Gay Brewer
Encyclopedia
Gay Robert Brewer, Jr. was an American
professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
and won the 1967 Masters Tournament
.
Brewer was born in Middletown, Ohio
, and raised in Lexington, Kentucky
. As an amateur, Brewer won the Kentucky State Boys Golf Championship in three consecutive years from 1949–1951. In 1949, he also won the U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship
, the most prestigious amateur event for golfers under the age of eighteen. In 1952, Brewer won the Southern Amateur
.
Brewer turned professional in 1956. Playing on the PGA Tour in 1965, he won the Hawaiian Open, the first ever PGA event held in that state. At the 1966 Masters Tournament
, he bogeyed the final hole to finish in a three-way tie for the lead after regulation play but ended up finishing third to Jack Nicklaus
following an 18-hole playoff. He came back to win the prestigious event the next year, scoring a one stroke victory over lifelong friend Bobby Nichols
in the first live television broadcast of a golf tournament from the United States to Europe
. Brewer called winning the 1967 Masters "the biggest thrill I've had in golf". He went on to become a member of the 1967 Ryder Cup
winning team. That same year at the Pensacola Open
, he set a PGA Tour record for the best 54-hole total on a par-72 course. His score of 25-under par is a record that still stands over forty years later. In the direct opposite vein, at the 1969 Danny Thomas-Diplomat Classic
he tied the record for a player having the largest lead (six strokes) with 18 holes to play and then losing.
Brewer's 1966 performances earned him the Golf Digest
s Most Improved Golfer award and his 1967 performances earned him the cover of the August 7th issue of Sports Illustrated
magazine. He won the 1972 Canadian Open and was again part of the U.S. team that won the 1973 Ryder Cup.
Overall, Brewer was victorious in 10 tour events during his career. He was known for his jovial personality and his unusual golf swing. Brewer joined the Senior PGA Tour and won the 1984 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf
tournament with Billy Casper
and at age sixty-three he won the 1995 MasterCard Champions Championship. His final competitive round was at the 2001 Masters Tournament.
In 2006, Brewer was voted to the University of Kentucky
Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2007, the golf course in Lexington where he learned to play was renamed the "Gay Brewer Jr. Course at Picadome."
Brewer died at his home in Lexington, Kentucky
from lung cancer. At the time of his death, he was engaged to Alma Jo McGuire. He is interred at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington.
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
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 won the 1967 Masters Tournament
1967 Masters Tournament
The 1967 Masters Tournament was contested from April 6 to April 9 at Augusta National Golf Club. It was the 31st Masters Tournament. 83 players entered the tournament and 55 of them made the cut at six-over-par ....
.
Brewer was born in Middletown, Ohio
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
, and raised in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. As an amateur, Brewer won the Kentucky State Boys Golf Championship in three consecutive years from 1949–1951. In 1949, he also won the U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship
U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship
The United States Junior Amateur Championship is one of the thirteen U.S. national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association. It is open to amateur boys who are under 18 on the last day of the competition and have a USGA Handicap Index of 6.4 or less. The competition was...
, the most prestigious amateur event for golfers under the age of eighteen. In 1952, Brewer won the Southern Amateur
Southern Amateur
The Southern Amateur is an amateur golf tournament. It has been played since 1902 and is organized by the Southern Golf Association. From1902 to 1963, it was played at match play...
.
Brewer turned professional in 1956. Playing on the PGA Tour in 1965, he won the Hawaiian Open, the first ever PGA event held in that state. At the 1966 Masters Tournament
1966 Masters Tournament
The 1966 Masters Tournament was contested from April 7 to April 11 at Augusta National Golf Club. It was the 30th Masters Tournament. 103 players entered the tournament and 64 of them made the cut at nine-over-par ....
, he bogeyed the final hole to finish in a three-way tie for the lead after regulation play but ended up finishing third 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...
following an 18-hole playoff. He came back to win the prestigious event the next year, scoring a one stroke victory over lifelong friend 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...
in the first live television broadcast of a golf tournament from the United States to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Brewer called winning the 1967 Masters "the biggest thrill I've had in golf". He went on to become 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...
winning team. That same year at the Pensacola Open
Pensacola Open
This article is about the former PGA Tour event, for information on the former Nationwide Tour event, see Pensacola Classic.The Pensacola Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour...
, he set a PGA Tour record for the best 54-hole total on a par-72 course. His score of 25-under par is a record that still stands over forty years later. In the direct opposite vein, at the 1969 Danny Thomas-Diplomat Classic
Danny Thomas-Diplomat Classic
The Danny Thomas-Diplomat Classic was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that played from December 4-7, 1969 at south Florida's Diplomat Presidential Country Club located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Arnold Palmer won the tournament, which earned him $25,000. It was the last event of the year,...
he tied the record for a player having the largest lead (six strokes) with 18 holes to play and then losing.
Brewer's 1966 performances earned him the 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...
s Most Improved Golfer award and his 1967 performances earned him the cover of the August 7th issue of 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...
magazine. He won the 1972 Canadian Open and was again part of the U.S. team that won the 1973 Ryder Cup.
Overall, Brewer was victorious in 10 tour events during his career. He was known for his jovial personality and his unusual golf swing. Brewer joined the Senior PGA Tour and won the 1984 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf
Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf
The 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...
tournament with 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:...
and at age sixty-three he won the 1995 MasterCard Champions Championship. His final competitive round was at the 2001 Masters Tournament.
