Jerry Heard
Encyclopedia
Jerry M. Heard is an American
professional golfer
who won several PGA Tour
events in the 1970s.
Heard was born in Visalia, California
. He became a professional golfer in 1968 and joined the PGA Tour in 1969. His first professional win came in the American Golf Classic
at the Firestone Country Club
in Akron, Ohio
in 1971. He finished with a four-day total of 275, three strokes better than runner-up Dale Douglass
. In 1972, he won the Florida Citrus Open and the Colonial National Invitation. Heard had nearly 60 top-10 finishes in PGA Tour
events in his career including four top-10 finishes in major championships
— his best finish in a major was T-5 at The Masters in 1972. Heard was struck by lightning at the 1975 Western Open
as were his playing partners, tour veterans Lee Trevino
and Bobby Nichols
. He left the Tour in 1980.
Today Heard owns and operates a golf school, the Jerry Heard Golf Academy located at the Silverthorn Country Club in Spring Hill, Florida
. His school had been located for many years in southwest Florida
– in the Fort Myers
area.
PGA Tour playoff record (0-1)
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Yellow background for top-10
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who won several 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 in the 1970s.
Heard was born in Visalia, California
Visalia, California
Visalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...
. He became a professional golfer in 1968 and joined the PGA Tour in 1969. His first professional win came in the American Golf Classic
American Golf Classic
The American Golf Classic was a tournament on the PGA Tour from 1961 to 1976. It was the third event to be played at the storied Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio after the Rubber City Open Invitational and the 1960 PGA Championship.-Winners:...
at the Firestone Country Club
Firestone Country Club
The Firestone Country Club is a private golf club located in Akron, Ohio, United States.The Club comprises three courses—those of the North, South, and West—each of which hosted a televised golf event, respectively the American Golf Classic, the CBS Golf Classic and the World Series of Golf, in...
in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
in 1971. He finished with a four-day total of 275, three strokes better than runner-up Dale Douglass
Dale Douglass
Dale Dwight Douglass is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments at both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour level....
. In 1972, he won the Florida Citrus Open and the Colonial National Invitation. Heard had nearly 60 top-10 finishes in 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 in his career including four top-10 finishes in major championships
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...
— his best finish in a major was T-5 at The Masters in 1972. Heard was struck by lightning at the 1975 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...
as were his playing partners, tour veterans Lee Trevino
Lee Trevino
Lee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:...
and Bobby Nichols
Bobby Nichols
Robert Herman Nichols is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1964 PGA Championship.Nichols was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville and later played golf at Texas A&M University were his team won the Southwest Conference Championship...
. He left the Tour in 1980.
Today Heard owns and operates a golf school, the Jerry Heard Golf Academy located at the Silverthorn Country Club in Spring Hill, Florida
Spring Hill, Florida
Spring Hill is a census-designated place in Hernando County, Florida, United States. The estimated population was 92,144 in 2007 by the United States Census. Spring Hill belongs to Florida's Nature Coast and is in the Tampa-St...
. His school had been located for many years in southwest Florida
Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida is a region of Florida , United States located along its gulf coast, south of the Tampa Bay area, west of Lake Okeechobee and mostly north of the Everglades...
– in the Fort Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
area.
PGA Tour wins (5)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 8, 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.... |
American Golf Classic American Golf Classic The American Golf Classic was a tournament on the PGA Tour from 1961 to 1976. It was the third event to be played at the storied Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio after the Rubber City Open Invitational and the 1960 PGA Championship.-Winners:... |
3 strokes |  Dale DouglassDale Douglass Dale Dwight Douglass is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments at both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour level.... |
|
| 2 | Mar 12, 1972 1972 PGA Tour The 1972 PGA Tour season was played from January 6 to December 3. The season consisted of 46 official money events. Jack Nicklaus won the most tournaments, seven, and there were five first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.... |
Florida Citrus Open | 2 strokes | Bobby Mitchell Bobby Mitchell (golfer) Bobby Mitchell is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.Mitchell was born in Chatham, Virginia and was raised in nearby Danville, Virginia. He dropped out of high school and turned pro at 15... |
|
| 3 | May 14, 1972 1972 PGA Tour The 1972 PGA Tour season was played from January 6 to December 3. The season consisted of 46 official money events. Jack Nicklaus won the most tournaments, seven, and there were five first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.... |
Colonial National Invitation | 2 strokes | Fred Marti Fred Marti Fred Walter Marti is an American professional golfer.Marti was born in Houston, Texas. He played college golf at the University of Houston with Homero Blancas, Dick Crawford, Babe Hiskey, Rocky Thompson, and Kermit Zarley. He was a member of the 1962 team that went undefeated and won the NCAA... |
|
| 4 | Mar 3, 1974 1974 PGA Tour The 1974 PGA Tour season was played from January 3 to November 3. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Johnny Miller won the most tournaments, eight, including the first three events. There were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed... |
Florida Citrus Open | 3 strokes | Homero Blancas Homero Blancas Homero Blancas, Jr. is an American professional golfer who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour .... , Jim JamiesonJim Jamieson James A. Jamieson is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1970s.Jamieson was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan and raised in Moline, Illinois. He started playing golf at age 7 at Oakwood Country Club in Moline. He attended Oklahoma State University, where he was an... |
|
| 5 | May 28, 1978 1978 PGA Tour The 1978 PGA Tour season was played from January 5 to November 5. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Tom Watson won the most tournaments, five, and there were seven first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.... |
Atlanta Classic | 2 strokes | Lou Graham, Bob Murphy Bob Murphy (golfer) Robert Joseph Murphy, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was formerly a member of the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour. Murphy has won 21 tournaments as a professional.-Early years:... Tom WatsonTom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
PGA Tour playoff record (0-1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1974 1974 PGA Tour The 1974 PGA Tour season was played from January 3 to November 3. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Johnny Miller won the most tournaments, eight, including the first three events. There were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed... |
Kemper Open | Bob Menne Bob Menne Robert Menne is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour.... |
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 48 | T5 | 56 | T11 | T26 | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | T13 | T29 | T7 | T45 | T29 | DNP | 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 | DNP | DNP | T28 | DNP | CUT | 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 | T9 | T7 | T66 | T48 | T25 | T22 | DNP | T64 | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Yellow background for top-10