Bobby Nichols
Encyclopedia
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. While in high school, Nichols and several other youths were involved in an automobile accident resulting from a 100 mile-per-hour joy ride. He suffered serious injuries including a broken pelvis, concussion, back and internal injuries, and was hospitalized 96 days. His legs were also paralyzed for about two weeks, but he was able to regain full use of his legs after intensive physical therapy.
Nichols began playing on the PGA Tour
in 1960 and has recorded 11 PGA Tour victories. He was a member of the 1967 Ryder Cup
team. His best year on the Tour was 1974 when he won twice, earned $124,747 and finished 14th on the money list. Nichols, Jerry Heard
and Lee Trevino
were struck by lightning at the 1975 Western Open
; all 3 men fully recovered from this traumatic experience. Nichols has had 12 holes-in-one in his professional career.
The 1964 PGA Championship was played at the Columbus Country Club
in Columbus, Ohio
. Nichols defeated Arnold Palmer
and Jack Nicklaus
by 3 shots for a four-day total of 271. This was a record low score for the PGA Championship which stood for 30 years until it was broken by Nick Price
in 1994. Nichols was the first wire-to-wire winner since the PGA Championship switched format from match play
to stroke play
. He came close to winning a second major
in 1967 at The Masters finishing second to his life-long friend, Gay Brewer
.
After turning 50, he began playing on the Senior PGA Tour (now known as the Champions Tour
). He has enjoyed many top-10 finishes but only one victory – the 1989 Southwestern Bell Classic, when he defeated Orville Moody
on the third hole of a playoff.
Bobby Nichols Golf Course is a 9-hole course that is part of Waverly Park in Louisville.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
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;...
, best known for winning the 1964 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...
.
Nichols was born in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. He attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville and later played golf at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
were his team won the Southwest Conference Championship. While in high school, Nichols and several other youths were involved in an automobile accident resulting from a 100 mile-per-hour joy ride. He suffered serious injuries including a broken pelvis, concussion, back and internal injuries, and was hospitalized 96 days. His legs were also paralyzed for about two weeks, but he was able to regain full use of his legs after intensive physical therapy.
Nichols began playing 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...
in 1960 and has recorded 11 PGA Tour victories. He was a member of the 1967 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...
team. His best year on the Tour was 1974 when he won twice, earned $124,747 and finished 14th on the money list. Nichols, Jerry Heard
Jerry Heard
Jerry M. Heard is an American professional golfer who won several PGA Tour events in the 1970s.Heard was born in Visalia, California. He became a professional golfer in 1968 and joined the PGA Tour in 1969. His first professional win came in the American Golf Classic at the Firestone Country Club...
and Lee Trevino
Lee Trevino
Lee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:...
were struck by lightning at the 1975 Western Open
Western Open
The Western Open, a professional golf tournament, was first played in 1899. At the time of its 2006 playing, the Western Open was the 3rd oldest active PGA Tour tournament, after the British Open and U.S. Open...
; all 3 men fully recovered from this traumatic experience. Nichols has had 12 holes-in-one in his professional career.
The 1964 PGA Championship was played at the Columbus Country Club
Columbus Country Club
Columbus Country Club is a country club located in Columbus, Ohio. The golf course at the club hosted the PGA Championship in 1964, which Bobby Nichols won.-External links:*...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. Nichols defeated 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...
and 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...
by 3 shots for a four-day total of 271. This was a record low score for the PGA Championship which stood for 30 years until it was broken by Nick Price
Nick Price
Nicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:...
in 1994. Nichols was the first wire-to-wire winner since the PGA Championship switched format from match play
Match play
Match play is a scoring system for golf in which a player, or team, earns a point for each hole in which they have bested their opponents; this is as opposed to stroke play, in which the total number of strokes is counted over one or more rounds of 18 holes...
to stroke play
Stroke play
Stroke play, also known as medal play, is a scoring system in the sport of golf. It involves counting the total number of strokes taken on each hole during a given round, or series of rounds...
. He came close to winning a second major
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...
in 1967 at The Masters finishing second to his life-long friend, 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....
.
After turning 50, he began playing on the Senior PGA Tour (now known as 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...
). He has enjoyed many top-10 finishes but only one victory – the 1989 Southwestern Bell Classic, when he defeated Orville Moody
Orville Moody
Orville James Moody was an American professional golfer who won numerous tournaments in his career. He won the 1969 U.S. Open, the last champion in the 20th century to win through local and sectional qualifying....
on the third hole of a playoff.
Bobby Nichols Golf Course is a 9-hole course that is part of Waverly Park in Louisville.
