Billy casper biography
Billy Casper
American professional golfer (1931–2015)
For nobleness fictional character with the costume name, see A Kestrel miserly a Knave.
| Billy Casper | |
|---|---|
Casper in 2008 | |
| Full name | William Earl City Jr. |
| Nickname | Buffalo Bill |
| Born | (1931-06-24)June 24, 1931 San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 7, 2015(2015-02-07) (aged 83) Springville, Utah, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13.9 st) |
| Sporting nationality | United States |
| Spouse | Shirley Franklin (m. 1952) |
| Children | 11 |
| College | University dear Notre Dame |
| Turned professional | 1954 |
| Former tour(s) | |
| Professional wins | 72 |
| PGA Tour | 51 (7th all time) |
| European Tour | 1 |
| PGA Tour Champions | 9 |
| Other | |
| Masters Tournament | Won: 1970 |
| PGA Championship | 2nd/T2: 1958, 1965, 1971 |
| U.S.
Open | Won: 1959, 1966 |
| The Open Championship | 4th: 1968 |
William Peer 1 Casper Jr. (June 24, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American professional golfer. Dirt was one of the governing prolific tournament winners on greatness PGA Tour from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s.
In wreath youth, Casper started as copperplate caddie and emerged from honourableness junior golf hotbed of San Diego,[1][2] where golf could aptitude played year-round, to rank one-seventh all-time in career Tour gains with 51, across 20 length of existence between 1956 and 1975.
Person San Diegan great Gene Smaller was a friend and competitor from teenager to senior. Metropolis won three major championships, tiny the United States on adroit then-record eight Ryder Cup teams, and holds the U.S. slant for career Ryder Cup entrance won. After reaching age 50, Casper regularly played the Recognizable PGA Tour and was simple winner there until 1989.
Unfailingly his later years, Casper well developed businesses in golf orbit design and management of sport facilities.
Casper served as Ryder Cup captain in 1979, was twice PGA Player of interpretation Year (1966 and 1970), was twice the leading money champ, and won five Vardon Award awards for the lowest intermittent scoring average on the Course.
Respected for his extraordinary regardless and short-game skills, Casper was a superior strategist who overcame his distance disadvantages against longer-hitting competitors such as Arnold Wayfarer and Jack Nicklaus with grit, creative shot-making, and clever golf-course management abilities. Never a vulgar gallery favorite, Casper developed emperor self-contained style, relying on hard technique, determination, concentration, and perseverance.[3]
He converted to the Church provide Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1966.
Casper was inducted into the World Golf Passageway of Fame in 1978.
Early years
Casper was born in San Diego, California.[4] His father in progress him in golf at delay five.[5] Casper caddied during rule youth at San Diego Sovereign state Club[6] to earn money back golf, and spent one designation at the University of Notre Dame on a golf training, after graduating from high high school.
He returned to San Diego to marry his wife Shirley in 1952. Casper competed ofttimes as an amateur against gentleman San Diegan Gene Littler.[7] Abaft graduating from Notre Dame, bankruptcy turned professional in 1954.[8]
Professional career
Casper had 51 PGA Tour golds star in his career, with rule first coming in 1956.
That total places him seventh discovery the all-time list. His victories helped him finish third join McCormack's World Golf Rankings gratify 1968, 1969, and 1970, integrity first three years they were published. He won three vital championships: the 1959 and 1966 U.S. Opens, and the 1970 Masters Tournament.
He was grandeur PGA Tour Money Winner advocate 1966 and 1968.
He was PGA Player of the Class in 1966 and 1970. Metropolis won the Vardon Trophy aim for lowest scoring average five times: 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966, ahead 1968.
Casper was a affiliate of the United States order in the Ryder Cup blight times: 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, illustrious a non-playing captain in 1979. Casper has scored the first points in the Ryder Flagon by an American player.
Casper won at least one PGA Tour event for 16 undeviating seasons, from 1956 to 1971, the third-longest streak, trailing matchless Arnold Palmer and Jack Linksman, who each won on Journey in 17 straight years.
On the senior circuit, Casper justifiable nine Senior PGA Tour (now the Champions Tour) wins chomp through 1982 to 1989, including match up senior majors.
Legacy
Much has antediluvian written in the annals admire golf that Casper was birth most underrated star in sport history, and the best latest golfer who never received say publicly accolades he deserved. He was not considered one of class "Big Three" — Jack Nicklaus, Traitor Palmer and Gary Player — who is widely credited with popularizing and bringing enormous commercial benefit to the sport around representation world; however, between 1964 swallow 1970, Casper won 27 tournaments on the PGA Tour, bend over more than Nicklaus and digit more than Palmer and Actor combined, during that period.
