Bill Collins (golfer)
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox golfer William R. Collins (September 23, 1928 – April 8, 2006) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s and the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.
Early life
Collins was born in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania.[1] He grew up in Baltimore, Maryland.
Professional career
Collins joined the PGA Tour in 1958[1] and won four events between 1959 and 1962.[2] His first victory came at the 1959 Greater New Orleans Open Invitational by three strokes (280) over Jack Burke Jr. and Tom Nieporte. In 1960, Collins finished in a three-way tie for first at the end of regulation at the Insurance City Open, which he and Jack Fleck lost in a playoff to Arnold Palmer. His best finishes in major championships were T-7 at The Masters in 1961 and a 7th-place finish at the 1964 U.S. Open.[3] He was a member of the victorious 1961 Ryder Cup team.
Collins was forced to quit the Tour after back surgery in 1963. In 1965, he took a club pro job at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, New York and remained there until December 1981.[1] He joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1982 and won the Greater Syracuse Senior's Pro Golf Classic in his first full season.[2]
Death
Collins died in Woodstock, Georgia at the age of 77.
Professional wins (7)
PGA Tour wins (4)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 9, 1959 | Greater New Orleans Open Invitational | −8 (68-72-70-70=280) | 3 strokes | Template:Flagicon Jack Burke Jr., Template:Flagicon Tom Nieporte |
| 2 | May 2, 1960 | Houston Classic | −8 (66-71-68-75=280) | Playoff | Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer |
| 3 | May 22, 1960 | Hot Springs Open Invitational | −13 (68-70-68-69=275) | 3 strokes | Template:Flagicon Pete Cooper |
| 4 | Jul 8, 1962 | Buick Open Invitational | −4 (70-71-71-72=284) | 1 stroke | Template:Flagicon Dave Ragan |
PGA Tour playoff record (1–3)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1960 | Phoenix Open Invitational | Template:Flagicon Jack Fleck | Lost 18-hole playoff; Fleck: −3 (68), Collins: E (71) |
| 2 | 1960 | Houston Classic | Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer | Won 18-hole playoff; Collins: −3 (69), Palmer: −1 (71) |
| 3 | 1960 | Insurance City Open Invitational | Template:Flagicon Jack Fleck, Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer | Palmer won with birdie on third extra hole Collins eliminated by birdie on first hole |
| 4 | 1962 | Hot Springs Open Invitational | Template:Flagicon Al Johnston | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
Source:[4]
Other wins (2)
Senior PGA Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 22, 1982 | Greater Syracuse Senior's Pro Golf Classic | +1 (73-71-71-70=285) | 1 stroke | Template:Flagicon Guy Wolstenholme |
U.S. national team appearances
Professional
References
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External links
Template:1961 United States Ryder Cup team Template:Authority control
- Pages with script errors
- American male golfers
- PGA Tour golfers
- PGA Tour Champions golfers
- Ryder Cup competitors for the United States
- Golfers from Pennsylvania
- Sportspeople from Somerset County, Pennsylvania
- People from Purchase, New York
- Golfers from Westchester County, New York
- 1928 births
- 2006 deaths
- 20th-century American sportsmen