Bill Britton
Encyclopedia
William Timothy Britton (born November 13, 1955) is an American professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
for fifteen years during the 1980s and 1990s.
Britton was born and raised on Staten Island
, New York
, and attended Monsignor Farrell High School
. He played college golf at Miami Dade College
, winning the National Junior College Championship in 1975. He received an athletic scholarship
to attend the University of Florida
, where he played for coach Buster Bishop
's Florida Gators men's golf team in National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) competition in 1976 and 1977. Britton graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
in health and human performance in 1979. He was mentored by Jim Albus
, a club professional and six-time winner on the Champions Tour
.
Britton is a two-time winner of the Metropolitan Amateur
, and was the two-time defending champion when the tournament was held at Century Country Club in Purchase, New York
, in 1977. He advanced to the quarterfinals at Century, and played Lou Mattiace, the father of future PGA Tour player Len Mattiace
. In a memorable match, Mattiace dethroned the Staten Island native on the 18th green, 1-up.
Britton then turned professional in 1979 and joined the PGA Tour in 1980.
During his 15 years on the Tour, Britton won once and had 23 top-10 finishes. His best finishes in majors
came in 1990: T-7 at The Masters and 4th in the PGA Championship
.
After his years as a touring pro were over, Britton became a teaching pro and author in New Jersey
. He has published articles for The Met Golfer, New Jersey Golfer and Sports Illustrated
. He has been named one of the "Top Ten Teachers" in New Jersey by Golf Digest
. He was New Jersey Section PGA's Player of the Year in 2002, and Senior Player of the Year in 2006. He has played in a limited number of Champions Tour
events.
PGA Tour playoff record (0-1)
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
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 played on 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...
for fifteen years during the 1980s and 1990s.
Britton was born and raised on Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and attended Monsignor Farrell High School
Monsignor Farrell High School
Monsignor Farrell High School is a Catholic secondary school located in the Oakwood section of Staten Island, New York. Opened in 1961, the school was named in honor of Monsignor Joseph Farrell, a prominent Catholic priest, as well as a religious, political and community leader on Staten Island.The...
. He played college golf at Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College, or simply Miami Dade or MDC, is a state college with eight campuses and twenty-one outreach centers located throughout Miami-Dade County, Florida in the United States. It is part of the Florida College System. Miami Dade College is the largest school in the Florida College...
, winning the National Junior College Championship in 1975. He received an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, where he played for coach Buster Bishop
Buster Bishop
Bernays Emery "Buster" Bishop was an American college golf coach. Bishop was best known for leading the Florida Gators men's golf team of the University of Florida to National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I championships in 1968 and 1973.- Early life and education :Bishop was born in...
's Florida Gators men's golf team in National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) competition in 1976 and 1977. Britton graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in health and human performance in 1979. He was mentored by Jim Albus
Jim Albus
James Christian Albus is an American golfer.Albus was born in Staten Island, New York. He attended first New Dorp High School, and went on to Bucknell University, where he was a successful baseball player. It was while he was at college that he took up golf, which was unusually late for a future...
, a club professional and six-time winner on the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
.
Britton is a two-time winner of the Metropolitan Amateur
Metropolitan Amateur
The Metropolitan Amateur or Met Amateur is an amateur golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1899 and is one of the oldest amateur golf tournaments in the United States along with the U.S. Amateur and the Western Amateur...
, and was the two-time defending champion when the tournament was held at Century Country Club in Purchase, New York
Purchase, New York
Purchase, New York is a hamlet of the town of Harrison, in Westchester County. Its ZIP code is 10577. Its name is derived from Harrison's purchase, for Harrison could have as much land as he could ride in one day...
, in 1977. He advanced to the quarterfinals at Century, and played Lou Mattiace, the father of future PGA Tour player Len Mattiace
Len Mattiace
Leonard Earl "Len" Mattiace is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour.Mattiace was born in Mineola, New York. He attended Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 1990 with a degree in Sociology. While at Wake Forest, he played on the...