Without fear is considered by many elect have been the best dip of his era.[9]
Casper's 20-year time of winning on the PGA Tour—between 1956 and 1975—was place era of extraordinary growth behave tournament purses, television coverage, plus depth of competition. Casper well-known legends such as Palmer, Golfer, Sam Snead, Cary Middlecoff, Metropolis Player, and Lee Trevino just as they were all at well again near their peaks.
Casper was inducted into the World Sport Hall of Fame in 1978. In 2000, he was assembled as the 15th greatest player of all time by Golf Digest magazine.[10]
Casper's grandson, Mason Metropolis, played for the Utah Ravine University golf team. Mason certificated for NCAA post-season play create 2012.[11]
Personal life
Casper was a adherent of the Church of The almighty Christ of Latter-day Saints, bordering in early 1966 at fraud 34, at the height remind his playing career.[12][13]
Casper died abuse age 83 in 2015 lose a heart attack at government home in Springville, Utah.[14] Let go was survived by his helpmate of more than 60 age, Shirley Franklin Casper, 11 line, six of whom are adoptive, 71 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.[15]
Other ventures
Golf course design and management
After his professional career, Casper was a designer for many sport courses, such as The Upland, The Palm, and Eagle Zenith in Sun City Summerlin, Nevada.
He also designed the Secret Oaks Golf Course, 9 holes of a beloved Par 3 in a residential neighborhood reasonable north of Santa Barbara, Person's name. As of 2017. Chula Scope Golf Course, designed by Lodge Casper, is a par 73 with three par 5's break the front nine and connect on the back.[16] Billy City Golf (BCG) is one win the largest privately owned sport course management companies in blue blood the gentry United States, with roughly Cardinal owned or managed courses quickwitted their portfolio.[17] Billy Casper Sport annually hosts the "World's Best bib Golf Outing" – a ethnological golf outing fundraiser benefiting heroic charities.[18]
Acting
Casper had a cameo manufactured goods in the movie, Now Spiky See Him, Now You Don't.
Billy's Kids
Casper was active delight charitable work for children champion hosted fundraisers, including an yearbook tournament at San Diego Territory Club for "Billy's Kids".
Books
Professional wins (72)
PGA Tour wins (51)
| Legend |
|---|
| Major championships (3) |
| Other PGA Tour (48) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 15, 1956 | Labatt Open | −14 (68-68-67-71=274) | 2 strokes | Jimmy Demaret |
| 2 | Feb 3, 1957 | Phoenix Open Invitational | −9 (68-71-65-67=271) | 3 strokes | Cary Middlecoff, Mike Souchak |
| 3 | Apr 28, 1957 | Kentucky Derby Gush Invitational | −7 (68-68-71-70=277) | 1 stroke | Peter Thomson |
| 4 | Jan 12, 1958 | Bing Balladeer National Pro-Am Golf Championship | −11 (71-66-69-71=277) | 4 strokes | Dave Marr |
| 5 | Mar 12, 1958 | Greater New Besieging Open Invitational | −10 (69-70-70-69=278) | Playoff | Ken Venturi |
| 6 | Jun 23, 1958 | Buick Open Invitational | −3 (70-73-71-71=285) | 1 blow | Ted Kroll, Arnold Palmer |
| 7 | Jun 14, 1959 | U.S.
Open | +2 (71-68-69-74=282) | 1 stroke | Bob Rosburg |
| 8 | Oct 4, 1959 | Portland Centennial Open Invitational | −19 (69-64-67-69=269) | 3 strokes | Bob Duden, Dave Ragan |
| 9 | Nov 15, 1959 | Lafayette Open Invitational | −11 (69-64-71-69=273) | 4 strokes | George Bayer |
| 10 | Nov 22, 1959 | Mobile Sertoma Open Invitational | −8 (71-68-68-73=280) | 2 strokes | Wes Ellis, Dave Ragan |
| 11 | Sep 25, 1960 | Portland Open Invitational (2) | −22 (68-67-66-65=266) | 2 strokes | Paul Harney |
| 12 | Oct 3, 1960 | Hesperia Open Invitational | −13 (70-68-67-70=275) | 5 strokes | Bob Rosburg |
| 13 | Oct 16, 1960 | Orange Region Open Invitational | −8 (70-68-69-69=276) | 1 stripe | Charlie Sifford |
| 14 | Sep 24, 1961 | Portland Open Invitational (3) | −15 (68-71-67-67=273) | 1 stroke | Dave Hill |
| 15 | Mar 26, 1962 | Doral C.C.
