Jack Fleck
Encyclopedia
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.
Fleck was born and raised in Bettendorf, Iowa
. His parents were poor farmer
s who had lost their land in the 1920s. Fleck attended Davenport High School
in Davenport, Iowa
where he played on the golf
team. He started as a caddy
for a local dentist
in the mid-1930s. He turned professional in 1939 and worked as an assistant golf pro before World War II
. During the war, Fleck served in the Navy
and participated in the D-Day
invasion from a British rocket-firing ship off Utah Beach
. Within two weeks after separation from the Navy, Fleck was on the PGA's winter golf tour with pro friends trying to qualify for PGA Tour
events.
After a few years of competing in local and PGA Tour events, Fleck decided to play full-time on the Tour
for two years. Within six months, Fleck had his first win — on the biggest stage in men's professional golf — at the 1955 U.S. Open. Fleck won an 18-hole playoff by three strokes over his idol, Ben Hogan
, at the Olympic Club
in San Francisco
. Fleck's first round deficit of nine strokes (behind Tommy Bolt
), was the largest overcome by a U.S. Open winner.
Fleck came close to winning the 1960 U.S. Open, but would ultimately settle for only two more trophies on the PGA Tour in the early 1960s. He also won the 1979 PGA Seniors' Championship just prior to the formation of the Senior PGA Tour.
Fleck was inducted into the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1993, needing money to salvage a little golf course he owned in rural Arkansas that had been damaged by flooding, a place he called Li'l Bit of Heaven, he sold his 1955 U.S. Open gold medal. He makes his home in Fort Smith, Arkansas
with his wife Carmen Fleck.
PGA Tour playoff record (3–2)
Major championship
shown in bold
1 Defeated Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff - Fleck 69 (-1), Hogan 72 (+2).
Note: Fleck never played The Open Championship
.
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
DQ = Disqualified
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
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 1955 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...
. He is the oldest living U.S. Open champion.
Fleck was born and raised in Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Bettendorf is the fifteenth largest city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the fourth largest city in the "Quad Cities". As of the 2010 United States Census the population grew to 33,217. Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with...
. His parents were poor farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s who had lost their land in the 1920s. Fleck attended Davenport High School
Davenport Central High School
Davenport Central High School is a four-year comprehensive high school located in Davenport, Iowa. Opened in 1907 as "Davenport High School," Central is one of three public high schools part of the Davenport Community School District. The school, whose western side is located along U.S...
in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
where he played on the 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....
team. He started as a caddy
Caddy
In golf, a caddy is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin...
for a local dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
in the mid-1930s. He turned professional in 1939 and worked as an assistant golf pro before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the war, Fleck served in the 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...
and participated in the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
invasion from a British rocket-firing ship off Utah Beach
Utah Beach
Utah Beach was the code name for the right flank, or westernmost, of the Allied landing beaches during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as part of Operation Overlord on 6 June 1944...
. Within two weeks after separation from the Navy, Fleck was on the PGA's winter golf tour with pro friends trying to qualify for 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...
events.
After a few years of competing in local and PGA Tour events, Fleck decided to play full-time on the Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
for two years. Within six months, Fleck had his first win — on the biggest stage in men's professional golf — at the 1955 U.S. Open. Fleck won an 18-hole playoff by three strokes over his idol, Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan
William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
, at the Olympic Club
Olympic Club
The Olympic Club is a San Francisco, California, athletic club and private social club with three golf courses located at San Francisco's border with Daly City, California. The club's main "City Clubhouse" is located in downtown San Francisco. The club's "Lakeside Clubhouse" is located just north...
in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. Fleck's first round deficit of nine strokes (behind 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...
), was the largest overcome by a U.S. Open winner.
Fleck came close to winning the 1960 U.S. Open, but would ultimately settle for only two more trophies on the PGA Tour in the early 1960s. He also won the 1979 PGA Seniors' Championship just prior to the formation of the Senior PGA Tour.
Fleck was inducted into the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1993, needing money to salvage a little golf course he owned in rural Arkansas that had been damaged by flooding, a place he called Li'l Bit of Heaven, he sold his 1955 U.S. Open gold medal. He makes his home in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
with his wife Carmen Fleck.
PGA Tour wins (3)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 19 1955 | 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... |
Playoff |  Ben HoganBen Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
|
| 2 | Feb 15, 1960 | Phoenix Open Invitational | Playoff | Bill Collins Bill Collins (golfer) William R. Collins was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s and the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.... |
|
| 3 | Oct 1, 1961 | Bakersfield Open Bakersfield Open Invitational The Bakersfield Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played at the Bakersfield Country Club in Bakersfield, California in the early 1960s. The inaugural event played as the Bakersfield Open in 1961.-Winners:... |
Playoff | 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... |
PGA Tour playoff record (3–2)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1955 | 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... |
Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
Won 18-hole playoff (Fleck:69, Hogan:72) |
| 2 | 1960 | Phoenix Open Invitational | Bill Collins Bill Collins (golfer) William R. Collins was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s and the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.... |
Won 18-hole playoff (Fleck:68, Collins:71) |
| 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... |
George Bayer George Bayer George Bayer was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour.... |
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 4 | 1960 | Insurance City Open | Bill Collins Bill Collins (golfer) William R. Collins was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s and the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.... , 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... |
Palmer won with birdie on third extra hole Collins eliminated with birdie on first hole |
| 5 | 1961 | Bakersfield Open Bakersfield Open Invitational The Bakersfield Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played at the Bakersfield Country Club in Bakersfield, California in the early 1960s. The inaugural event played as the Bakersfield Open in 1961.-Winners:... |
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... |
Won with birdie on first 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...
shown in bold
Senior wins (2)
- 1979 PGA Seniors' Championship
- 1995 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 Tommy BoltTommy BoltThomas 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...
)
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | 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 | +7 (76-69-75-67=287) | Playoff 1 | Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
1 Defeated Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff - Fleck 69 (-1), Hogan 72 (+2).
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T43 | T26 | T39 | T18 |
| 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 | DNP | DNP | T52 | DNP | 1 | CUT | T26 | CUT | T19 |
| 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 | R64 | DNP | R16 | R32 | R64 | WD | DNP |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T34 | WD | T11 | 42 | CUT | DQ | 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... |
T3 | T27 | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | CUT | CUT | 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 | T19 | T7 | WD | DNP | T20 | T49 | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | 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... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| 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 |
Note: Fleck never played 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 = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
DQ = Disqualified
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
External links
- Google Books Bettendorf Iowa's Exciting City published 2000