Johnny Revolta
Encyclopedia
John F. Revolta was an American
professional golf
er who played on the PGA Tour
in the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s.
Revolta was born in St. Louis, Missouri
. Like most professional golfers of his generation, he started out as a club professional. He worked at Swan Lake Country Club in 1930, Chippewa Elks Golf Club from 1931–1933, and Tripoli Country Club from 1934–1936. He was a member of the PGA Tour from 1935–1952.
His best year was 1935, when he won the PGA Championship
and Western Open
along with three other tournaments, and led the PGA Tour's money list. In the 1935 PGA Championship
he beat Tommy Armour
5 and 4. He won a total of 18 times on the PGA Tour. He also played on the 1935 and 1937 Ryder Cup
teams.
Revolta was known as the Iron Master because of his outstanding short game. Regarding his bunker play in particular, short game master Paul Runyan
said Revolta "led the class [of outstanding bunker players] by a big margin. His skill from sand simply left me aghast." His instruction book, Johnny Revolta's Short Cuts to Better Golf, first published in 1949, is still in print today.
Revolta died in Palm Springs, California
in 1991.
Major championship
is shown in bold.
Note: The PGA Championship was match play until 1958
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
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...
in the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s.
Revolta was born in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. Like most professional golfers of his generation, he started out as a club professional. He worked at Swan Lake Country Club in 1930, Chippewa Elks Golf Club from 1931–1933, and Tripoli Country Club from 1934–1936. He was a member of the PGA Tour from 1935–1952.
His best year was 1935, when he won 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 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...
along with three other tournaments, and led the PGA Tour's money list. In the 1935 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...
he beat Tommy Armour
Tommy Armour
Thomas Dickson Armour was a Scottish-American professional golfer. He was nicknamed The Silver Scot.Armour was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and educated at Fettes College and the University of Edinburgh....
5 and 4. He won a total of 18 times on the PGA Tour. He also played on the 1935 and 1937 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.
Revolta was known as the Iron Master because of his outstanding short game. Regarding his bunker play in particular, short game master 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....
said Revolta "led the class [of outstanding bunker players] by a big margin. His skill from sand simply left me aghast." His instruction book, Johnny Revolta's Short Cuts to Better Golf, first published in 1949, is still in print today.
Revolta died 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...
in 1991.
PGA Tour wins (18)
- 1933 (1) Miami OpenMiami OpenThe Miami Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1924 to 1955. It was played at what is now the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club in Miami, Florida. The event was played in December from 1924 to 1926 and from 1937 to 1955...
- 1934 (2) St. Paul Open, Wisconsin Open
- 1935 (5) Western OpenWestern OpenThe 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...
, Sarasota Open, Wisconsin 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...
, Inverness Invitational Four-BallInverness Invitational Four-BallThe Inverness Invitational Four-Ball was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1935 to 1953. It was played at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.-Format:...
(with Henry PicardHenry PicardHenry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison...
) - 1936 (1) Thomasville OpenThomasville Open (PGA Tour)The Thomasville Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1936 to 1941. It was held at the Glen Arven Country Club in Thomasville, Georgia.-Winners:*1941 Harold "Jug" McSpaden*1940 Lloyd Mangrum*1939 Henry Picard*1938 Byron Nelson*1937 Dick Metz...
- 1937 (2) Miami Biltmore Open, Miami International Four-BallMiami International Four-BallThe Miami International Four-Ball was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1924 to 1954. It was played primarily at what is now the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club in Miami, Florida...
(with Henry PicardHenry PicardHenry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison...
) - 1938 (4) Sacramento OpenSacramento Open (PGA Tour)The Sacramento Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1926 to 1938. It was held in Sacramento, California at two different courses. In the 1920s, it was played at the Del Paso Country Club...
, St. Petersburg OpenSt. Petersburg Open InvitationalThe 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...
, St. Paul Open, Columbia Open - 1939 (1) Inverness Invitational Four-BallInverness Invitational Four-BallThe Inverness Invitational Four-Ball was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1935 to 1953. It was played at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.-Format:...
(with Henry PicardHenry PicardHenry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison...
) - 1941 (1) San Francisco Match Play
- 1944 (1) Texas 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 (10)
this list is probably incomplete- 1930 Wisconsin State OpenWisconsin State OpenThe Wisconsin State Open is the Wisconsin state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Wisconsin section of the PGA of America. It has been played annually since 1919 at a variety of courses around the state...
- 1931 Wisconsin State OpenWisconsin State OpenThe Wisconsin State Open is the Wisconsin state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Wisconsin section of the PGA of America. It has been played annually since 1919 at a variety of courses around the state...
- 1935 Miami International Four-BallMiami International Four-BallThe Miami International Four-Ball was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1924 to 1954. It was played primarily at what is now the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club in Miami, Florida...
(with Henry PicardHenry PicardHenry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison...
) - 1936 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...
, Miami International Four-BallMiami International Four-BallThe Miami International Four-Ball was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1924 to 1954. It was played primarily at what is now the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club in Miami, Florida...
(with Henry PicardHenry PicardHenry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison...
), Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar... - 1937 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
- 1938 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
- 1941 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
- 1944 Pro-Lady Victory National (with Patty BergPatty BergPatricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer...
) - 1947 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | 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... |
5 & 4 |  Tommy ArmourTommy Armour Thomas Dickson Armour was a Scottish-American professional golfer. He was nicknamed The Silver Scot.Armour was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and educated at Fettes College and the University of Edinburgh.... |
Note: The PGA Championship was match play until 1958
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1928 | 1929 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | NYF | NYF |
| 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... |
WD | 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 |
| 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 |
| Tournament | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | T18 | T13 | 25 | T13 | T18 | T31 |
| 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 | T15 | T8 | T36 | T14 | T28 | T16 | T22 |
| 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 | T32 | 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 | R32 | R16 | 1 | R32 | R32 | R32 | R16 |
| Tournament | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T27 | DNP | DNP | NT | NT | NT | DNP | T29 | DNP | T39 |
| 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... |
T16 | WD | NT | NT | NT | NT | 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... |
NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | 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... |
R64 | DNP | DNP | NT | DNP | R16 | DNP | R64 | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | T42 | 13 | 58 | T60 | T49 | 75 | CUT | CUT | 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... |
DNP | T19 | 40 | CUT | T29 | DNP | CUT | T30 | 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... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | R16 | DNP | NYF | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | CUT | 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... |
DNP | CUT | 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 |
| 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 | CUT | DNP |
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
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.