Jerry Barber : biography
Carl Jerome "Jerry" Barber (April 25, 1916 – September 23, 1994) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He had seven wins on tour, including a major title, the 1961 PGA Championship.
Born in Woodson, Illinois, Barber was one of nine children raised on an Illinois farm near Jacksonville, and turned professional in 1942. Small in stature, he was one of the top putters of his era.
Barber was a full-time member of the PGA Tour from 1948 to 1962. He played on two Ryder Cup teams, 1955 and 1961; and was also the team captain in 1961. Barber earned a living primarily as a club professional like most of the touring pros of his generation; he worked at Los Angeles’ Wilshire Country Club. He was the Player of the Year on the PGA Tour in 1961, unseating Arnold Palmer for a year.
At the 1961 PGA Championship in Illinois near Chicago, rain delays forced the second round to be completed on Saturday amd the final two rounds on Sunday, briefly delayed by another storm. Barber led after the second round, but trailed Don January by four shots with three holes to play in the final round. In high heat and humidity, Barber made a birdie putt at the 16th hole, a par-saving putt at 17, and a birdie putt at 18 to tie January and force an 18-hole Monday playoff, which Barber won by one stroke. At age 45, he was the oldest player at the time to win a major title, surpassed seven years later by Julius Boros in 1968 at age 48.
Barber holds the record for the oldest player to ever play on the PGA Tour, when he played in the 1994 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines at the age of 77 years, 10 months, and 9 days. He died later that year.
Often referred to in the media as "little Jerry Barber," he stood . In 1966, he portrayed himself in a guest appearance on episode #23 of I Dream of Jeannie.
Barber and his wife Lucile, who died of cancer in 1968, had five children: Tom, Nancy, twins Sandra and Sally, and Roger. Barber died in Glendale, California at the age of 78, after suffering a mitral valve prolapse and a stroke.
Professional wins (13)
PGA Tour wins (7)
- 1953 (1) Azalea Open Invitational
- 1954 (1) All American Open
- 1960 (2) Yorba Linda Open Invitational, Tournament of Champions
- 1961 (2) Azalea Open Invitational, PGA Championship
- 1963 (1) Azalea Open Invitational
Major championship is shown in bold.
Other wins (4)
this list may be incomplete
- 1950 Pennsylvania Open Championship
- 1951 Waterloo Open Golf Classic
- 1952 Waterloo Open Golf Classic
- 1959 California State Open
Other senior wins (2)
- 1987 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Legendary Division (with Doug Ford)
- 1993 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division
Senior PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponents | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1985 | Digital Seniors Classic | USA}} Lee Elder, Don January | Elder won with birdie on first extra hole |
Major championships
Wins (1)
Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | PGA Championship | 2 shot deficit | −3 (69-67-71-70=277) | Playoff1 | USA}} Don January |
1Defeated Don January in an 18-hole Monday playoff, 67 to 68
Results timeline
Tournament | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
U.S. Open | CUT | DNP | DNP | CUT |
The Open Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |