Gene Littler
Encyclopedia
Gene Alec Littler is an American
professional golf
er. 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."
. He played on the 1953 United States Walker Cup
team, and won the U.S. Amateur that same year. In 1954, he won a PGA Tour
event as an amateur, a rare achievement which was not to be repeated until Doug Sanders
won the Canadian Open in 1956.
Littler graduated from San Diego State University
. He also served in the United States Navy
before turning pro in the spring of 1954.
.
In 1955 he won four times on the Tour, but fell into a slump in the late 1950s after tinkering with his swing. After taking advice from Paul Runyan
and adjusting his grip, he recovered in 1959 to have his best year with five PGA Tour victories. He finished second on the money list that year, which was to remain his best career placing. Only once during the quarter century from 1954 to 1979, did Littler finish out of the top 60 on the final money list. He was stricken with melanoma cancer
found in a lymph node under his left arm in 1972, but came back to win five more times on the PGA Tour. He ended his career with 29 PGA Tour wins, and also won two tournaments in Japan
and one in Australia
.
Littler won one major championship — the 1961 U.S. Open. He shot a 68 in the final round to overtake Doug Sanders
. He accumulated seventeen top ten finishes in the three U.S.-based majors: seven at The Masters Tournament
, five at the PGA Championship
, and five at the U.S. Open. In addition to his U.S. Open victory, he had one second place in each of the three U.S. majors, losing playoffs to Billy Casper
at the 1970 Masters and to Lanny Wadkins
at the 1977 PGA Championship. The latter was the first ever sudden-death playoff in a major. He was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup
teams of 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971 and 1975, and had a 14-5-8 win/loss/tie record including 5 wins and 3 ties in 10 singles matches.
Littler received the Ben Hogan award, in 1973, for courageous comeback from injury or illness. In 1973, he was voted the Bob Jones Award
, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association
in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. In the 1980s and 1990s Littler played on the Senior PGA Tour, winning eight times. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame
in 1990.
Source
PGA Tour playoff record (3-8)
Major championship
is shown in bold.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional 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....
er. 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 and amateur career
Littler was born in San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. He played on the 1953 United States Walker Cup
Walker Cup
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
team, and won the U.S. Amateur that same year. In 1954, he won a 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...
event as an amateur, a rare achievement which was not to be repeated until 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...
won the Canadian Open in 1956.
Littler graduated from San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
. He also served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
before turning pro in the spring of 1954.
Professional career
An early highlight of Littler's professional playing career, was a second place finish at the 1954 U.S. Open. He finished one shot behind Ed FurgolEd Furgol
Edward Joseph Furgol was an American professional golfer.When he was twelve years of age, Furgol injured his left elbow when he fell off a set of parallel bars. The elbow never healed correctly and Furgol was left with a crooked arm as a result...
.
In 1955 he won four times on the Tour, but fell into a slump in the late 1950s after tinkering with his swing. After taking advice from Paul Runyan
Paul Runyan
Paul Scott Runyan was an American professional golfer. He was among the world's best players in the mid-1930s, won two PGA Championships, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan was also a golf instructor....
and adjusting his grip, he recovered in 1959 to have his best year with five PGA Tour victories. He finished second on the money list that year, which was to remain his best career placing. Only once during the quarter century from 1954 to 1979, did Littler finish out of the top 60 on the final money list. He was stricken with melanoma cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
found in a lymph node under his left arm in 1972, but came back to win five more times on the PGA Tour. He ended his career with 29 PGA Tour wins, and also won two tournaments in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and one in Australia
Australian Masters
The Australian Masters, currently known as the JBWere Masters for sponsorship reasons, is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia. The tournament was founded in 1979, and was co-sanctioned by the European Tour for the first time in 2006, with a significant 20% increase in the prize...
.
Littler won one major championship — the 1961 U.S. Open. He shot a 68 in the final round to overtake 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...
. He accumulated seventeen top ten finishes in the three U.S.-based majors: seven at The Masters Tournament
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...
, five at 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...
