGA Tour.
In 1964, Lema won the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach Golf Links is a golf course located in Pebble Beach, California, on the west coast of the United States.Pebble Beach is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the world. It hugs the rugged coastline and has wide open views of Carmel Bay, opening to the Pacific Ocean,...
, and then three tournaments in four weeks: the Thunderbird Classic
Thunderbird Classic
The Thunderbird Classic was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1962 to 1968. It was played at two locations, the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey in 1962 and 1966-1968 and the Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York in 1963-1965....
at Westchester Country Club
Westchester Country Club
The Westchester Country Club was founded by John McEntee Bowman, who hired Walter Travis to design two golf courses in the Town of Harrison, New York as a luxury resort hotel. The West Course was designed for championship play and has hosted PGA tournaments since 1963...
in Rye, New York, the Buick Open Invitational at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club
Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club
Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club is a private country club located on South Saginaw Road in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, a suburb of Flint, Michigan, United States. From 1958 to 2009, Warwick Hills was home to the PGA Tour's Buick Open tournament. The course was opened in June 1957...
in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and the Cleveland Open
Cleveland Open
The Cleveland Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It was played from 1963 to 1972 at a various courses in the greater Cleveland, Ohio area.-Host courses:-Winners:...
at Highland Park Golf Course in Cleveland, Ohio (in a playoff with Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
).
Then, two weeks later, he captured one of the major championships
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
by taking that year's British Open
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
at St Andrews, Scotland, by five shots over Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
. This was an astonishing surprise, since Lema was not only making his first appearance in the championship, but had only nine holes of practice before starting. However, Lema hired Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
's regular British caddy, Tip Anderson, since Palmer was not competing that year; Anderson, a descendant of a past Open champion, Jamie Anderson
Jamie Anderson (golfer)
James "Jamie" Anderson was a nineteenth century professional golfer, who won The Open Championship three times.Anderson was born in St Andrews, Scotland. His Open Championships were at Musselburgh in 1877; Prestwick Golf Club in 1878; and St Andrews in 1879...
, had grown up on the course and likely knew more about it than anyone else.
In the matchup of the four major champions of 1964 in the World Series of Golf
World Series of Golf
The World Series of Golf is an annual golf competition. The competition differs from traditional golf tournaments in that the winner is decided not by the lowest stroke-play score or by winning a bracket-style elimination in match play, but by winning wagers bet on each hole in a betting scheme...
, Lema won $50,000 (then the largest payoff in golf) at Firestone Country Club
Firestone Country Club
The Firestone Country Club is a private golf club located in Akron, Ohio, United States.The Club comprises three courses—those of the North, South, and West—each of which hosted a televised golf event, respectively the American Golf Classic, the CBS Golf Classic and the World Series of Golf, in...
over Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
(Masters), Ken Venturi
Ken Venturi
Kenneth Venturi is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.-Early years and amateur career:Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area...
(U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
), and Bobby Nichols
Bobby Nichols
Robert Herman Nichols is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1964 PGA Championship.Nichols was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville and later played golf at Texas A&M University were his team won the Southwest Conference Championship...
(PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
).
In 1965, Lema won the Buick Open
Buick Open
The Buick Open was a PGA Tour golf tournament from 1958 to 2009. In 2007, the tournament was held at the end of June, a change from its traditional spot between The Open Championship and the PGA Championship...
for the second consecutive year, and the Carling World Open
Carling World Open
The Carling World Open was the last incarnation in a series of golf tournaments on the PGA Tour sponsored by the Carling Brewing Company beginning in 1953.-Winners:...
, finishing second in prize money to Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
. In fall 1965, Lema and Nicklaus formed the U.S. team to the World Cup of Golf. Lema's last victory came in May 1966, in his wife's hometown at the Oklahoma City Open. A few weeks later he came back from an opening round 78, to almost capture a third consecutive Buick Open
Buick Open
The Buick Open was a PGA Tour golf tournament from 1958 to 2009. In 2007, the tournament was held at the end of June, a change from its traditional spot between The Open Championship and the PGA Championship...
