Don January
Don January | |||
---|---|---|---|
Personal information | |||
Full name | Donald Ray January | ||
Born | Plainview, Texas | November 20, 1929||
Sporting nationality | ![]() | ||
Spouse | Patricia | ||
Children | Cherie, Richard, Tim | ||
Career | |||
College | North Texas State College | ||
Turned professional | 1956 | ||
Retired | 1999 | ||
Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Senior PGA Tour | ||
Professional wins | 45 | ||
Number of wins by tour | |||
PGA Tour | 10 | ||
PGA Tour Champions | 22 (tied 7th all time) | ||
Other | 13 | ||
Best results in major championships (wins: 1) | |||
Masters Tournament | T4: 1971 | ||
PGA Championship | Won: 1967 | ||
U.S. Open | 3rd: 1967 | ||
The Open Championship | DNP | ||
Achievements and awards | |||
|
Donald Ray January (born November 20, 1929) is an American retired professional golfer, best known for winning the 1967 PGA Championship.
Early life[]
Born in Plainview, Texas, January graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas. He was a member of the North Texas State golf team that won four consecutive NCAA Division I titles from 1949 to 1952. January is a Member of the Sunset High School Hall of Fame.
While in college as a sophomore, as part of his scholarship, he helped teach a beginning golf class, where he met his future wife, Patricia "Pat" Rushing. They both graduated in 1953 and eloped to Ardmore, Oklahoma. They lived in San Antonio while Don was in the Air Force, and began their family—two boys and a girl.[1]
Professional career[]
January won 10 PGA Tour titles, though never more than one in a year, with his most notable at the 1967 PGA Championship, an 18-hole playoff victory over Don Massengale. January had lost the 1961 PGA Championship in a playoff to Jerry Barber when his 68, the lowest losing score ever in an 18-hole playoff for a major championship, was bested by Barber's 67. He won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average in 1976 at the age of 47. He was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in both 1965 and 1977.
January was responsible for a change to the Rules of Golf. During the 1963 Phoenix Open, January had a putt roll up to the lip of the hole and stop. January claimed that the ball was still moving, and waited for seven minutes for the ball to drop (it never did).[2] Rule 16-2 was revised in 1964 to state that players had to tap the ball in within ten seconds or be penalized.[3]
In the period between his last PGA Tour win and the start of the Senior PGA Tour, January devoted most of his professional efforts to a golf course design business, JanMart Enterprises, that he had established with fellow Texan and PGA Tour golfer Billy Martindale.
January is well known for his success on the Senior PGA Tour (now the Champions Tour),[4] winning 22 events including two PGA Seniors' Championships. In 1980, he won the first official event on the Senior PGA Tour—the Atlantic City Senior International.[5]
The Don January Golf Classic is a golf tournament played annually in the spring that was established to honor him in 1990 by his alma mater, now known as the University of North Texas.
