George Bayer
Encyclopedia
George Bayer was an American
professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
and the Senior PGA Tour.
Bayer was born in Bremerton, Washington
. He attended the University of Washington
and was a member of the football team from 1946–1949; he played in the 1949 East-West Shrine Game
. After college, he was drafted by the Washington Redskins
in the 20th round (253rd overall). He was released by the Redskins and played for the Brooklyn Brooks and Richmond Arrows of the minor league American Football League in 1950. Bayer did not begin playing golf
professionally until he was 29 years old; he started in golf as a caddie at Kitsap Golf and Country Club, which is located between Silverdale, Washington
and his hometown of Bremerton.
At 6-foot-5-inches tall and 230 pounds, the power that Bayer could generate was astonishing. He was known for booming 300-yard drives. Bayer won four times on the PGA Tour in a four-year period made remarkable by the fact that he played in an era of inconsistently wound balls; and laminated maple or persimmon clubs that were made for players of average height (5'9" tall) and build (160 pounds). His achievements came in an era when golf equipment was simply not available for extremely tall or extremely short people. He also won the par-3 contest at The Masters
in 1963.
Bayer also played on the Senior PGA Tour. His best year on that circuit was 1984, when he finished 21st on the money list with $64,491 in earnings. His last appearance in competitive golf was at the 2002 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf
. Bayer suffered a fatal heart attack
at home in Palm Springs, California
while dining with his wife, golfer Bob Goalby
and Goalby's wife.
PGA Tour playoff record (2-2)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who played on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
and the Senior PGA Tour.
Bayer was born in Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
. He attended the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
and was a member of the football team from 1946–1949; he played in the 1949 East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
. After college, he was drafted by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in the 20th round (253rd overall). He was released by the Redskins and played for the Brooklyn Brooks and Richmond Arrows of the minor league American Football League in 1950. Bayer did not begin playing 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....
professionally until he was 29 years old; he started in golf as a caddie at Kitsap Golf and Country Club, which is located between Silverdale, Washington
Silverdale, Washington
Silverdale is a census-designated place in Kitsap County, Washington, in the United States. The population was 19,204 at the 2010 census.Despite many attempts at incorporation, Silverdale remains an unincorporated community....
and his hometown of Bremerton.
At 6-foot-5-inches tall and 230 pounds, the power that Bayer could generate was astonishing. He was known for booming 300-yard drives. Bayer won four times on the PGA Tour in a four-year period made remarkable by the fact that he played in an era of inconsistently wound balls; and laminated maple or persimmon clubs that were made for players of average height (5'9" tall) and build (160 pounds). His achievements came in an era when golf equipment was simply not available for extremely tall or extremely short people. He also won the par-3 contest at 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...
in 1963.
Bayer also played on the Senior PGA Tour. His best year on that circuit was 1984, when he finished 21st on the money list with $64,491 in earnings. His last appearance in competitive golf was at the 2002 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...
. Bayer suffered a fatal heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at home in Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
while dining with his wife, golfer 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....
and Goalby's wife.
PGA Tour wins (4)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 13, 1957 | Canadian Open | 2 strokes |  Bo WiningerBo Wininger Francis G. "Bo" Wininger was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.... |
|
| 2 | Nov 16, 1958 | Havana Invitational | Playoff | Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
|
| 3 | Apr 17, 1958 | Mayfair Inn Open Mayfair Inn Open The Mayfair Inn Open was a PGA Tour event that was played for four years in the 1950s. The Mayfair Inn was a 155-room resort hotel on the shores of Lake Monroe in Sanford, Florida known for its opulence and isolation. The PGA Tour event was played from 1955–1958 at the Mayfair Country Club... |
1 stroke | Chick Harbert |
|
| 4 | Mar 21, 1960 | 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... |
Playoff | Jack Fleck Jack Fleck Jack Fleck is an American professional golfer best known for winning the 1955 U.S. Open. He is the oldest living U.S. Open champion.... |
PGA Tour playoff record (2-2)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 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... |
Doug Ford Doug 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... , 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... , 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 |
| 2 | 1958 | Havana Invitational | Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
Won with par on first extra hole |
| 3 | 1960 | 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... |
Jack Fleck Jack Fleck Jack Fleck is an American professional golfer best known for winning the 1955 U.S. Open. He is the oldest living U.S. Open champion.... |
Won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 4 | 1961 | Ontario Open Ontario Open The Ontario Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played in 1961 and 1962 at the Wispering Lakes Golf Course in Ontario, California, which opened in 1956.... |
Eric Monti Eric Monti Eric Monti was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.... , Bobby NicholsBobby 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... |
Monti won with birdie on second extra hole |
Senior wins (1)
- 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...
– Demaret Division (with Jim FerreeJim FerreeJim 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...
)