, and five at the U.S. Open. In addition to his U.S. Open victory, he had one second place in each of the three U.S. majors, losing playoffs to 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:...
at the 1970 Masters and to Lanny Wadkins
Lanny Wadkins
Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988....
at the 1977 PGA Championship. The latter was the first ever sudden-death playoff in a major. He was a member of the U.S. 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 of 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971 and 1975, and had a 14-5-8 win/loss/tie record including 5 wins and 3 ties in 10 singles matches.
Littler received the Ben Hogan award, in 1973, for courageous comeback from injury or illness. In 1973, he was voted 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...
, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. In the 1980s and 1990s Littler played on the Senior PGA Tour, winning eight times. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame
World Golf Hall of Fame
The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
in 1990.
PGA Tour wins (29)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 21, 1954 | San Diego Open (as an amateur) |
4 strokes |  Dutch Harrison |
|
| 2 | Jan 10, 1955 | Los Angeles Open | 2 strokes | United States Ted Kroll |
|
| 3 | Feb 7, 1955 | Phoenix Open | 1 stroke | Billy Maxwell Billy 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... , 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... |
|
| 4 | May 1, 1955 | Tournament of Champions | 13 strokes | Jerry Barber Jerry Barber Carl Jerome "Jerry" Barber was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour.Barber was born in Woodson, Illinois, and was one of nine children raised on a Jacksonville, Illinois farm. He turned professional in 1942. Among his seven tour victories, was the 1961 PGA Championship at... , Pete CooperPete Cooper (golfer) Richard Bernice "Pete" Cooper was an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s and 1950s; he was best known for winning the 1976 PGA Seniors' Championship.Cooper turned professional in 1938... , Bob ToskiBob Toski Robert John Toski, born Algustoski , is an American golfer and teacher.He was born in Haydenville, Massachusetts of Polish descent. He learned to play at Northampton Country Club, where he caddied and two of his elder brothers were assistant professionals... |
|
| 5 | Aug 26, 1955 | Labatt Open Labatt Open The Labatt Open was a golf event on the PGA Tour that was played in Canada in the mid-1950s. It was sponsored by the Labatt Brewing Company. It was played at several different courses.Billy Casper won the first of his 51 PGA Tour wins at this event in 1956.... |
Playoff |  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... |
|
| 6 | Feb 19, 1956 | Texas Open Invitational | 2 stroke | Mike Fetchick Mike Fetchick Michael Fetchick is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour.Fetchick was born in Yonkers, New York. He turned pro in 1950 and joined the PGA Tour in 1952. He won the 1956 Western Open at The Presidio in San Francisco in an 18-hole playoff over Doug Ford,... , Frank StranahanFrank Stranahan Frank Richard Stranahan was a successful amateur golf champion. Stranahan was also the number one power lifter in his weight class from 1945 to 1954 and he became known on the golf course and off as the "Toledo strongman" long before the modern game of golf and fitness... , Ernie VosslerErnie Vossler Ernest Orville Vossler is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour; he later prospered in the fields of golf course design and construction, golf course management services and real estate development.... |
|
| 7 | Apr 29, 1956 | Tournament of Champions | 4 strokes | Cary Middlecoff Cary Middlecoff Emmett Cary Middlecoff was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s.... |
|
| 8 | Jun 10, 1956 | Palm Beach Round Robin | 24 points | Ted Kroll |
|
| 9 | May 31, 1957 | Tournament of Champions | 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:... , Jimmy DemaretJimmy Demaret James Newton Demaret was an American professional golfer. He won 31 PGA Tour events in a long career between 1935 and 1957, and was the first three-time winner of the Masters.... , Dow FinsterwaldDow 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... , 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... |
|
| 10 | Feb 8, 1959 | Phoenix Open Invitational | 1 stroke | Art Wall, Jr. Art Wall, Jr. Arthur Jonathan Wall, Jr. was an American golfer.Wall was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He attended Duke University, graduating in 1949 with a business degree.... |
|
| 11 | Feb 15, 1959 | Tucson Open Invitational | 1 stroke | Joe Campbell Joe Campbell (golfer) Joe E. Campbell is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the late 1950s and 1960s.Campbell was born in Anderson, Indiana. He attended Purdue University where he was a member of the golf team as well as a co-captain of the basketball team. He won the 1955 NCAA Championship... , Art Wall, Jr.Art Wall, Jr. Arthur Jonathan Wall, Jr. was an American golfer.Wall was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He attended Duke University, graduating in 1949 with a business degree.... |
|