In early 1961, January appeared as himself on the March 6 episode of the game show To Tell the Truth. He received two votes.[6]
Professional wins (45)[]
PGA Tour wins (10)[]
Legend |
Major championships (1) |
Other PGA Tour (9) |
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | May 27, 1956 | Dallas Centennial Open | −12 (64-67-70-67=268) | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() |
2 | Feb 21, 1960 | Tucson Open Invitational | −9 (67-67-68-69=271) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
3 | Jul 9, 1961 | St. Paul Open Invitational | −19 (66-71-68-64=269) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
4 | Feb 17, 1963 | Tucson Open Invitational (2) | −22 (65-67-69-65=266) | 11 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
5 | Aug 28, 1966 | Philadelphia Golf Classic | −10 (69-69-69-71=278) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
6 | Jul 24, 1967 | PGA Championship | −7 (71-72-70-68=281) | Playoff | ![]() |
7 | Apr 21, 1968 | Tournament of Champions | −8 (70-68-69-69=276) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
8 | Mar 23, 1970 | Greater Jacksonville Open | −9 (68-75-70-66=279) | Playoff | ![]() |
9 | Oct 19, 1975 | San Antonio Texas Open | −13 (71-67-71-66=275) | Playoff | ![]() |
10 | Apr 18, 1976 | MONY Tournament of Champions (2) | −11 (71-68-69-69=277) | 5 strokes | ![]() |
PGA Tour playoff record (3–5)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1956 | Western Open | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Fetchick won 18-hole playoff; Fetchick: −6 (66), Hebert: −1 (71), Ford: E (72), January: +3 (75) |
2 | 1961 | PGA Championship | ![]() |
Lost 18-hole playoff; Barber: −3 (67), January: −2 (68) |
3 | 1964 | Lucky International Open | ![]() |
Lost 18-hole playoff; Rodríguez: −1 (70), January: E (71) |
4 | 1967 | PGA Championship | ![]() |
Won 18-hole playoff; January: −3 (69), Massengale: −1 (71) |
5 | 1969 | Kaiser International Open Invitational | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Nicklaus won with birdie on second extra hole January eliminated by birdie on first hole |
6 | 1970 | Greater Jacksonville Open | ![]() |
Won 18-hole playoff; January: −3 (69), Douglass: E (72) |
7 | 1971 | Houston Champions International | ![]() |
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
8 | 1975 | San Antonio Texas Open | ![]() |
Won with birdie on second extra hole |
Other wins (2)[]
This list may be incomplete
- 1956 Apple Valley Clambake[7]
- 1959 Valencia Open Invitational[7]
Senior PGA Tour wins (22)[]
Legend |
Senior major championships (1) |
Other Senior PGA Tour (21) |
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jun 22, 1980 | Atlantic City Senior International | −5 (68-71-69=208) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
2 | Apr 5, 1981 | Michelob-Egypt Temple Senior Classic | −8 (71-70-72-67=280) | Playoff | ![]() |
3 | Jun 7, 1981 | Eureka Federal Savings Classic | −5 (71-69-68=208) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
4 | Apr 4, 1982 | Michelob Senior Classic (2) | −10 (73-69-67-69=278) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
5 | Dec 5, 1982 | PGA Seniors' Championship | E (74-75-69-70=288) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
6 | Jun 5, 1983 | Gatlin Brothers Seniors Golf Classic | −8 (71-67-68=208) | Playoff | ![]() |
7 | Jun 26, 1983 | Peter Jackson Champions | −10 (68-67-71-68=274) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
8 | Jul 3, 1983 | Marlboro Classic | −11 (69-72-68-64=273) | 3 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
9 | Aug 21, 1983 | Denver Post Champions of Golf | −17 (70-65-67-69=271) | 4 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
10 | Sep 4, 1983 | Citizens Union Senior Golf Classic | −19 (67-67-65-70=269) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
11 | Oct 16, 1983 | Suntree Classic | −14 (69-66-68-71=274) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
12 | Mar 25, 1984 | The Vintage Invitational | −8 (70-72-72-66=280) | 4 strokes | ![]() |
13 | Aug 12, 1984 | du Maurier Champions (2) | −19 (65-63-66=194) | 5 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
14 | Sep 23, 1984 | Digital Middlesex Classic (2) | −7 (70-70-69=209) | 4 strokes | ![]() |
15 | Mar 24, 1985 | Senior PGA Tour Roundup | −18 (65-69-64=198) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
16 | May 12, 1985 | Dominion Seniors | −10 (69-70-67=206) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
17 | May 19, 1985 | United Hospitals Senior Golf Championship | −5 (69-66=135)* | 5 strokes | ![]() |
18 | Jul 7, 1985 | The Greenbrier American Express Championship | −16 (70-64-66=200) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
19 | Jun 8, 1986 | Senior Players Reunion Pro-Am | −13 (66-68-69=203) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
20 | Jul 13, 1986 | The Greenbrier American Express Championship (2) | −9 (70-66-71-207) | Playoff | ![]() |
21 | Nov 2, 1986 | Seiko-Tucson Match Play Championship | E (70) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
22 | Jan 10, 1987 | MONY Senior Tournament of Champions | −1 (67-72-73-75=287) | Playoff | ![]() |
*Note: The 1985 United Hospitals Senior Golf Championship was shortened to 36 holes due to rain.
Senior PGA Tour playoff record (4–1)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1981 | Michelob-Egypt Temple Senior Classic | ![]() |
Won with birdie on first extra hole |
2 | 1983 | Gatlin Brothers Seniors Golf Classic | ![]() |
Won with par on fifth extra hole |
3 | 1985 | Digital Seniors Classic | ![]() ![]() |
Elder won with birdie on first extra hole |
4 | 1986 | The Greenbrier American Express Championship | ![]() |
Won with par on first extra hole |
5 | 1987 | MONY Senior Tournament of Champions | ![]() |
Won with birdie on fourth extra hole |
Other senior wins (12)[]
- 1979 PGA Seniors' Championship
- 1980 Australian Seniors Championship[8]
- 1982 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Sam Snead)
- 1984 Shootout at Jeremy Ranch (with Mike Sullivan)
- 1985 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Gene Littler), Mazda Champions (with Alice Miller)
- 1986 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Gene Littler)
- 1993 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Legendary Division
- 1994 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Legendary Division (with Gene Littler)
- 1997 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Legendary Division (with Gene Littler)
- 2001 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Gene Littler)
- 2004 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Gene Littler)
Major championships[]
Wins (1)[]
Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1967 | PGA Championship | 4 shot deficit | −7 (71-72-70-68=281) | Playoff1 | ![]() |
1Defeated Massengale in an 18-hole playoff, 69 to 71.
Results timeline[]
Tournament | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | 36 | |||||||
U.S. Open | CUT | CUT | T7 | T19 | ||||
PGA Championship | T49 |
Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T20 | T4 | T20 | T9 | T18 | CUT | T6 | T26 | T14 | T5 |
U.S. Open | CUT | CUT | 11 | T11 | CUT | T17 | 3 | T24 | WD | |
PGA Championship | 5 | 2 | T27 | T40 | CUT | T12 | 1 | T51 | T15 |
Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T12 | T4 | CUT | T10 | T33 | T8 | T11 | CUT | ||
U.S. Open | T27 | T11 | T29 | T14 | ||||||
PGA Championship | T12 | CUT | CUT | T10 | T2 | T6 | T19 | T7 |
Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 |
---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | CUT | ||
U.S. Open | |||
PGA Championship | CUT | T19 | CUT |
Note: January never played in The Open Championship.
CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1964 PGA Championship)
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Summary[]
Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 16 |
U.S. Open | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 11 |
The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
PGA Championship | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 16 |
Totals | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 34 | 58 | 43 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 10 (twice)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (1976 PGA – 1977 PGA)
Champions Tour major championships[]
Wins (1)[]
Year | Championship | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|
1982 | Senior PGA Championship | E (74-75-69-70=288) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
See also[]
References[]
- ^ http://northtexan.unt.edu/content/par-success
- ^ "Player cools heels 7 minutes; Misses putt, miffed at January". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. February 15, 1963. p. 4, part 2.
- ^ Zullo, Allan (2001). Astonishing but True Golf Facts. Forest Fairview, North Carolina: Andrew McMeels Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-1426-0.
- ^ "Golfer profile: Don January". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 21, 1998. Archived from the original on June 25, 2003.
- ^ Bingham, Walter (February 16, 1998). "Built To Last". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
- ^ "To Tell The Truth". You Tube. CBS Television. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
- ^ a b "Don January". Chicago Tribune. August 4, 1988. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "Golf: Champions warn opponents". The Canberra Times. 1981-06-18. p. 27. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
External links[]
- Don January at the PGA Tour official site
- American male golfers
- North Texas Mean Green men's golfers
- PGA Tour golfers
- PGA Tour Champions golfers
- Ryder Cup competitors for the United States
- Winners of men's major golf championships
- Winners of senior major golf championships
- Golf course architects
- Golfers from Texas
- People from Plainview, Texas
- 1929 births
- Living people