Bob Goalby

Robert George Goalby (March 14, 1929 – January 19, 2022) was an American professional golfer. He won 11 PGA Tour events including the 1968 Masters. There he was raised, and lived for much of his life. He was the son of a coal miner, the family had little money and he would sneak over the fence of nearby St Clair Country Club to indulge his love for golf. He excelled in athletics during his time at Belleville Township High School earning 11 varsity letters. Notably, he was a catcher and pitcher on the Illinois High School Association(IHSA) championship Baseball Team his junior year and an All-State quarterback during his senior year of High School.

Amateur career Goalby attended the University of Illinois on a football scholarship He served in the United States military during the Korean War.

Professional career In 1957, Goalby turned professional. In 1958, he won his first tour event. Goalby earned the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Award in that season. He won and contended steadily until 1971 when he was 42 years old.

At the 1968 Masters Tournament, he tied Roberto De Vicenzo at the end of 72 holes of regulation play and would have had to face an 18-hole playoff the next day had there not been a mistake on DeVicenzo's scorecard. In the final round, DeVicenzo's playing partner Tommy Aaron marked a par-4 on the 17th hole when DeVicenzo had in fact made a birdie 3. The incident received extraordinary media attention at the time and has remained high in public consciousness since. The personal relationship between Goalby and DeVicenzo was unaffected by the difficult situation, and the two players formed a partnership years later, for a team event on the Champions Tour.

Goalby played on the Ryder Cup team in 1963 and retired from the PGA Tour after winning 11 tournaments. He joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1979, winning twice, and contributed key ideas to the formation and structure of that new Tour, before retiring to a home in his native Belleville, where he has designed several nearby golf courses. He also served as a golf commentator for NBC television for 14 years.

Awards and honors

In 1982, a charity golf tournament, the Bob Goalby Golf Open, was inaugurated. Goalby lent his name to the tournament to benefit Maur Hill - Mount Academy, a Catholic, international, college preparatory school in Atchison, Kansas. In 1991, Goalby was inducted into the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame. the former of whom is a golf course architect. His great-nephew, Bill Haas, plays on the PGA Tour, and won the Tour Championship tournament and FedEx Cup in 2011.

, Goalby resided in Palm Desert, California.

Professional wins (14) PGA Tour wins (11) LegendMajor championships (1)Other PGA Tour (10)

PGA Tour playoff record (2–1) Source:

Senior PGA Tour wins (2)

Senior PGA Tour playoff record (0–1) Source:

Major championships

Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 1968 Masters Tournament 1 shot deficit −11 (70-70-71-66=277) 1 stroke Roberto De Vicenzo

Results timeline

Note: Goalby never played in The Open Championship.

CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place.

Source:

Summary Source: Most consecutive cuts made – 9 (1971 PGA – 1974 Masters) Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (1967 U.S. Open – 1968 Masters)

U.S. national team appearances Professional Ryder Cup: 1963 (winners)