Olin Dutra

Olin A. Dutra (January 17, 1901 – May 5, 1983) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1920s and 1930s. He won two major titles, the PGA Championship in 1932 and the U.S. Open in 1934, and was the first major champion born in the western United States.

Early life Born in Monterey, California, At age nine, he and his older brother Mortimer were introduced to golf as a caddies at the country club in Del Monte, where the club professional was Macdonald Smith.

Professional career In 1923, Dutra resigned from a job at his father's hardware store to become a golf professional. His best years as a golf professional were in the early 1930s, when he won his two majors and won his five matches by comfortable margins (9 & 8, 5 & 3, 5 & 4, 3 & 2, and 4 & 3).

Dutra is best remembered for his performance at the 1934 U.S. Open at Merion near Philadelphia. More than a year earlier, Dutra became afflicted with amoebic dysentery, an often uncomfortable and painful intestinal infection. While traveling east from Los Angeles, Dutra stopped in the Detroit area to meet up with his brother Mortie, as both were entered in the Open, and began to feel very ill. He spent a short time in the hospital, casting doubt whether he could even play in the tournament. He resorted to unusual measures to cope with the infection, and lost close to off his , frame. (Mortie Dutra finished tied for 28th.)

Dutra began his career as a club pro in Fresno, California at Fort Washington Country Club for several years and then was at Sunnyside Country Club for a year. He won his two majors as the pro at Brentwood Country Club in Los Angeles, and moved over to Wilshire Country Club in 1935. While at Brentwood in 1932, he gave Babe Didrickson a two-minute lesson before she played her "first" round of golf, shortly after the 1932 Olympics; her first tee shot was , outdriving her male playing partners. (It was later revealed she had previous golf experience.) Dutra later worked in Mexico City, then back in California in Avila Beach and Watsonville.

Death Dutra died after an extended illness at age 82 in Newman in Stanislaus County.

Professional wins (20) PGA Tour wins (10) 1929 (1) National Orange Open 1930 (2) Long Beach Open (tie with Joe Kirkwood, Sr.), Southern California Pro 1932 (3) Metropolitan Open, North Shore Chicago Open, PGA Championship 1934 (2) U.S. Open, Miami Biltmore Open 1936 (2) Sunset Fields Open, True Temper Open Source:

Other wins (10) 1922 Del Monte Match Play 1930 Southern California PGA Championship 1931 Southern California PGA Championship, California State Match Play, Pacific Southwest PGA 1932 Southern California PGA Championship 1933 Southern California PGA Championship 1938 Southern California PGA Championship 1940 Southern California PGA Championship, California State Open

Major championships

Wins (2) The PGA Championship was match play until 1958.

Results timeline

NYF = tournament not yet founded NT = no tournament WD = withdrew DNQ = did not qualify for match play portion CUT = missed the half-way cut R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play "T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary