Don January
Name:
Donald Ray "Don" JanuaryCountry:
USABorn:
Nov 20, 1929 in Plainview, Texas.Original/Home Club:
Occupation:
Professional golferTurned Pro:
1955America
MONY
Played as the MONY Senior Tournament of Champions (Jan 7-10; Senior PGA Tour season-opener). Don January (USA) beat Butch Baird (USA) with a birdie at the fourth playoff hole, to record the last of his 22 wins on the Tour. [North course, La Costa Resort, Carlsbad, Calif. Now known as Champions course].
Played as the Greenbrier American Express Championship (July 11-13). Defending champion January (USA) beat Jim Ferree (USA) with a par at the first playoff hole. [Greenbrier GC, White Sulphur Springs, WV].
America
Seiko
Played as the Seiko-Tucson Senior Match Play Championship (Oct 31-Nov 2). January (USA) beat Bob Charles (NZ) in the 18-hole final (January 70, Charles 71). [North course, Randolph GC, Tucson, AZ].
America
x
Played as the Senior Players Reunion Pro-Am. Second-placed Chi Chi Rodriguez (PR/USA) finished 2 shots behind January (USA). [Bent Tree CC, Dallas, Texas].
America
Liberty Mutual
Played as the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (unofficial two-man better-ball team event). Second-placed Jim Ferree (USA) and Charlie Sifford (USA) finished 2 shots behind Don January (USA) & Gene Littler (USA). [Onion Creek Club, Austin, Texas].
America
x
Played as the Senior PGA Tour Roundup (March 22-24). Second-placed Gene Littler (USA) finished 3 shots behind January (USA). [Hillcrest GC, Sun City West, Phoenix, AZ].
America
Liberty Mutual
Played as the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (unofficial two-man better-ball team event). Second-placed Miller Barber (USA) & Gay Brewer (USA), Billy Casper (USA) & Lee Elder (USA) and Bob Goalby (USA) & Sam Snead (USA) finished 1 shot behind Don January (USA) & Gene Littler (USA). [Onion Creek Club, Austin, Texas].
America
x
Played as the inaugural Dominion Seniors. Second-placed Gay Brewer (USA) finished 2 shots behind January (USA). [Dominion CC, San Antonio, Texas].
America
Utd Hospitals
Played as the inaugural United Hospitals Senior Championship. Second-placed Al Balding (Can) finished 5 shots behind January (USA). [Chester Valley GC, Malvern, nr Philadelphia, PA].
America
Mazda
Played as the Mazda Champions (Dec 20/21; unofficial 36-hole better-ball team event; teams comprised an LPGA Tr and Snr PGA Tr player). Winning team of Alice Miller (USA) & Don January (USA) beat Pat Bradley (USA) & Lee Elder (USA) with a 12-foot birdie putt at the second playoff hole. [Tryall Club, Montego Bay, Jamaica].
Awards
Snr PGA Tr
January (USA) won his fifth (and fourth straight) Byron Nelson Award, recording the season's lowest scoring average on the Senior PGA Tour. Peter Thomson (Aus) was second with 70.17; Lee Elder (USA) was third with 70.63.
America
Amex
Played as the inaugural Greenbrier American Express Championship (July 5-7). Second-placed Lee Elder (USA) finished 2 shots behind January (USA). [Greenbrier GC, White Sulphur Springs, WV].
Awards
Snr PGA Tr
January (USA) won his third (and second straight) Arnold Palmer Award as the Senior PGA Tour 1984 leading money winner, with earnings of $328,597 on the Tour. Miller Barber (USA) was second with $299,099; Peter Thomson (Aus) was third with $228,940.
Awards
Snr PGA Tr
January (USA) won his fourth (and third straight) Byron Nelson Award, recording the season's lowest scoring average on the Senior PGA Tour. Miller Barber (USA) was second with 71.13; Peter Thomson (Aus) was third with 71.59.
America
x
Played as the Shootout at Jeremy Ranch (unofficial two-man better-ball event; Snr Tr player paired with a PGA Tr player). Second-placed Al Besselink (USA) & Donnie Hammond (USA) and Miller Barber (USA) & Gil Morgan (USA) finished 4 shots behind Don January (USA) & Mike Sullivan (USA). [Jeremy Ranch G&CC, Park City, nr Salt Lake City, Utah].
America
Digital
Played as the Digital Middlesex Classic. Second-placed Orville Moody (USA) finished 4 shots behind defending champion January (USA). [Nashawtuc CC, Concord, Massachusetts].