In 2006, Brewer was voted to the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2007, the golf course in Lexington where he learned to play was renamed the "Gay Brewer Jr. Course at Picadome."
Brewer died at his home in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
from lung cancer. At the time of his death, he was engaged to Alma Jo McGuire. He is interred at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington.
Amateur wins
This list may be incomplete.- 1949 Kentucky State Boys, U.S. Junior Amateur
- 1950 Kentucky State Boys
- 1951 Kentucky State Boys
- 1952 Southern AmateurSouthern AmateurThe Southern Amateur is an amateur golf tournament. It has been played since 1902 and is organized by the Southern Golf Association. From1902 to 1963, it was played at match play...
PGA Tour wins (10)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 20, 1961 | Carling Open Invitational | 1 stroke |  Billy MaxwellBilly Maxwell Billy Joe Maxwell is an American professional golfer.Maxwell was born in Abilene, Texas. He played college golf at North Texas State College and helped them win four consecutive NCAA Division I team championships . Maxwell also won the U.S. Amateur title in 1951... |
|
| 2 | Nov 26, 1961 | 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:... |
1 stroke | Johnny Pott |
|
| 3 | Dec 3, 1961 | West Palm Beach Open Invitational West Palm Beach Open Invitational The West Palm Beach Open Invitational, first played as The West Palm Beach Open, was a PGA Tour event in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was held at the West Palm Beach Country Club, now known as the West Palm Beach Golf Course, an 18-hole, par-72 championship course established in 1921 and in... |
4 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... |
|
| 4 | May 5, 1963 | Waco Turner Open Waco Turner Open The Waco Turner Open was a PGA Tour event that was played in Burneyville, Oklahoma in the early 1960s.The founder of the tournament, Waco Turner, was a millionaire Oklahoma oilman with a passion for golf... |
1 stroke |  Ted BallTed Ball Edward "Ted" Ball is an Australian professional golfer. He has had a huge amount of success playing in Australia, winning 11 times on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and winning over 50 tournaments in his career.... |
|
| 5 | Sep 26, 1965 | Greater Seattle Open Invitational | Playoff | 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... |
|
| 6 | Nov 7, 1965 | Hawaiian Open | Playoff | Bob Goalby Bob Goalby Robert George Goalby is a former American professional golfer on the PGA Tour, who won the 1968 Masters Tournament, his lone major championship among 11 Tour wins achieved between 1958 and 1971.... |
|
| 7 | Mar 7, 1967 | Pensacola Open Invitational | 3 strokes | Bruce Devlin Bruce 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... |
|
| 8 | Mar 26, 1967 | Pensacola Open Invitational | 6 strokes | Bob Keller |
|
| 9 | Apr 9, 1967 | Masters Tournament | 1 stroke | 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... |
|
| 10 | Jul 9, 1972 1972 PGA Tour The 1972 PGA Tour season was played from January 6 to December 3. The season consisted of 46 official money events. Jack Nicklaus won the most tournaments, seven, and there were five first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.... |
Canadian Open | 1 stroke | Sam Adams Sam Adams (golfer) Sam Adams is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He is one of only eight left-handers to ever win a PGA Tour event.Adams was born in Boone, North Carolina. He played golf collegiately at Appalachian State University... , Dave HillDave Hill (golfer) James David Hill was an American professional golfer. He was the brother of golfer Mike Hill.Hill was born in Jackson, Michigan. He attended the University of Detroit, where he played on the golf team. Hill won 13 times on the PGA Tour, three of which came during his career year of 1969, when he... |
Other wins (5)
This list is probably incomplete.- 1951 Kentucky OpenKentucky OpenThe Kentucky Open is the Kentucky state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Kentucky Golf Association...
(as an amateur) - 1965 PGA National Four-ball Championship (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...
) - 1967 Alcan Golfer of the Year Championship
- 1968 Alcan Golfer of the Year Championship
- 1972 Pacific Masters
Other senior wins (1)
This list is probably incomplete.- 1984 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...
(with Billy CasperBilly CasperWilliam 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:...
)
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 1967 Masters Tournament The 1967 Masters Tournament was contested from April 6 to April 9 at Augusta National Golf Club. It was the 31st Masters Tournament. 83 players entered the tournament and 55 of them made the cut at six-over-par .... |
Masters Tournament | 2 shot deficit |
| 1 stroke | 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... |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | 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 | 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 |
| 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 |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | T11 | CUT | T25 | CUT | 3 | 1 | T35 | CUT |
| 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 | CUT | 5 | CUT | T5 | 16 | T36 | T38 | T9 | 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 | CUT | T6 | 15 |
| 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 | CUT | T49 | 8 | T28 | 27 | T28 | T20 | T25 |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T31 | CUT | DNP | T10 | CUT | CUT | T23 | CUT | T29 | CUT |
| 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... |
7 | T9 | T25 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 26 | 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... |
T32 | DNP | DNP | T10 | 38 | 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 | DNP | T7 | T64 | T17 | T33 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | T15 | 45 | 47 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | WD |
| 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 |
| 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 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | WD |
| 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 |
| 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 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | WD |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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