Jerry Barber
Encyclopedia
Carl Jerome "Jerry" Barber (April 25, 1916 – September 23, 1994) was an American
professional golf
er 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 Olympia Fields Country Club
. Trailing Don January
by four shots with three holes to play in the final round, Barber made a 20-foot birdie putt at the 16th hole, a 40-foot par-saving putt at 17, and a 60-foot birdie putt at 18 to tie January and force a playoff, which Barber won the next day by one stroke.
Barber was a full-time member of the PGA Tour from 1948 to 1962. He played on two Ryder Cup
teams, 1955 and 1961; and was also the team captain in 1961. Barber earned a living primarily as a club professional like most of the touring pros of his generation; he worked at Los Angeles' Wilshire Country Club.
Barber holds the record for the oldest player to ever play on the PGA Tour, when he played in the 1994 Buick Invitational
at the age of 77 years, 10 months, and 9 days.
Barber was often referred to in the media as "little Jerry Barber," because he stood five feet, five inches. In 1966, he portrayed himself in a guest appearance on episode #23 of I Dream of Jeannie
.
Barber and his wife Lucile, who died of cancer
in 1968, had five children: Tom, Nancy, twins Sandra and Sally, and Roger. Barber died in Glendale, California
at the age of 78, after suffering a mitral valve prolapse
and a stroke
.
Major championship
is shown in bold.
1Defeated Don January in a 18 hole playoff - Barber 67, January 68
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF, F = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"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 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 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...
.
Barber was born in Woodson, Illinois
Woodson, Illinois
Woodson is a village in Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 559 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after David M. Woodson.-Geography:...
, and was one of nine children raised on a Jacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,940 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County....
farm. He turned professional in 1942. Among his seven tour victories, was the 1961 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...
at Olympia Fields Country Club
Olympia Fields Country Club
Olympia Fields Country Club is a golf club in Olympia Fields, Illinois, which is a suburb of Chicago, about 25 miles south of The Loop. It is a private club with two eighteen-hole courses, the North and the South. The North Course is considered one of the top three courses in the Chicago area, and...
. Trailing Don January
Don January
Donald Ray January is an American professional golfer.January was born in Plainview, Texas, and graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas...
by four shots with three holes to play in the final round, Barber made a 20-foot birdie putt at the 16th hole, a 40-foot par-saving putt at 17, and a 60-foot birdie putt at 18 to tie January and force a playoff, which Barber won the next day by one stroke.
Barber was a full-time member of the PGA Tour from 1948 to 1962. He played on two 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, 1955 and 1961; and was also the team captain in 1961. Barber earned a living primarily as a club professional like most of the touring pros of his generation; he worked at Los Angeles' Wilshire Country Club.
Barber holds the record for the oldest player to ever play on the PGA Tour, when he played in the 1994 Buick Invitational
Buick Invitational
The Farmers Insurance Open is a PGA Tour professional golf tournament played in the San Diego, California area in the early part of the Tour season, known as the "West Coast Swing." The tournament was noted for having singer-actor Andy Williams as a celebrity host from 1968 to 1988. The tournament...
at the age of 77 years, 10 months, and 9 days.
Barber was often referred to in the media as "little Jerry Barber," because he stood five feet, five inches. In 1966, he portrayed himself in a guest appearance on episode #23 of I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie is a 1960s American sitcom with a fantasy premise. The show starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries...
.
Barber and his wife Lucile, who died of 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...
in 1968, had five children: Tom, Nancy, twins Sandra and Sally, and Roger. Barber died in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
at the age of 78, after suffering a mitral valve prolapse
Mitral valve prolapse
Mitral valve prolapse is a valvular heart disease characterized by the displacement of an abnormally thickened mitral valve leaflet into the left atrium during systole. There are various types of MVP, broadly classified as classic and nonclassic. In its nonclassic form, MVP carries a low risk of...
and a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
.
PGA Tour wins (7)
- 1953 (1) Azalea Open InvitationalAzalea Open InvitationalThe Azalea Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It was last played in 1971. It was an official PGA Tour event in 1945 and from 1949 to 1970.It was also played under the names of the Azalea Open and the Wilmington Azalea Open....
- 1954 (1) All American OpenAll American OpenThe All American Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour in the 1940s and 1950s. It was played at the Tam O'Shanter Country Club in Niles, Illinois. It was run by George S. May and was also known as the Tam O'Shanter Open. From 1944 to 1946 it offered $10,000 winner's prize...
- 1960 (2) Yorba Linda Open InvitationalYorba Linda Open InvitationalThe Yorba Linda Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that played January 15–18, 1960 at the Yorba Linda Country Club in Yorba Linda, California. The 6,834-yard, par-71 course was designed by David and Harry Rainville and opened in 1957....
, Tournament of Champions - 1961 (2) Azalea Open InvitationalAzalea Open InvitationalThe Azalea Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It was last played in 1971. It was an official PGA Tour event in 1945 and from 1949 to 1970.It was also played under the names of the Azalea Open and the Wilmington Azalea Open....
, PGA ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipThe 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... - 1963 (1) Azalea Open InvitationalAzalea Open InvitationalThe Azalea Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It was last played in 1971. It was an official PGA Tour event in 1945 and from 1949 to 1970.It was also played under the names of the Azalea Open and the Wilmington Azalea Open....
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.
Other wins (4)
this list may be incomplete- 1950 Pennsylvania Open ChampionshipPennsylvania Open ChampionshipThe Pennsylvania Open Championship is the Pennsylvania state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Pennsylvania Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1912 at a variety of courses around the state...
- 1951 Waterloo Open Golf ClassicWaterloo Open Golf ClassicThe Waterloo Jaycees Greater Waterloo Open Golf Classic is a the oldest and largest golf tournament in the state of Iowa. It has been played annually since 1934, and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2008...
- 1952 Waterloo Open Golf ClassicWaterloo Open Golf ClassicThe Waterloo Jaycees Greater Waterloo Open Golf Classic is a the oldest and largest golf tournament in the state of Iowa. It has been played annually since 1934, and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2008...
- 1959 California State OpenCalifornia State OpenThe California State Open is the California state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Southern California section of the PGA of America. It was first played in 1900 and has been played at a variety of courses around the state...
Other senior wins (2)
- 1987 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 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...
) - 1993 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
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 1961 PGA Championship The 1961 PGA Championship was the 43rd PGA Championship played July 27–31 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois. Jerry Barber won the championship in an 18-hole playoff over Don January .-Final leaderboard:... |
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... |
2 shot deficit |
| Playoff1 |  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... |
1Defeated Don January in a 18 hole playoff - Barber 67, January 68
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 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 | 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 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T21 | T6 | T56 | T6 | T26 | 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 | WD | DNP | T30 | DNP | CUT | T9 | T35 | T19 | 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 | 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 | R64 | QF | R64 | R32 | DNP | DNP | T2 |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
T34 | 37 | T5 | CUT | 48 | CUT | CUT | CUT | 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... |
T9 | T34 | CUT | DNP | CUT | DNP | CUT | 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... |
T32 | 1 | CUT | T40 | WD | CUT | WD | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
DNP | DNP | 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... |
CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | CUT | 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... |
CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | DNP | CUT |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters The Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 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 |
| 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... |
WD | DNP | DNP | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF, F = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.