| 12 | May 17, 1959 | Arlington Hotel Open Arlington Hotel Open The Arlington Hotel Open was a PGA Tour event that was played from 1955 to 1963 at the Arlington golf courses of the Hot Springs Country Club adjacent to the Arlington Hotel, now known as the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa, a 484-room resort in the Ouachita Mountains of Hot Springs National Park in... |
1 stroke | 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... |
|
| 13 | Jul 19, 1959 | Insurance City Open Invitational | 1 stroke | Tom Nieporte Tom Nieporte Thomas Nieporte is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.Nieporte grew up in the Cincinnati suburb of North College Hill, Ohio. He attended the Ohio State University and was a distinguished member of the golf team, winning the NCAA Championship in 1951... |
|
| 14 | Aug 30, 1959 | Miller Open Invitational | 1 stroke | 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... , Bo WiningerBo Wininger Francis G. "Bo" Wininger was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.... |
|
| 15 | Jun 12, 1960 | 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.... |
1 stroke | Art Wall, Jr. Art Wall, Jr. Arthur Jonathan Wall, Jr. was an American golfer.Wall was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He attended Duke University, graduating in 1949 with a business degree.... |
|
| 16 | Jul 31, 1960 | Eastern Open Invitational Eastern Open Invitational The Eastern Open Invitational, first played as the Eastern Open, was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played in Maryland in the 1950s and early 1960s. The first nine events were played at Mt. Pleasant Municipal Golf Club in Baltimore, an 18-hole par-71 public course designed by Gus Hook... |
2 strokes |  Gary PlayerGary Player Gary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six... |
|
| 17 | Jun 17, 1961 | 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... |
1 stroke | 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.... , Doug SandersDoug 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... |
|
| 18 | Jan 28, 1962 | Lucky International Open Lucky International Open The Lucky International Open was a PGA Tour event that was played in the 1960s at Harding Park Golf Club, a public course in San Francisco across Lake Merced from the more glamorous Olympic Club. One of the founders and sponsors of the Lucky International Open was Eugene Selvage, owner of the Lucky... |
2 strokes | George Knudson George Knudson George Alfred Christian Knudson, CM was a Canadian professional golfer, who along with Mike Weir holds the record for the Canadian with the most wins on the PGA Tour, with eight career victories.... |
|
| 19 | Jun 10, 1962 | Thunderbird Classic Invitational | 2 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... |
|
| 20 | Jul 17, 1965 | Canadian Open | 1 stroke | 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... |
|
| 21 | Feb 16, 1969 | Phoenix Open Invitational | 2 strokes | Miller Barber Miller Barber Miller Barber is an American professional golfer who enjoyed significant success on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s, and a greater degree of success on the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.-Career:... , 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... , 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... |
|
| 22 | Apr 6, 1969 | Greater Greensboro Open | Playoff | Julius Boros Julius Boros Julius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut... , Orville MoodyOrville 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.... , Tom WeiskopfTom 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... |
|
| 23 | Apr 18, 1971 1971 PGA Tour The 1971 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to December 12. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Lee Trevino won the most tournaments, six, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.... |
Monsanto Open | 3 strokes | George Archer George Archer George William Archer was an American golfer who won twelve events on the PGA Tour, including one major championship.Archer was born in San Francisco, California and was raised just south in the city of San Mateo... , Pete BrownPete Brown (golfer) Pete Brown is an American professional golfer who is best known as the first African American to win a PGA Tour event.... |
|
| 24 | May 23, 1971 1971 PGA Tour The 1971 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to December 12. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Lee Trevino won the most tournaments, six, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.... |
Colonial National Invitation | 1 stroke | Bert Yancey Bert Yancey Albert Winsborough Yancey was an American professional golfer, who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour.... |
|
| 25 | Jul 22, 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... |
St. Louis Children's Hospital Golf Classic | 1 stroke |  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.... |
|
| 26 | Jan 26, 1975 1975 PGA Tour The 1975 PGA Tour season was played from January 9 to October 26. The season consisted of 42 official money events. Jack Nicklaus won the most tournaments, five, and there were eight first-time winners. Johnny Miller won the first two events of the year for the second year in a row... |
Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | 4 strokes | Hubert Green Hubert Green Hubert Myatt Green is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.... |
|
| 27 | May 25, 1975 1975 PGA Tour The 1975 PGA Tour season was played from January 9 to October 26. The season consisted of 42 official money events. Jack Nicklaus won the most tournaments, five, and there were eight first-time winners. Johnny Miller won the first two events of the year for the second year in a row... |
Danny Thomas Memphis Classic | 5 strokes | John Mahaffey John Mahaffey John Drayton Mahaffey, Jr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including 10 PGA Tour events.... |
|
| 28 | Aug 3, 1975 1975 PGA Tour The 1975 PGA Tour season was played from January 9 to October 26. The season consisted of 42 official money events. Jack Nicklaus won the most tournaments, five, and there were eight first-time winners. Johnny Miller won the first two events of the year for the second year in a row... |
Westchester Classic | Playoff | Julius Boros Julius Boros Julius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut... , |
|
| 29 | May 1, 1977 1977 PGA Tour The 1977 PGA Tour season was played from January 6 to November 6. The season consisted of 45 official money events. Tom Watson won the most tournaments, five, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.... |
Houston Open | 3 strokes | Lanny Wadkins Lanny Wadkins Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988.... |
Source
PGA Tour playoff record (3-8)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1955 | Labatt Open Labatt Open The Labatt Open was a golf event on the PGA Tour that was played in Canada in the mid-1950s. It was sponsored by the Labatt Brewing Company. It was played at several different courses.Billy Casper won the first of his 51 PGA Tour wins at this event in 1956.... |
Stan Leonard Stan 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... |
Won with par on first playoff hole |
| 2 | 1956 | Texas International Open | Cary Middlecoff Cary Middlecoff Emmett Cary Middlecoff was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s.... , Peter Thomson |
Thomson won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 3 | 1957 | 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... |
George Bayer George Bayer George Bayer was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour.... , Doug FordDoug Ford (golfer) Douglas Michael Ford, Sr. born Fortunato is an American professional golfer and two-time major golf champion.Ford was born in West Haven, Connecticut. He turned professional in 1949 and won for the first time in 1952 at the Jacksonville Open.The win in Jacksonville was an unusual one... , 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... |
Ford won with par on third extra hole Littler and Maxwell eliminated with par on first extra hole |
| 4 | 1960 | Memphis Open Invitational | Tommy Bolt Tommy Bolt Thomas Henry Bolt was an American professional golfer.Bolt was born in Haworth, Oklahoma. He served in the United States Army during World War II and turned professional in 1946. He worked as a caddie and club professional in Shreveport, Louisiana... , Ben HoganBen Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
Lost an 18-hole playoff (Bolt:68, Hogan:69, Littler:71) |
| 5 | 1962 | Memphis Open Invitational | Lionel Hebert Lionel Hebert Lionel P. Hebert was an American golfer. He won five times on the PGA Tour including the 1957 PGA Championship, the last to be held at match play. His older brother Jay won the same event at stroke play in 1960. Lionel also played on the 1957 Ryder Cup team... , Gary PlayerGary Player Gary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six... |
Hebert won with birdie on first playoff hole |
| 6 | 1966 | Tucson Open | Joe Campbell Joe Campbell (golfer) Joe E. Campbell is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the late 1950s and 1960s.Campbell was born in Anderson, Indiana. He attended Purdue University where he was a member of the golf team as well as a co-captain of the basketball team. He won the 1955 NCAA Championship... |
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 7 | 1969 | Greater Greensboro Open | Julius Boros Julius Boros Julius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut... , Orville MoodyOrville 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.... , Tom WeiskopfTom 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... |
Littler won with birdie on fifth extra hole Weiskopf eliminated with par on first hole |
| 8 | 1970 | Masters Tournament | 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:... |
Lost an 18-hole playoff (Casper:69, Littler:74) |
| 9 | 1975 | Westchester Classic | Julius Boros Julius Boros Julius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut... |
Won with par on first extra hole |
| 10 | 1977 | Tucson Open | Bruce Lietzke Bruce Lietzke Bruce Alan Lietzke is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.Lietzke was born in Kansas City, Kansas... |
Lost to birdie on fourth extra hole |
| 11 | 1977 | 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... |
Lanny Wadkins Lanny Wadkins Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988.... |
Lost to par on third extra hole |
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...
is shown in bold.
