Bob Dickson
Encyclopedia
Robert B. Dickson is an American
professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
and the Champions Tour
.
Dickson was born in McAlester, Oklahoma
. He was introduced to golf
at the age of five by his father, Ben, a club pro/manager at the McAlester Country Club, and later club pro at the Muskogee Country Club (1958–1978). He attended high school in Muskogee
, and was the state 2A golf champion for three years.
Dickson attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma
, where he was a two-time All-American as a member of the golf team from 1964–1966. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in General Business in 1967. That year he became the first amateur golfer since 1935 to win both the U.S. Amateur and British Amateur
. He turned professional and joined the PGA Tour in 1968.
Dickson played on the PGA Tour for ten years, and won two official events. During his rookie season in 1968, he won the Haig Open Invitational
and the Bob Jones Award
for distinguished sportsmanship in golf. His best year as a professional was 1973 when he won the Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational, earned $89,182, and finished in the top-30 on the money list. His best finish in a major championship
was a T-17 at The Masters in 1973.
Dickson was hired by the PGA as the Director of Marketing for the Tournament Players Club in 1979, and was also a Rules Official on the Senior PGA Tour (now known as the Champions Tour) from 1986–1989. He was appointed as the Tournament Director for the NIKE Tour (now known as the Nationwide Tour
) in 1989 and was instrumental in its initial development.
After reaching the age of 50 in January 1994, Dickson began play on the Senior PGA Tour. His sole victory in this venue came at the 1998 Cadillac NFL Golf Classic in a playoff with Jim Colbert
and Larry Nelson
. He last played in a Champions Tour event in 2004.
On August 21, 2006, Dickson was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. He lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golfer
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...
and 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...
.
Dickson was born in McAlester, Oklahoma
McAlester, Oklahoma
McAlester is a city in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 17,783 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pittsburg County. It is currently the largest city in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, followed by Durant....
. He was introduced to golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
at the age of five by his father, Ben, a club pro/manager at the McAlester Country Club, and later club pro at the Muskogee Country Club (1958–1978). He attended high school in Muskogee
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
, and was the state 2A golf champion for three years.
Dickson attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
, where he was a two-time All-American as a member of the golf team from 1964–1966. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in General Business in 1967. That year he became the first amateur golfer since 1935 to win both the U.S. Amateur and British Amateur
The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
. He turned professional and joined the PGA Tour in 1968.
Dickson played on the PGA Tour for ten years, and won two official events. During his rookie season in 1968, he won the Haig Open Invitational
Haig Open Invitational
The Haig Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was held in 1968 at the Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa, California. Bob Dickson, a 24-year-old Oklahoman, won the event by two strokes over Chi Chi Rodriguez....
and the Bob Jones Award
Bob Jones Award
The Bob Jones Award is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. It is named in honor of Bobby Jones.-Winners:*1955 Francis Ouimet*1956 William C. Campbell*1957 Babe Zaharias...
for distinguished sportsmanship in golf. His best year as a professional was 1973 when he won the Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational, earned $89,182, and finished in the top-30 on the money list. His best finish in a major championship
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...
was a T-17 at The Masters in 1973.
Dickson was hired by the PGA as the Director of Marketing for the Tournament Players Club in 1979, and was also a Rules Official on the Senior PGA Tour (now known as the Champions Tour) from 1986–1989. He was appointed as the Tournament Director for the NIKE Tour (now known as the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
) in 1989 and was instrumental in its initial development.
After reaching the age of 50 in January 1994, Dickson began play on the Senior PGA Tour. His sole victory in this venue came at the 1998 Cadillac NFL Golf Classic in a playoff with Jim Colbert
Jim Colbert
James Joseph Colbert is an American professional golfer.Colbert was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He attended Kansas State University, where he finished second in the NCAA golf championships in 1964, before graduating and turning professional in 1965.Colbert won eight times on the PGA Tour,...
and Larry Nelson
Larry Nelson
Larry Gene Nelson is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.Nelson was born in Fort Payne, Alabama and grew up in Acworth, Georgia, northwest of Atlanta...
. He last played in a Champions Tour event in 2004.
On August 21, 2006, Dickson was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. He lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Ponte Vedra Beach is an unincorporated seaside community in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located eighteen miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville and north of St. Augustine, it is part of the Jacksonville Beaches area. It is an upmarket tourist resort area best known for its...
.
Amateur wins (4)
- 1965 Oklahoma State Amateur
- 1966 Oklahoma State Amateur
- 1967 British AmateurThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
, U.S. Amateur
PGA Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 27, 1968 | Haig Open Invitational Haig Open Invitational The Haig Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was held in 1968 at the Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa, California. Bob Dickson, a 24-year-old Oklahoman, won the event by two strokes over Chi Chi Rodriguez.... |
2 strokes |  Chi Chi Rodriguez |
|
| 2 | Feb 18, 1973 1973 PGA Tour The 1973 PGA Tour season was played from January 4 to December 1. The season consisted of 48 official money events. Jack Nicklaus won the most tournaments, seven, and there were seven first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The following... |
Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational | 3 strokes | Billy Casper Billy Casper William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:... ,  Bruce CramptonBruce Crampton Bruce Crampton is an Australian professional golfer.Crampton was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and attended Kogarah High School from 1948-1950. He turned professional in 1953.... , Grier Jones, Phil RodgersPhil 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... |