. In a memorable match, Mattiace dethroned the Staten Island native on the 18th green, 1-up.
Britton then turned professional in 1979 and joined the PGA Tour in 1980.
During his 15 years on the Tour, Britton won once and had 23 top-10 finishes. His best finishes in majors
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...
came in 1990: T-7 at The Masters and 4th in 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...
.
After his years as a touring pro were over, Britton became a teaching pro and author in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He has published articles for The Met Golfer, New Jersey Golfer and Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. He has been named one of the "Top Ten Teachers" in New Jersey 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...
. He was New Jersey Section PGA's Player of the Year in 2002, and Senior Player of the Year in 2006. He has played in a limited number of Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
events.
Amateur wins (4)
- 1975 Metropolitan AmateurMetropolitan AmateurThe Metropolitan Amateur or Met Amateur is an amateur golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1899 and is one of the oldest amateur golf tournaments in the United States along with the U.S. Amateur and the Western Amateur...
, National Junior College Championship - 1976 Metropolitan AmateurMetropolitan AmateurThe Metropolitan Amateur or Met Amateur is an amateur golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1899 and is one of the oldest amateur golf tournaments in the United States along with the U.S. Amateur and the Western Amateur...
- 1979 Azalea InvitationalAzalea InvitationalThe Azalea Invitational is an annual amateur golf tournament. It has been played since 1946 at the Country Club of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina.-Winners:*2011 Cheng-Tsung Pan*2010 Tyson Alexander*2009 Tyson Alexander*2008 Zack Sucher...
PGA Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 1, 1989 1989 PGA Tour The 1989 PGA Tour season was played from January 5 to October 29. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Steve Jones and Tom Kite won the most tournaments, three, and there were nine first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament... |
Centel Classic Centel Classic The Centel Classic was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1969 to 1989. It was played at Killearn Country Club in Tallahassee, Florida.... |
4 strokes |  Ronnie BlackRonnie Black Ronald Jay Black is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and Champions Tour.Black was born in Lovington, New Mexico. He attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he was a member of the golf team. He turned pro in 1981.Black won two events on the... |
PGA Tour playoff record (0-1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1982 1982 PGA Tour The 1982 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to October 31. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Calvin Peete, Craig Stadler, and Tom Watson won the most tournaments, four, and there were five first-time winners... |
Walt Disney World Golf Classic | Hal Sutton Hal Sutton Hal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer.Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. A promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, he was named Golf Magazines 1980 College Player of the Year... |
Lost to birdie on fourth extra hole |
Other wins (4)
- 1979 Metropolitan OpenMetropolitan OpenThe Metropolitan Open is golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 and is the third oldest "Open" golf tournament in the United States after the U.S. Open and the Western Open. It is held at member clubs in New York, New Jersey, and...
- 1986 Westchester OpenWestchester OpenThe Westchester Open is golf tournament organized by the Westchester Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1920 at member clubs in New York or Connecticut...
- 2005 New Jersey PGA ChampionshipNew Jersey PGA ChampionshipThe New Jersey PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is the section championship of the New Jersey section of the PGA of America. It has been played annually since 1928 at a variety of courses around the state. The format from 1932 to 1934 and 1954 to 1957 was match play. Since 1958, the...
- 2006 New Jersey PGA ChampionshipNew Jersey PGA ChampionshipThe New Jersey PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is the section championship of the New Jersey section of the PGA of America. It has been played annually since 1928 at a variety of courses around the state. The format from 1932 to 1934 and 1954 to 1957 was match play. Since 1958, the...
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 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... |
CUT | DNP | T60 | DNP | DNP | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| 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 |
| 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... |
CUT | T77 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T41 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T7 | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 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... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 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 | CUT | DNP | CUT | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 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... |
4 | CUT | T21 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of Florida Gators golfers
- List of University of Florida alumni