America
du Maurier
Played as the du Maurier Champions (Aug 10-12; formerly Peter Jackson Champions). Second-placed Miller Barber (USA) and Lee Elder (USA) finished 5 shots behind defending champion January (USA). [Royal Ottawa GC, Gatineau, Québec].
America
x
Played as the Vintage Invitational. Second-placed Miller Barber (USA) finished 4 shots behind January (USA). [Vintage Club, Palm Desert, California].
America
Denver Post
Played as the Denver Post Champions of Golf. Second-placed Billy Casper (USA) and Doug Sanders (USA) finished 4 shots behind January (USA). [Green Gables CC, Denver, Colorado; now permanently closed].
America
Gatlin Bros.
Played as the inaugural Gatlin Brothers Senior Golf Classic (June 3-5). January (USA) beat Billy Casper (USA) with a par at the fifth playoff hole. [Wildcreek GC, Sparks, Nevada].
America
Peter Jackson
Played as the Peter Jackson Champions (Jun 23-26). Second-placed Miller Barber (USA) finished 2 shots behind January (USA). [Earl Grey GC, Calgary, Alberta, Canada].
America
Citizens Union
Played as the inaugural Citizens Union Senior Classic. Second-placed Bob Stone (USA) finished 3 shots behind January (USA). [Griffin Gate Resort, Lexington, Kentucky].
America
Marlborough CC
Played as the Marlborough Classic. Second-placed Miller Barber (USA) and Gay Brewer (USA) finished 3 shots behind January (USA). [Marlborough CC, Marlborough, Massachusetts].
America
x
Played as the Suntree Classic. Second-placed Arnold Palmer (USA) finished 3 shots behind January (USA). [Suntree CC, Melbourne, Florida].
Awards
Snr PGA Tr
January (USA) won his second Arnold Palmer Award as the Senior PGA Tour 1983 leading money winner, with earnings of $237,571 on the Tour. Miller Barber (USA) was second with $231,008; Billy Casper (USA) was third with $136,749.
Awards
Snr PGA Tr
January (USA) won his third (and second straight) Byron Nelson Award, recording the season's lowest scoring average on the Senior PGA Tour. Miller Barber (USA) was second with 70.15; Doug Sanders (USA) was third with 70.44.
America
Liberty Mutual
Played as the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (unofficial two-man better-ball team event). Second-placed Sei-ha Chin (Taiw) & Bob Toski (USA), Gene Littler (USA) & Bob Rosburg (USA) and Roberto De Vicenzo (Arg) & Bob Goalby (USA) finished 8 shots behind Sam Snead (USA) & Don January (USA). Reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather. [Onion Creek Club, Austin, Texas].
Majors
PGA of America
Played as the PGA Seniors' Championship (Dec 2-5; Snr PGA Tr season-ending event). Second-placed Julius Boros (USA) finished 1 shot behind January (USA), who recorded his only senior major championship win. In 1967, on the main PGA Tour, January won the PGA Championship, his only other major championship title. [Champion course, PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gdns, FL].
America
Michelob
Played as the Michelob Seniors Classic (April 1-4; Snr PGA Tour season opener). Second-placed Dow Finsterwald (USA) finished 3 shots behind defending champion January (USA). [Carrollwood CC, Tampa, Florida; at the time known as Carrollwood Village G&CC].
Awards
Snr PGA Tr
January (USA) won his second Byron Nelson Award, recording the season's lowest scoring average on the Senior PGA Tour.
America
Michelob
Played as the inaugural Michelob Egypt Temple Seniors Classic (April 2-5; Snr PGA Tour season opener). January (USA) beat Doug Ford (USA) with a birdie at the first playoff hole. [Carrollwood CC, Tampa, Florida; at the time known as Carrollwood Village G&CC].
America
Eureka
Played as the inaugural (and only) Eureka Federal Savings Classic (June 4-7). Second-placed Bob Goalby (USA) finished 2 shots behind January (USA). [TPC Harding Park, San Francisco, CA].
Awards
Snr PGA Tr
January (USA) won the inaugural Byron Nelson Award, recording the season's lowest scoring average on the Senior PGA Tour.
America
x
Played as the Atlantic City Senior International (June 20-22; the very first official Senior PGA Tour event). Second-placed Mike Souchak (USA) finished 2 shots behind January (USA). [Atlantic City CC, Northfield, New Jersey].