, just losing out to his close friend, Phil Rodgers
Phil Rodgers
Phil Rodgers is an American professional golfer.Rodgers was born in San Diego, California. He won the 1958 NCAA Division I Championship while playing at the University of Houston...
.
In 1966, at age 32, he was flying from the PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
at Firestone Country Club
Firestone Country Club
The Firestone Country Club is a private golf club located in Akron, Ohio, United States.The Club comprises three courses—those of the North, South, and West—each of which hosted a televised golf event, respectively the American Golf Classic, the CBS Golf Classic and the World Series of Golf, in...
in Akron
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
, Ohio, with his wife, Betty, to an exhibition tournament, the Little Buick Open in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire, Illinois
Lincolnshire is a village in the Vernon Township region of Lake County, in the U.S. state of Illinois. The village is a suburb of Chicago, a city in the adjacent Cook County. Its population was 6,108 at the time of the 2000 census. Lincolnshire was incorporated on August 5, 1957, from the...
, Illinois, south of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, when their chartered twin-engine Beechcraft Bonanza
Beechcraft Twin Bonanza
|-See also:-References:Twin Bonanza Association http://twinbonanza.com...
ran out of fuel and crashed in a water hazard short of the seventh green of Lansing Country Club in Lansing
Lansing, Illinois
Lansing is a village in Cook County, Illinois, USA. Lansing is a southern suburb of Chicago. The population was 28,332 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Illinois, very close to their destination. During the fatal plunge, the pilot swerved left to avoid a group of people standing near the clubhouse. In addition to the Lemas, two other people, Dr. George Bard and Doris Mullen, were also killed. Bard and Mullen's husband, George, were owners of the ill-fated plane.
Lema and his wife were buried in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
Holy Sepulchre Cemetery (Hayward, California)
Holy Sepulchre Cemetery is a cemetery in Hayward, California. It is a Catholic cemetery run by the Oakland Diocese, which also operates the Holy Angels Funeral and Cremation Center at the same location....
in Hayward, California
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
, after funeral services at St. Elizabeth's Church in his hometown of Oakland, California.
In 1983, a San Leandro public golf course was named in his honor, the Tony Lema Golf Course, in his which is now part of the Monarch Bay Golf complex.
PGA Tour wins (12)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 30, 1962 | Sahara Invitational Sahara Invitational The Sahara Invitational was a PGA Tour event that was played in Las Vegas, Nevada from 1958 to 1976. From 1958 to 1961 it was called the Sahara Pro-Am and was not an official PGA Tour event. It was played at Paradise Valley Country Club from 1970–1972; and at Sahara Nevada Country Club from... |
3 strokes |  Don JanuaryDon January Donald Ray January is an American professional golfer.January was born in Plainview, Texas, and graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas... |
|
| 2 | Oct 28, 1962 | Orange County Open Invitational Orange County Open Invitational The Orange County Open Invitational was a PGA Tour event that was played for four years at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa, California during the late 1950s and early 1960s.... |
Playoff | Bob Rosburg Bob Rosburg Robert Reginald "Rossie" Rosburg was an American professional golfer who later became a sports color analyst for ABC television.-Early years, college:Rosburg was born in San Francisco, California... |
|
| 3 | Nov 18, 1962 | Mobile Sertoma Open Invitational Mobile Sertoma Open Invitational The Mobile Sertoma Open Invitational was a PGA Tour event that was played at the Mobile Municipal Golf Course in Mobile, Alabama in the late 1950s and the early 1960s. Today, the course is known as Azalea City Golf Course.-Winners:... |
7 strokes | Doug Sanders Doug Sanders George Douglas Sanders is a former American professional golfer who won twenty PGA Tour events during his career.-Early years:Sanders was born in Cedartown, Georgia. He grew up in a poor family, and picked cotton as a teenager... |
|
| 4 | May 27, 1963 | Memphis Open Invitational | Playoff | Tommy Aaron Tommy Aaron Thomas Dean Aaron is a former American professional golfer who was a member of the PGA Tour during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Aaron is best known for winning the 1973 Masters Tournament.- Early years :... |