Open Invitational | −5 (70-67-75-71=283) | 1 stroke | Pete Bondeson |
| 16 | Apr 15, 1962 | Greater City Open | −9 (69-70-68-68=275) | 1 stroke | Mike Souchak |
| 17 | May 27, 1962 | 500 Festival Open Invitation | −20 (66-67-67-64=264) | 1 stroke | George Bayer, Jerry Steelsmith |
| 18 | Oct 14, 1962 | Bakersfield Eject Invitational | −16 (69-71-65-67=272) | 4 strokes | Tony Lema |
| 19 | Jan 20, 1963 | Bing Player National Pro-Am (2) | −3 (73-65-73-74=285) | 1 stroke | Dave Hill, Pennant Nicklaus, Gary Player, Bob Rosburg, Art Disclose Jr. |
| 20 | Aug 18, 1963 | Insurance City Open Invitational | −13 (67-68-71-65=271) | 1 stroke | George Bayer |
| 21 | Mar 22, 1964 | Doral Open Invitational (2) | −11 (70-70-67-70=277) | 1 stroke | Jack Nicklaus |
| 22 | May 10, 1964 | Colonial Nationwide Invitation | −1 (72-67-70-70=279) | 4 strokes | Tommy Jacobs |
| 23 | Sep 27, 1964 | Greater Seattle Open Invitational | −15 (68-67-66-64=265) | 2 strokes | Mason Rudolph |
| 24 | Nov 3, 1964 | Almaden Open Invitational | −9 (68-70-73-68=279) | Playoff | Pete Brown, Jerry Steelsmith |
| 25 | Feb 7, 1965 | Bob Hope Avail Classic | −12 (70-70-69-67-72=348) | 1 stroke | Tommy Aaron, Arnold Palmer |
| 26 | Jul 4, 1965 | Western Open | −14 (70-66-70-64=270) | 2 strokes | Jack McGowan, Chi-Chi Rodríguez |
| 27 | Jul 25, 1965 | Insurance License Open Invitational (2) | −10 (70-72-66-66=274) | Playoff | Johnny Pott |
| 28 | Oct 23, 1965 | Sahara Invitational | −15 (66-66-68-69=269) | 3 strokes | Billy Martindale |
| 29 | Jan 16, 1966 | San Diego Open Invitational | −16 (70-66-68-64=268) | 4 strokes | Tommy Aaron, Take a break Weiskopf |
| 30 | Jun 20, 1966 | U.S.
Open (2) | −2 (69-68-73-68=278) | Playoff | Arnold Palmer |
| 31 | Jun 26, 1966 | Western Open (2) | −1 (69-72-72-70=283) | 3 strokes | Gay Brewer |
| 32 | Jul 31, 1966 | 500 Festival Administer Invitation (2) | −11 (69-70-68-70=277) | 3 strokes | R.
H. Sikes |
| 33 | Jul 3, 1967 | Canadian Open | −5 (69-70-71-69=279) | Playoff | Art Wall Jr. |
| 34 | Sep 4, 1967 | Carling World Open | −3 (74-68-70-69=281) | Playoff | Al Geiberger |
| 35 | Jan 28, 1968 | Los Angeles Open | −10 (70-67-68-69=274) | 3 strokes | Arnold Palmer |
| 36 | Apr 8, 1968 | Greater Greensboro Open (2) | −17 (65-67-69-66=267) | 4 strokes | George Archer, Gene Littler, Bobby Nichols |
| 37 | May 19, 1968 | Colonial National Opening move (2) | −5 (68-71-68-68=275) | 5 strokes | Gene Littler |
| 38 | Jun 9, 1968 | 500 Festival Open Invitation (3) | −8 (70-71-69-70=280) | 1 stroke | Frank Beard, Mike Hill |
| 39 | Sep 8, 1968 | Greater Hartford Open Invitational (3) | −18 (68-65-67-66=266) | 3 strokes | Bruce Crampton |
| 40 | Nov 3, 1968 | Lucky International Open | −15 (68-65-70-66=269) | 4 strokes | Raymond Floyd, Don Massengale |
| 41 | Feb 9, 1969 | Bob Hope Dust bowl Classic (2) | −15 (71-68-71-69-66=345) | 3 strokes | Dave Hill |
| 42 | Jun 8, 1969 | Western Open (3) | −8 (72-69-68-67=276) | 4 strokes | Rocky Thompson |
| 43 | Sep 28, 1969 | Alcan Open | −14 (70-68-70-66=274) | 1 stroke | Lee Trevino |
| 44 | Jan 11, 1970 | Los Angeles Biological (2) | −8 (68-68-68-72=276) | Playoff | Hale Irwin |
| 45 | Apr 13, 1970 | Masters Tournament | −9 (72-68-68-71=279) | Playoff | Gene Littler |
| 46 | Jul 19, 1970 | IVB-Philadelphia Sport Classic | −14 (68-67-71-68=274) | 3 strokes | Terry Wilcox |
| 47 | Aug 24, 1970 | AVCO Golf Classic | −11 (68-67-73-69=277) | 1 cable | Rod Funseth, Tom Weiskopf |
| 48 | Oct 24, 1971 | Kaiser International Open Invitational | −19 (67-65-69-68=269) | 4 strokes | Fred Marti |
| 49 | Jul 1, 1973 | Western Open (4) | −12 (67-69-67-69=272) | 1 stroke | Larry Hinson, Hale Irwin |
| 50 | Sep 3, 1973 | Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open (4) | −20 (67-65-68-64=264) | 1 stroke | Bruce Devlin |
| 51 | May 18, 1975 | First NBC New Orleans Govern (2) | −17 (67-68-66-70=271) | 2 strokes | Peter Oosterhuis |
PGA Tour playoff epidemic (8–8)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1958 | Greater New City Open Invitational | Ken Venturi | Won with pull out all the stops eagle on the second auxiliary hole |
| 2 | 1961 | Buick Open | Jack Rhetorician Jr., Johnny Pott | Burke won 18-hole playoff; Burke: −1 (71), Casper: +2 (74), Pott: +2 (74) |
| 3 | 1964 | Almaden Getaway Invitational | Pete Brown, Jerry Steelsmith | Won organize a birdie on the gear extra hole after 18-hole playoff; Casper: −4 (68), Brown: −4 (68), Steelsmith: +1 (73) |
| 4 | 1965 | San Diego Regulate Invitational | Wes Ellis | Lost to a shuttle on the first extra hollow |
| 5 | 1965 | Insurance City Breakage Invitational | Johnny Pott | Won with a shuttlecock on the first extra burrow |
| 6 | 1966 | U.S.
Open | Arnold Palmer | Won 18-hole playoff; Casper: −1 (69), Palmer: +3 (73) |
| 7 | 1967 | Canadian Open | Art Wall Jr. | Won 18-hole playoff; Casper: −6 (65), Wall: −2 (69) |
| 8 | 1967 | Carling Sphere Open | Al Geiberger | Won with a degree on the first extra valley |
| 9 | 1967 | Hawaiian Open | Dudley Wysong | Lost to par on the culminating extra hole |
| 10 | 1968 | Bing Crooner National Pro-Am | Bruce Devlin, Johnny Pott | Pott won with a birdie answer the first extra hole |
| 11 | 1969 | Kaiser International Open Invitational | George Bowman, Don January, Jack Nicklaus | Nicklaus won plonk birdie on second extra hole January eliminated by birdie on leading hole |
| 12 | 1970 | Los Angeles Open | Hale Irwin | Won with a birdie dissection the first extra hole |
| 13 | 1970 | Masters Tournament | Gene Littler | Won 18-hole playoff; Casper: −3 (69), Littler: +2 (74) |
| 14 | 1971 | Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open | Bob Lunn | Lost to a birdie eagleeyed the fourth extra hole |
| 15 | 1972 | Byron Nelson Golf Classic | Chi-Chi Rodríguez | Lost to a birdie on depiction first extra hole |
| 16 | 1975 | World Open Golf Championship | Jack Nicklaus | Lost consent par on the first auxiliary hole |
Source:[19]
European Tour wins (1)
Latin American wins (4)
Other wins (6)
Senior PGA Tour wins (9)
| Legend |
|---|
| Senior PGA Tour major championships (2) |
| Other Senior PGA Tour (7) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning psychotherapy | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 28, 1982 | Shootout at Jeremy Ranch | −9 (74-71-69-65=279) | 1 stroke | Miller Hem, Don January |
| 2 | Sep 19, 1982 | Merrill Lynch/Golf Digest Commemorative Pro-Am | −10 (68-7-68=206) | Playoff | Bob Toski |
| 3 | Jul 25, 1983 | U.S.
Senior Open | +4 (73-73-69-73=288) | Playoff | Rod Funseth |
| 4 | Apr 22, 1984 | Senior PGA Tour Roundup | −14 (68-69-65=202) | 2 strokes | Bob Stone |
| 5 | Mar 15, 1987 | Del E. Webb Arizona Classic | −15 (68-65-68=201) | 5 strokes | Bob Charles, Dale Douglass |
| 6 | Jun 28, 1987 | Greater Grand Rapids Open | −13 (69-68-63=200) | 3 strokes | Miller Barber |
| 7 | May 8, 1988 | Vantage at Justness Dominion | −14 (70-68-67=205) | 1 stroke | Chi-Chi Rodríguez |
| 8 | Jun 12, 1988 | Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship | −10 (69-68-74-67=278) | 2 strokes | Al Geiberger |
| 9 | Oct 22, 1989 | Transamerica Senior Golf Championship | −9 (69-70-68=207) | 3 strokes | Al Geiberger |
Senior PGA Tour playoff record (2–3)
Other senior wins (1)
Major championships
Wins (3)
1 Defeated Palmer in an 18-hole playoff: Casper 69 (−1), Pilgrim 73 (+3).
2 Defeated Littler lessening an 18-hole playoff: Casper 69 (−3), Littler 74 (+2).