Awards
Snr PGA Tr
January (USA) won the inaugural Arnold Palmer Award as the Senior PGA Tour 1980 leading money winner, with earnings of $44,100 on the Tour. Charlie Sifford (USA) was second with $34,929; Art Wall Jr (USA) was third with $20,829.
America
PGA of America
Played as the PGA Seniors' Championship (Dec 1979; the second of two Senior PGA Championships played in 1979). Second-placed George Bayer (USA) finished 8 shots behind Don January (USA). [Soffer course, Turberry Isle Resort, Aventura, FL; at the time called the South course]. Note: from 1980 onward, following the launch of the Senior PGA Tour, this event became a "senior major" championship.
Awards
PGA of America
January (USA) won the PGA of America Vardon Trophy, recording the season's lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour.
America
MONY
Played as the MONY Tournament of Champions (April 15-18). Second-placed Hubert Green (USA) finished 5 shots behind January (USA), who recorded the last of his 10 PGA Tour wins. [North course, La Costa Resort, Carlsbad, Calif. Now known as Champions course].
America
x
Played as the San Antonio Texas Open (Oct 16-19). Texas native Don January (USA) beat Larry Hinson (USA) with a birdie at the second playoff hole. [Woodlake GC, San Antonio, Texas].
America
x
Played as the Greater Jacksonville Open (March 20-23). January (USA) beat Dale Douglass (USA) in a Monday 18-hole playoff (January 69; Douglass 72). [Hidden Hills GC, nr Jacksonville, FL; at the time Hidden Hills CC].
America
x
Played as the Tournament of Champions (April 18-21). Second-placed Julius Boros (USA) finished 1 shot behind January (USA). [Las Vegas National GC, Las Vegas, NV; at the time known as Stardust CC].
Majors
PGA of America
The US PGA Championship (49th) (July 20-24). January (USA) beat Don Massengale (USA) in an 18-hole playoff: January 69 (-3), Massengale 71 (-1). This was January's first and only major championship win. [Columbine CC, Littleton, nr Denver, CO].
America
x
Played as the Philadelphia Golf Classic (Aug 25-28). Second-placed and defending champion Jack Nicklaus (USA) finished 1 shot behind Don January (USA), who recorded his fifth PGA Tour win. [Whitemarsh Valley CC, Lafayette Hill, nr Philadelphia, PA].
America
x
Played as the Tucson Open Invitational (Feb 14-17). Second-placed Gene Littler (USA) and Phil Rodgers (USA) finished 11 shots behind Don January (USA), who won this event for the second time in four years. [Forty Niner CC, Tucson, AZ].
America
x
Played as the Tucson Open Invitational (Feb 18-21). Second-placed Bob Harris (USA) finished 3 shots behind Don January (USA), who recorded his second PGA Tour win. [El Rio G&CC, Tucson, AZ. Now known as El Rio GC].
America
x
Played as the Dallas Centennial Open (May 24-27; for the first time since 1946). Second-placed Dow Finsterwald (USA) and Doug Ford (USA) finished 1 shot behind first-time PGA Tour winner January (USA). [Preston Hollow CC, Dallas, TX. This club no longer exists].
Tournament of Champions: the PGA Tour’s calendar-year starts, as it has done since 1999, with this iconic event in Hawaii. The field is drawn from players who won a PGA Tour event in 2022, or were amongst the top 30 in last year’s FedEx Cup final standings (Jan 6-9).
Desert Swing: the European (DP World) Tour launches into 2023 with three events in its UAE “Desert Swing”. Up first is the Abu Dhabi Championship (Jan 19-22), followed by the Dubai Desert Classic (Jan 26-29) and the Ras Al Kaimah Championship (Feb 2-5).
Kathy Whitworth: the end of 2022 saw the passing of LPGA Tour legend Kathy Whitworth. Her 88 LPGA Tour victories is more than achieved by any other golfer on either the LPGA or PGA Tours. Amongst her victories were six major championship titles.
Barry Lane: the golfing world was also saddened by the passing of Barry Lane, one of the European Tour and European Senior Tours most popular players. Enjoying success on both Tours, Lane was know for his excellent ball-striking and amiable personality.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
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Costa’s "Cruise & Golf" allows golfers and their families to combine a unique golfing experience with the relaxation and fun of a cruise on board Costa Smeralda. Golf enthusiasts are offered a choice from 23 top-quality golf clubs; their chosen courses are played during the ship’s port calls in Italy, France and Spain. While the golfers are driving the fairways, accompanying non-golfers are able to enjoy the amenities and activities on-board, or explore wonderful places on day excursions organised by Costa. Read more ...
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