Wes Ellis
Encyclopedia
Wesley Ellis, Jr. was an American
professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Ellis was born in Kansas City, Missouri
. He attended the University of Texas in Austin
and was a member of the golf
team from 1950–1952. He won the Massingill Trophy in 1950, and was the individual medalist at the Southwest Conference Championship in 1952. He graduated in 1953 with a degree in zoology
and turned professional in 1954.
Ellis won three PGA Tour
events. His first win came in 1958 at the Canadian Open. He won by one stroke over Jay Hebert at the Mayfair Golf and Country Club in Edmonton, Alberta. His last win came in 1965 at the San Diego Open Invitational in a playoff against golf legend Billy Casper
. His victory in San Diego was unique in that Ellis used what is commonly known as a "cross-handed" putting grip; that is, as a right-handed golfer he kept his left hand below his right. Ellis had four top-10 finishes in major championships
: a T-9 at the 1956 U.S. Open
, a T-8 at the 1966 U.S. Open
, a 6th at the 1960 PGA Championship and a T-5 at the 1961 PGA Championship.
Ellis, like many pro golfers of his generation, earned his living primarily as a club pro. For many years he was the head pro at the Westchester Country Club
in Rye, New York
and lived in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
. He died of kidney disease at the age of 52 at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey
. He left behind his wife, Marian, and their four children - three daughters and a son.
Note: Ellis never played in The Open Championship
.
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
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 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 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Ellis was born in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. He attended the University of Texas in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
and was a member of 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 from 1950–1952. He won the Massingill Trophy in 1950, and was the individual medalist at the Southwest Conference Championship in 1952. He graduated in 1953 with a degree in zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and turned professional in 1954.
Ellis won three 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. His first win came in 1958 at the Canadian Open. He won by one stroke over Jay Hebert at the Mayfair Golf and Country Club in Edmonton, Alberta. His last win came in 1965 at the San Diego Open Invitational in a playoff against golf legend Billy Casper
Billy Casper
William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:...
. His victory in San Diego was unique in that Ellis used what is commonly known as a "cross-handed" putting grip; that is, as a right-handed golfer he kept his left hand below his right. Ellis had 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...
: a T-9 at the 1956 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...
, a T-8 at the 1966 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...
, a 6th at the 1960 PGA Championship and a T-5 at the 1961 PGA Championship.
Ellis, like many pro golfers of his generation, earned his living primarily as a club pro. For many years he was the head pro at the Westchester Country Club
Westchester Country Club
The Westchester Country Club was founded by John McEntee Bowman, who hired Walter Travis to design two golf courses in the Town of Harrison, New York as a luxury resort hotel. The West Course was designed for championship play and has hosted PGA tournaments since 1963...
in Rye, New York
Rye (city), New York
Rye is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is separate from the town of Rye, which is larger than the city. Rye city, formerly the village of Rye, was part of the town until 1942, when it received its charter as a city, the most recent to be issued in New York...
and lived in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
Upper Saddle River is an affluent borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,208. It is not to be confused with the neighboring borough of Saddle River.-History:...
. He died of kidney disease at the age of 52 at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
. He left behind his wife, Marian, and their four children - three daughters and a son.
PGA Tour wins (3)
- 1958 Canadian Open
- 1959 Texas Open Invitational
- 1965 San Diego Open Invitational
Other wins (9)
- 1957 Metropolitan OpenMetropolitan OpenThe Metropolitan Open is golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 and is the third oldest "Open" golf tournament in the United States after the U.S. Open and the Western Open. It is held at member clubs in New York, New Jersey, and...
- 1961 New Jersey PGA ChampionshipNew Jersey PGA ChampionshipThe New Jersey PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is the section championship of the New Jersey section of the PGA of America. It has been played annually since 1928 at a variety of courses around the state. The format from 1932 to 1934 and 1954 to 1957 was match play. Since 1958, the...
, Metropolitan OpenMetropolitan OpenThe Metropolitan Open is golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 and is the third oldest "Open" golf tournament in the United States after the U.S. Open and the Western Open. It is held at member clubs in New York, New Jersey, and... - 1962 New Jersey State OpenNew Jersey State OpenThe New Jersey State Open Championship is the New Jersey state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the New Jersey State Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1921 at a variety of courses around the state...
, New Jersey PGA ChampionshipNew Jersey PGA ChampionshipThe New Jersey PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is the section championship of the New Jersey section of the PGA of America. It has been played annually since 1928 at a variety of courses around the state. The format from 1932 to 1934 and 1954 to 1957 was match play. Since 1958, the... - 1963 New Jersey State OpenNew Jersey State OpenThe New Jersey State Open Championship is the New Jersey state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the New Jersey State Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1921 at a variety of courses around the state...
, New Jersey PGA ChampionshipNew Jersey PGA ChampionshipThe New Jersey PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is the section championship of the New Jersey section of the PGA of America. It has been played annually since 1928 at a variety of courses around the state. The format from 1932 to 1934 and 1954 to 1957 was match play. Since 1958, the...
, Metropolitan OpenMetropolitan OpenThe Metropolitan Open is golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 and is the third oldest "Open" golf tournament in the United States after the U.S. Open and the Western Open. It is held at member clubs in New York, New Jersey, and... - 1964 New Jersey PGA ChampionshipNew Jersey PGA ChampionshipThe New Jersey PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is the section championship of the New Jersey section of the PGA of America. It has been played annually since 1928 at a variety of courses around the state. The format from 1932 to 1934 and 1954 to 1957 was match play. Since 1958, the...
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | CUT | DNP | CUT | DNP | WD | CUT | T24 | T34 | T15 | T36 | T16 | 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 | CUT | DNP | T43 | CUT | T40 | T36 | CUT | DNP | T24 | T8 | T12 | CUT | 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 | T44 | 6 | T5 | T30 | T17 | CUT | T13 | DNP | 25 | CUT | DNP | DNP |
Note: Ellis never played in 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
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Yellow background for top-10