PGA Tour wins (11)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 18, 1962 | St. Petersburg Open Invitational St. Petersburg Open Invitational The St. Petersburg Open Invitational, first played as the St. Petersburg Open, was a PGA Tour event that was held at three St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. area clubs for 29 years from 1930 until 1964. The clubs that hosted the event were: St... |
2 strokes |  Frank BoyntonFrank Boynton (golfer) Frank Boynton is an American professional golfer.Boynton grew up in Orlando, Florida. He played college golf at Rollins College. He turned professional in 1956.... |
|
| 2 | Apr 22, 1962 | Houston Classic | Playoff | 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... , Dan SikesDan Sikes Daniel David Sikes, Jr. was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. Sikes won nine tournaments as a pro, including six PGA Tour events.- Early years :... |
|
| 3 | Sep 15, 1963 | Seattle Open Invitational Seattle Open Invitational The Seattle Open Invitational was one of the names of a PGA Tour event that played on an irregular basis under several names over the course of several decades at several clubs in the greater Seattle, Washington area. The first tournament was held in 1936 at Inglewood and played as the Seattle Open... |
2 strokes | Raymond Floyd Raymond Floyd Raymond Loran "Ray" Floyd is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.... ,  Stan LeonardStan Leonard Stan Leonard was a Canadian professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s. Leonard won three PGA Tour events, eight Canadian PGA Championships, and 16 other events on the Canadian Tour. He is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.-Early years:Leonard was born in... |
|
| 4 | Jul 19, 1964 | 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... |
3 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... , Arnold PalmerArnold 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... |
|
| 5 | Aug 30, 1964 | 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:... |
1 stroke | 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... |
|
| 6 | Apr 11, 1965 | Houston Classic | 1 stroke |  Bruce DevlinBruce Devlin Bruce William Devlin is an Australian professional golfer, sportscaster and golf course designer.Devlin was born in Armidale, Australia. He turned pro in 1961 and joined the PGA Tour in 1962 after an amateur career in Australia which included a win at the Australian Amateur in 1959... , Chi Chi Rodriguez |
|
| 7 | Mar 7, 1966 | Minnesota Golf Classic | 1 stroke | John Schlee John Schlee John H. Schlee was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s.Schlee was born in Kremmling, Colorado and grew up in Seaside, Oregon, where he was known as Jack Schlee. He served two years in the U.S. Army starting in 1957. Schlee attended Memphis State... |
|
| 8 | Aug 30, 1970 1970 PGA Tour The 1970 PGA Tour season was played from January 8 to December 13. The season consisted of 45 official money events. Billy Casper won the most tournaments, four, and there were six first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.... |
Dow Jones Open Invitational Dow Jones Open Invitational The Dow Jones Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played for one year at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, an 18-hole, par-72 championship course. Another PGA Tour event — the Thunderbird Classic — had also been held there for part of... |
1 stroke | Labron Harris, Jr. Labron Harris, Jr. Labron E. Harris, Jr. is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s.Harris was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma and grew up playing the Oklahoma State University practice facility, Lakeside Golf Course... |
|
| 9 | Aug 5, 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... |
Westchester Classic | Playoff | Bob Murphy Bob Murphy (golfer) Robert Joseph Murphy, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was formerly a member of the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour. Murphy has won 21 tournaments as a professional.-Early years:... |
|
| 10 | Jan 27, 1974 1974 PGA Tour The 1974 PGA Tour season was played from January 3 to November 3. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Johnny Miller won the most tournaments, eight, including the first three events. There were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed... |
Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational | 1 stroke | Rod Curl Rod Curl Rodney Curl is an American professional golfer best known for being the first full-blooded Native American to win a PGA Tour event.... , Gene LittlerGene Littler Gene Alec Littler is an American professional golfer. Known for a solid temperament and nicknamed "Gene the Machine" for his smooth rhythmical swing, he once said that, "Golf is not a game of great shots. It's a game of the best misses. The people who win make the smallest mistakes."-Early years... |
|
| 11 | Jul 28, 1974 1974 PGA Tour The 1974 PGA Tour season was played from January 3 to November 3. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Johnny Miller won the most tournaments, eight, including the first three events. There were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed... |
Canadian Open | 4 strokes | John Schlee John Schlee John H. Schlee was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s.Schlee was born in Kremmling, Colorado and grew up in Seaside, Oregon, where he was known as Jack Schlee. He served two years in the U.S. Army starting in 1957. Schlee attended Memphis State... , Larry ZieglerLarry Ziegler Larry Ziegler is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.Ziegler was born in St. Louis and grew up in Creve Coeur, Missouri. He was one of 14 children; he had seven brothers and six sisters. He began as a caddie and worked his way up to head club pro... |
Other senior wins (2)
- 1986 Showdown Classic (with Curt ByrumCurt ByrumCurt Allen Byrum is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He is the older brother of PGA Tour golfer Tom Byrum....
) - 2007 Liberty Mutual Legends of GolfLiberty Mutual Legends of GolfThe Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf is a golf tournament on the Champions Tour. It is played annually in April currently in Savannah, Georgia at The Westin Savannah Harbor Resort. Liberty Mutual is the main sponsor of the tournament...
- Demaret Division (with Butch BairdButch BairdFred "Butch" Baird is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour .Baird was born in Chicago. He learned the game at the age of 14 from his father...
)
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 1964 PGA Championship The 1964 PGA Championship was the 46th PGA Championship played July 16–19 at Columbus Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. Bobby Nichols won the championship.-Final leaderboard:-External links:* - at www.golfobserver.com... |
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... |
1 shot lead |
| 3 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... , Arnold PalmerArnold 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... |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
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... |
T52 | 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 | 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... |
DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T24 | T25 | T35 | T22 | 2 | T30 | T29 |
| 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 | T3 | T14 | T14 | CUT | 7 | T23 | 4 | T31 |
| 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 | 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... |
DNP | DNP | 6 | T23 | 1 | T54 | CUT | T14 | T57 | T44 |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
DNP | DNP | T31 | T24 | T7 | T4 | CUT | 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... |
T46 | T9 | T11 | T20 | T49 | CUT | CUT | DNP | 52 | T25 |
| 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 | 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... |
T26 | T46 | T62 | T51 | T39 | T33 | CUT | T51 | T19 | CUT |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
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 | T53 | CUT | CUT | 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 | 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 | CUT | T34 | T36 | CUT | T40 |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10