Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox golfer William Earl Casper Jr. (June 24, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American professional golfer. He was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s.
In his youth, Casper started as a caddie and emerged from the junior golf hotbed of San Diego,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=DN-obit>Template:Cite news</ref> where golf could be played year-round, to rank seventh all-time in career Tour wins with 51, across 20 years between 1956 and 1975. Fellow San Diegan great Gene Littler was a friend and rival from teenager to senior. Casper won three major championships, represented the United States on a then-record eight Ryder Cup teams, and holds the U.S. record for career Ryder Cup points won. After reaching age 50, Casper regularly played the Senior PGA Tour and was a winner there until 1989. In his later years, Casper successfully developed businesses in golf course design and management of golf facilities.
Casper served as Ryder Cup captain in 1979, was twice PGA Player of the Year (1966 and 1970), was twice the leading money winner, and won five Vardon Trophy awards for the lowest seasonal scoring average on the Tour.
Respected for his extraordinary putting and short-game skills, Casper was a superior strategist who overcame his distance disadvantages against longer-hitting competitors such as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus with moxie, creative shot-making, and clever golf-course management abilities. Never a flashy gallery favorite, Casper developed his self-contained style, relying on solid technique, determination, concentration, and perseverance.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
He converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1966. Casper was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978.
Early yearsEdit
Casper was born in San Diego, California.<ref name=PGApro>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He grew up in Chula Vista, California.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=DN-obit/> His father started him in golf at age five.<ref name=media>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Casper caddied during his youth at San Diego Country Club<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> to earn money for golf, and spent one semester at the University of Notre Dame on a golf scholarship, after graduating from high school. He returned to San Diego to marry his wife Shirley in 1952. Casper competed frequently as an amateur against fellow San Diegan Gene Littler.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> After graduating from Notre Dame, he turned professional in 1954.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Professional careerEdit
Casper had 51 PGA Tour wins in his career, with his first coming in 1956. This total places him seventh on the all-time list. His victories helped him finish third in McCormack's World Golf Rankings in 1968, 1969, and 1970, the first three years they were published. He won three major championships: the 1959 and 1966 U.S. Opens, and the 1970 Masters Tournament.
He was the PGA Tour Money Winner in 1966 and 1968. He was PGA Player of the Year in 1966 and 1970. Casper won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average five times: 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966, and 1968.
Casper was a member of the United States team in the Ryder Cup eight times: 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, and a non-playing captain in 1979. Casper has scored the most points in the Ryder Cup by an American player.
Casper won at least one PGA Tour event for 16 straight seasons, from 1956 to 1971, the third-longest streak, trailing only Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, who each won on Tour in 17 straight years.
On the senior circuit, Casper earned nine Senior PGA Tour (now the Champions Tour) wins from 1982 to 1989, including two senior majors.
LegacyEdit
Much has been written in the annals of golf that Casper was the most underrated star in golf history, and the best modern golfer who never received the accolades he deserved. He was not considered one of the "Big Three" — Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player — who is widely credited with popularizing and bringing enormous commercial success to the sport around the world; however, between 1964 and 1970, Casper won 27 tournaments on the PGA Tour, two more than Nicklaus and six more than Palmer and Player combined, during that period. He is considered by many to have been the best putter of his era.<ref name=wghof>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Casper's 20-year period of winning on the PGA Tour—between 1956 and 1975—was an era of extraordinary growth in tournament purses, television coverage, and depth of competition. Casper faced legends such as Palmer, Nicklaus, Sam Snead, Cary Middlecoff, Gary Player, and Lee Trevino when they were all at or near their peaks.
