Who's who: Bobby Jones

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Who's who: Bobby Jones

  • Name:

    Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr.
  • Country:

    USA
  • Lived:

    [1902-1971]. Born on March 17, 1902 (St Patrick's Day) in Atlanta, Georgia. Died on Dec 18, 1971 in Atlanta, Georgia, aged 69.
  • Original/Home Club:

    East Lake CC, Atlanta, GA.
  • Occupation:

    Amateur golfer, lawyer, golf writer and instructor, course designer, founder of The Masters Tournament.
  • Turned Pro:

    n/a

Roll of Honour

Majors (13), including a career slam of all four majors as they existed at the time (US Open and Amateur, British Open and Amateur Championships). Walker Cup player (1922, '24, '26, '28, '30). Walker Cup captain (1928, '30). World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 1974).

Golf course design

Augusta National (with Dr Alister MacKenzie); Peachtree GC, Atlanta (with Robert Trent Jones).

Did you know?

Bobby Jones, the only son of Colonel Robert P. Jones and his wife Clara, took up golf aged six. During his relatively short, competitive career he became the greatest amateur golfer in the game's history. In the space of eight years from 1923, he won 13 major championship titles, culminating in a same-year grand slam in 1930 (comprising at that time the British and US Opens and the British and US Amateur Championships). At the age of 28, he retired from competitive golf to practice law in Georgia. Jones memory lives on in the US Masters, which he founded, and the golf course it is played on, Augusta National, which he also founded. He is also known for his instructional books and films, which have provided invaluable guidance to golfers over the years. For the last 20 years of his life, Jones was afflicted by a crippling illness, which confined him to a wheelchair. Commenting on his condition he reminded a fellow writer that "we must all play the ball as it lies" - perhaps the greatest golfing metaphor for life itself.

Top tournaments won by Bobby Jones

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Score

291

Prize money

n/a

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (65th) (June 18-20). Second-placed Macdonald Smith (Scot) and Leo Diegel (USA) finished 2 shots behind Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr (USA, amateur). [Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, Wirral, Merseyside].

1930
Majors
287 (-1)
amateur
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Score

287 (-1)

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (34th) (July 10-12). Second-placed Macdonald Smith (Scot) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Jones (USA, amateur). This was the last of Jones' four US Open wins. [Interlachen CC, Edina, nr Minneapolis, Minnesota].

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Score

7 & 6

Prize money

n/a

Title sponsor

R&A

The Amateur Championship (41st). Jones (USA) beat Roger Wethered (Eng) 7 and 6 in the final. [The Old Course, St Andrews, Fife].

1930
Amateur
8 & 7
amateur
USGA

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Venue

Merion

Score

8 & 7

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Amateur Championship (34th) (Sept 22-27). Bobby Jones (USA) beat Eugene Homans (USA) 8 and 7 in the 36-hole final. This was the last of Jones' five US Amateur Championship titles, all won in the space of seven years. [East course, Merion GC, Ardmore, nr Philadelphia, PA. Run by Merion Cricket Club at the time].

1929
Majors
294 (+6)
amateur
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Score

294 (+6)

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (33rd) (June 27-30). Jones (USA, amateur) beat Al Espinosa (USA) in a 36-hole playoff: Jones 141 (-3), Espinosa 164 (+20). This was the third of Jones' four US Open wins. [West course, Winged Foot GC, Mamaroneck, NY].

1928
Amateur
Brae Burn CC, MA
10 & 9
amateur
USGA

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Venue

Brae Burn CC, MA

Score

10 & 9

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Amateur Championship (32nd) (Sept 10-15). Defending champion Bobby Jones (USA) beat T. Phillip "Phil" Perkins (Eng) 10 and 9 in the 36-hole final. This was the fourth of Jones' five US Amateur Championship wins. [Brae Burn CC, West Newton, Mass.].

1927
Amateur
Minikahda Club
8 & 7
amateur
USGA

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Venue

Minikahda Club

Score

8 & 7

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Amateur Championship (31st) (Aug 22-27). Bobby Jones (USA) beat Charles "Chick" Evans Jr (USA) 8 and 7 in the 36-hole final. This was the third of Jones' five US Amateur Championship wins. [Minikahda Club, Minneapolis, Minnesota].

1927
America
281 (+1)
amateur
Southern GA

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Score

281 (+1)

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

Southern GA

Played as the Southern Open (March 24-26, 28; Southern Golf Assoc event). Second-placed John Golden (USA) and Johnny Farrell (USA) finished 8 shots behind Bobby Jones (USA, amateur). As an amateur, Jones was not entitled to any prize money. Golden and Farrell sought permission to playoff for the first and second-place prize money, rather than splitting it equally as the rules laid down. In their Monday playoff, Golden (70) took the $4,000 first-place prize money, and Farrell (71) the $1,750 for second place. [East Lake GC, Atlanta, Georgia].

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Score

285

Prize money

n/a

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (62nd) (July 13-15). Second-placed Aubrey Boomer (Eng) and Fred Robson (Eng) finished 6 shots behind defending champion Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr (USA, amateur). [The Old Course, St Andrews, Fife].

1926
Majors
293 (+5)
amateur
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Venue

Scioto

Score

293 (+5)

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (30th) (July 8-10). Second-placed Joe Turnesa (USA) finished 1 shot behind Jones (USA, amateur). This was the second of Jones' four US Open wins. [Scioto CC, Columbus, Ohio].

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Score

291

Prize money

n/a

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (61st) (June 23-25). Second-placed Al Watrous (USA) finished 2 shots behind Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones, Jr (USA, amateur). In trouble in a fairway bunker at the long par-4 17th in the final round, Jones played an unbelievable shot from the bunker onto the green. A plaque beside the bunker now celebrates this extraordinary shot. [Royal Lytham & St Annes GC, nr Blackpool, Lancs].

1925
Amateur
8 & 7
amateur
USGA

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Score

8 & 7

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Amateur Championship (29th) (Aug 31-Sept 5). Defending champion Bobby Jones (USA) beat Watts Gunn (USA) 8 and 7 in the 36-hole final. This was the second of Jones' five US Amateur Championship wins. [Oakmont CC, nr Pittsburgh, PA].

1924
Amateur
9 & 8
amateur
USGA

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Venue

Merion

Score

9 & 8

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Amateur Championship (28th) (Sept 20-27). Bobby Jones (USA) beat George Von Elm (USA) 9 and 8 in the 36-hole final. This was the first of Jones' five US Amateur Championship wins. [East course, Merion GC, Ardmore, nr Philadelphia, PA. Run by Merion Cricket Club at the time].

1923
Majors
Inwood CC
296 (+8)
amateur
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Jones, Bobby

Venue

Inwood CC

Score

296 (+8)

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (27th) (July 13-15). Bobby Jones (USA, amateur) beat Bobby Cruickshank (Scot) in an 18-hole playoff: Jones 76 (+4), Cruickshank 78 (+6). This was the first of Jones' four US Open wins. [Inwood CC, Inwood, Long Island, NY].

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