Champions Tour wins (8)
- 19831983 Senior PGA TourThe 1983 Senior PGA Tour was the fourth season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 16 official money events with purses totalling $2,612,000, including two majors. Don January won the most tournaments, six...
(2) Greater Daytona Senior Classic, Greater Syracuse Senior's Pro Classic - 19841984 Senior PGA TourThe 1984 Senior PGA Tour was the fifth season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 22 official money events with purses totalling $4,366,000, including four majors. Miller Barber won the most tournaments, four...
(1) Seiko-Tucson Senior Match Play ChampionshipSeiko-Tucson Senior Match Play ChampionshipThe Seiko-Tucson Match Play Championship was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1984 to 1986. It was played in Tucson, Arizona at the Randolph Park Municipal Golf Club. It was played using a match play format instead of the more common stroke play... - 19861986 Senior PGA TourThe 1986 Senior PGA Tour was the seventh season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 28 official money events with purses totalling $6,450,000, including three majors. Bruce Crampton won the most tournaments, seven...
(2) Sunwest Bank Charley Pride Senior Golf ClassicSunwest Bank Charley Pride Senior Golf ClassicThe Sunwest Bank Charley Pride Senior Golf Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1986 to 1991. It was played in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the Four Hills Country Club....
, Bank One Senior Golf Classic - 19871987 Senior PGA TourThe 1987 Senior PGA Tour was the eighth season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 32 official money events with purses totalling $8,905,000, including three majors. Chi Chi Rodriguez won the most tournaments, seven...
(2) NYNEX/Golf Digest Commemorative, Gus Machado Senior Classic - 19891989 Senior PGA TourThe 1989 Senior PGA Tour was the 10th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 35 official money events with purses totalling $13,345,000 , including four majors. Bob Charles won the most tournaments, five...
(1) Aetna Challenge
Other senior wins (7)
- 1981 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 Bob RosburgBob RosburgRobert 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...
) - 1985 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 Don JanuaryDon JanuaryDonald Ray January is an American professional golfer.January was born in Plainview, Texas, and graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas...
) - 1986 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 Don JanuaryDon JanuaryDonald Ray January is an American professional golfer.January was born in Plainview, Texas, and graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas...
) - 1994 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...
- Legendary Division (with Don JanuaryDon JanuaryDonald Ray January is an American professional golfer.January was born in Plainview, Texas, and graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas...
) - 1997 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...
- Legendary Division (with Don JanuaryDon JanuaryDonald Ray January is an American professional golfer.January was born in Plainview, Texas, and graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas...
) - 2001 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 Don JanuaryDon JanuaryDonald Ray January is an American professional golfer.January was born in Plainview, Texas, and graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas...
) - 2004 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 Don JanuaryDon JanuaryDonald Ray January is an American professional golfer.January was born in Plainview, Texas, and graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas...
)
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 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... |
3 shot deficit | 1 stroke | 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.... , Doug SandersDoug 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... |
Amateur wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | U.S. Amateur | 1 up | Dale Morey |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T22 | T22 | T12 | CUT | 42 | T8 |
| 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 | 2 | 15 | T34 | T32 | 4 | T11 |
| 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 | R64 | DNP | T10 |
| U.S. Amateur | R64 | DNP | QF | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | T15 | 4 | T24 | T13 | T6 | T44 | T26 | T43 | T8 |
| 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 | 1 | T8 | T21 | T11 | T8 | T48 | CUT | DNP | 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 | CUT | 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... |
T18 | T5 | T23 | T34 | T33 | T28 | T3 | T7 | T30 | T48 |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | 2 | T4 | DNP | T17 | T39 | T22 | T12 | T8 | T24 | T10 |
| 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... |
T12 | T37 | DNP | T18 | CUT | T49 | T50 | DNP | T35 | 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 | T18 | CUT | T32 | 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... |
T4 | T75 | DNP | CUT | T28 | T7 | T22 | 2 | CUT | T16 |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | 49 | 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... |
T38 | DNP | T22 | 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 |
| 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 | T49 | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database