Casper was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978. In 2000, he was ranked as the 15th greatest golfer of all time by Golf Digest magazine.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Casper's grandson, Mason Casper, played for the Utah Valley University golf team. Mason qualified for NCAA post-season play in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Personal lifeEdit
Casper was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, joining in early 1966 at age 34, at the height of his playing career.<ref name=vcon>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Casper died at age 83 in 2015 of a heart attack at his home in Springville, Utah.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Shirley Franklin Casper, 11 children, six of whom are adopted, 71 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Other venturesEdit
Golf course design and managementEdit
After his professional career, Casper was a designer for many golf courses, such as The Highlands, The Palm, and Eagle Crest in Sun City Summerlin, Nevada. He also designed the Hidden Oaks Golf Course, 9 holes of a beloved Par 3 in a residential neighborhood just north of Santa Barbara, CA. As of 2017. Chula Vista Golf Course, designed by Billy Casper, is a par 73 with three par 5's on the front nine and two on the back.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Billy Casper Golf (BCG) is one of the largest privately owned golf course management companies in the United States, with roughly 150 owned or managed courses in their portfolio.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Billy Casper Golf annually hosts the "World's Largest Golf Outing" – a national golf outing fundraiser benefiting military charities.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ActingEdit
Casper had a cameo appearance in the movie, Now You See Him, Now You Don't.
Billy's KidsEdit
Casper was active in charitable work for children and hosted fundraisers, including an annual tournament at San Diego Country Club for "Billy's Kids".
BooksEdit
Professional wins (72)Edit
PGA Tour wins (51)Edit
| Legend |
|---|
| Major championships (3) |
| Other PGA Tour (48) |
PGA Tour playoff record (8–8)
Source:<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
European Tour wins (1)Edit
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 19, 1975 | Italian Open | −2 (74-69-70-73=286) | 1 stroke | Template:Flagicon Brian Barnes |
Latin American wins (4)Edit
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 14, 1958 | Brazil Open | −14 (67-66-67-70=270) | 9 strokes | Template:Flagicon Leopoldo Ruiz |
| 2 | Nov 30, 1958 | Havana Invitational | −10 (68-66-76-68=278) | 2 strokes | Template:Flagicon Bo Wininger |
| 3 | Oct 25, 1958 | Brazil Open (2) | −4 (67-67-66-68=268) | 6 strokes | Template:Flagicon Mário Gonzalez |
| 4 | Nov 13, 1977 | Mexican Open | −6 (68-67-68-71=274) | 3 strokes | Template:Flagicon Gay Brewer |
Other wins (6)Edit
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 7, 1971 | Miki Gold Cup | −8 (70-70-68=208) | Shared title with Template:Flagicon Masashi Ozaki | |
| 2 | Dec 9, 1973 | Hassan II Golf Trophy | −4 (69-70-73-76=288) | 5 strokes | Template:Flagicon Rod Funseth |
| 3 | Oct 6, 1974 | Trophée Lancôme | −5 (66-74-70-73=283) | 3 strokes | Template:Flagicon Hale Irwin |
| 4 | Oct 13, 1974 | Lancia d'Oro | −5 (68-69-72=209) | 5 strokes | Template:Flagicon Bobby Cole |
| 5 | Dec 14, 1975 | Hassan II Golf Trophy (2) | −8 (72-71-73-68=284) | 11 strokes | Template:Flagicon Tommy Aaron, Template:Flagicon Ron Cerrudo |
| 6 | Mar 14, 1976 | Gran Premio Is Molas<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> | +4 (74-71-70-77=292) | Playoff | Template:Flagicon Lanny Wadkins |
Senior PGA Tour wins (9)Edit
| Legend |
|---|
| Senior PGA Tour major championships (2) |
| Other Senior PGA Tour (7) |
Senior PGA Tour playoff record (2–3)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1981 | U.S. Senior Open | Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer, Template:Flagicon Bob Stone | Palmer won 18-hole playoff; Palmer: E (70), Stone: +4 (74), Casper: +7 (77) |
| 2 | 1982 | Merrill Lynch/Golf Digest Commemorative Pro-Am | Template:Flagicon Bob Toski | Won with a birdie on the fourth extra hole |
| 3 | 1983 | Gatlin Brothers Seniors Golf Classic | Template:Flagicon Don January | Lost to par on the fifth extra hole |
| 4 | 1983 | U.S. Senior Open | Template:Flagicon Rod Funseth | Won with birdie on first extra hole after 18-hole playoff; Casper: +4 (75), Funseth: +4 (75) |
| 5 | 1988 | United Hospitals Classic | Template:Flagicon Bruce Crampton | Lost to a birdie on the first extra hole |
Other senior wins (1)Edit
- 1984 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Gay Brewer)
Major championshipsEdit
Wins (3)Edit
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | U.S. Open | 3 shot lead | −2 (71-68-69-74=282) | 1 stroke | Template:Flagdeco Bob Rosburg |
| 1966 | U.S. Open (2) | 3 shot deficit | −2 (69-68-73-68=278) | Playoff 1 | Template:Flagdeco Arnold Palmer |
| 1970 | Masters Tournament | 1 shot lead | −9 (72-68-68-71=279) | Playoff 2 | Template:Flagdeco Gene Littler |
1 Defeated Palmer in an 18-hole playoff: Casper 69 (−1), Palmer 73 (+3).
2 Defeated Littler in an 18-hole playoff: Casper 69 (−3), Littler 74 (+2).
Results timelineEdit
| Tournament | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T16 | T20 | CUT | |
| U.S. Open | T14 | CUT | T13 | 1 |
| The Open Championship | ||||
| PGA Championship | 2 | T17 |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 4 | T7 | T15 | T11 | T5 | T35 | T10 | T24 | T16 | T2 |
| U.S. Open | T12 | T17 | CUT | 4 | T17 | 1 | 4 | T9 | T40 | |
| The Open Championship | 4 | T25 | ||||||||
| PGA Championship | T24 | T15 | T51 | T9 | T2 | T3 | 19 | T6 | T35 |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 1 | T13 | T17 | T17 | T37 | 6 | 8 | T14 | CUT | 43 |
| U.S. Open | T8 | CUT | T11 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T30 | |||
| The Open Championship | T17 | T7 | T40 | |||||||
| PGA Championship | T18 | 2 | T4 | T35 | T63 | T5 | T51 | T31 | CUT | CUT |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | T57 | CUT | T50 | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open | ||||||||||
| The Open Championship | ||||||||||
| PGA Championship | CUT | T67 | CUT |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | WD | |
| U.S. Open | ||||||||||
| The Open Championship | ||||||||||
| PGA Championship |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | WD | CUT | WD | |||
| U.S. Open | ||||||
| The Open Championship | ||||||
| PGA Championship |
Template:Legend
Template:Legend
Template:Legend
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" = tied
SummaryEdit
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 45 | 23 |
| U.S. Open | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 20 | 14 |
| The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 24 | 20 |
| Totals | 3 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 24 | 47 | 94 | 62 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 27 (1962 PGA – 1971 Masters)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 4 (twice)
Champions Tour major championshipsEdit
Wins (2)Edit
| Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | United States Senior Open | +4 (73-69-73-73=288) | Playoff1 | Template:Flagdeco Rod Funseth |
| 1988 | Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship | −10 (69-68-74-67=278) | 2 strokes | Template:Flagdeco Al Geiberger |
1 The 18-hole playoff finished in a tie, Casper (75) to Funseth (75), Casper won with a birdie on the first sudden-death hole.
U.S. national team appearancesEdit
Professional
- Ryder Cup: 1961 (winners), 1963 (winners), 1965 (winners), 1967 (winners), 1969 (winners), 1971 (winners), 1973 (winners), 1975 (winners), 1979 (winners, non-playing captain)
See alsoEdit
- List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins
- List of men's major championships winning golfers
- List of longest PGA Tour win streaks
ReferencesEdit
Further readingEdit
External linksEdit
- Template:Official website
- Billy Casper Golf Academy
- Template:PGATour player
- Template:EuroTour player
- Template:World Golf Hall of Fame
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