|
| 5 | Jan, 19 1964 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | 3 strokes | Gay Brewer Gay Brewer Gay Robert Brewer, Jr. was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and won the 1967 Masters Tournament.... , Bo WiningerBo Wininger Francis G. "Bo" Wininger was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.... |
|
| 6 | Jun 7, 1964 | Thunderbird Classic Thunderbird Classic The Thunderbird Classic was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1962 to 1968. It was played at two locations, the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey in 1962 and 1966-1968 and the Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York in 1963-1965.... |
1 stroke | Mike Souchak Mike Souchak Michael Souchak was an American professional golfer who won 15 times on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s, and played for the 1959 and 1961 Ryder Cup teams.-Early years, college:... |
|
| 7 | Jun 14, 1964 | Buick Open Invitational | 1 stroke | Dow Finsterwald Dow Finsterwald Dow Henry Finsterwald, Sr. is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the 1958 PGA Championship. He won 11 Tour titles between 1955 and 1963, played on four Ryder Cup teams, and served as non-playing captain for the 1977 U.S. Ryder Cup team.Finsterwald was born and raised in... |
|
| 8 | Jun 28, 1964 | Cleveland Open Cleveland Open The Cleveland Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It was played from 1963 to 1972 at a various courses in the greater Cleveland, Ohio area.-Host courses:-Winners:... |
Playoff | Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
|
| 9 | Jul 10, 1964 | British Open The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
5 strokes | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
|
| 10 | Jun 6, 1965 | Buick Open Invitational | 2 strokes | Johnny Pott |
|
| 11 | Aug 23, 1965 | Carling World Open Carling World Open The Carling World Open was the last incarnation in a series of golf tournaments on the PGA Tour sponsored by the Carling Brewing Company beginning in 1953.-Winners:... |
2 strokes | Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
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| 12 | May 29, 1966 | Oklahoma City Open Invitational Oklahoma City Open Invitational The Oklahoma City Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that played at various clubs in Oklahoma City. The tournament first played in the 1920s under the name Oklahoma City Open.... |
6 strokes | Tom Weiskopf Tom Weiskopf Thomas Daniel Weiskopf is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. His most successful decade was the 1970s, and he won 16 PGA Tour titles between 1968 and 1982. After winding down his tournament career, Weiskopf has become a noted golf course... |
Other wins (7)
this list is probably incomplete- 1957 Imperial Valley Open
- 1958 Idaho Open
- 1961 Hesperia Invitational Open, Mexican OpenMexican OpenThe Mexican Open or Abierto Mexicano de Golf is the national open golf tournament of Mexico. It was first played in 1944 at the Club de Golf Chapultepec. It was an event on the Tour de las Americas between 2003 and 2006, being co-sanctioned by the European Challenge Tour from 2004...
- 1962 Mexican OpenMexican OpenThe Mexican Open or Abierto Mexicano de Golf is the national open golf tournament of Mexico. It was first played in 1944 at the Club de Golf Chapultepec. It was an event on the Tour de las Americas between 2003 and 2006, being co-sanctioned by the European Challenge Tour from 2004...
, Northern California OpenNorthern California OpenThe Northern California Open is a golf tournament played in the Northern California, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is run by the Northern California section of the PGA of America. It has been played annually since 1920 at a variety of courses around the state... - 1964 World Series of Golf
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | British Open The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
7 shot lead | −9 (73–68–68–70=279) | 5 strokes | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 2 | T9 | T21 | T22 |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
50 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | T5 | 20 | T8 | T4 |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 1 | T5 | T30 |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | WD | T13 | T9 | T61 | T34 |
DNP = did not play
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.