Who's who: Doug Ford

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Doug Ford

  • Name:

    Douglas Michael "Doug" Ford Sr
  • Country:

    USA
  • Lived:

    [1922-2018]. Born Aug 6, 1922 in West Haven, Connecticut. Died on May 14, 2018 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (aged 95).
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    1949

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (2): US PGA Championship (1955); The Masters (1957). Ryder Cup player (1955, '57, '59, '61).

Did you know?

Ford was a talented baseball player who received a contract offer from the New York Yankees. He opted for a career in golf, advised by his father that it would very probably outlast a career in baseball. Ford was still playing golf on a regular basis into his late 80s.

Top tournaments won by Doug Ford

1981
America
208 (-8)
$20,000
Golf Digest

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Score

208 (-8)

Prize money

$20,000

Title sponsor

Golf Digest

Played as the Golf Digest Commemorative Pro-Am (unofficial US Snr Tr event). First-time US Snr Tr winner Ford (USA) beat 69-year-old defending champion Sam Snead (USA) with a birdie at the first playoff hole (par-4 16th). [Newport CC, Newport, Rhode Island].

1963
America
280 (-4)
$9,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Score

280 (-4)

Prize money

$9,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Canadian Open (July 3-6). Second-placed Al Geiberger (USA) finished 1 shot behind Doug Ford (USA), who recorded his second win in this event and the last of his 19 PGA Tour wins. [Scarboro G&CC, Toronto, Ont.].

1962
America
Mt Pleasant GC
279 (-9)
$5,300
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Mt Pleasant GC

Score

279 (-9)

Prize money

$5,300

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Eastern Open (June 21-24; not played again as a PGA Tour event until 1970, when it resurfaced as the Doral-Eastern Open, and was played as such until 1986; see "Doral Open"). Second-placed Bob Goalby (USA) finished 1 shot behind 39-year-old Doug Ford (USA). [Mt Pleasant Municipal GC, Baltimore, MD].

1962
America
286 (-2)
$5,300
Bing Crosby

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Score

286 (-2)

Prize money

$5,300

Title sponsor

Bing Crosby

Played as the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am (Jan 18-22). Ford (USA) beat Joe Campbell (USA) at the first playoff hole. Monday finish after earlier bad weather. [Pebble Beach Links, Monterey Peninsula, CA. Earlier rounds also at: Cypress Point Club and Monterey Peninsula CC].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Score

273 (-11)

Prize money

$9,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the "500" Festival Open Invitational (May 25-28; held in conjunction with the Indy 500 race week). Defending champion Doug Ford (USA) beat Arnold Palmer (USA) with a 12-foot birdie putt at the second playoff hole. [Brickyard Crossing GC, at the time known as Speedway GC, Indianapolis, IN].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Score

270 (-14)

Prize money

$9,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the inaugural "500" Festival Open Invitational (May 26-29; held in conjunction with the Indy 500 race week). Second-placed Jerry Barber (USA) finished 2 shots behind Doug Ford (USA). [Brickyard Crossing GC, at the time known as Speedway GC, Indianapolis, IN].

1959
America
Islesmere GC
276 (-12)
$3,500
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Islesmere GC

Score

276 (-12)

Prize money

$3,500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Canadian Open (50th) (June 17-20). Second-placed Dow Finsterwald (USA), Art Wall (USA) and Bo Wininger (USA) finished 2 shots behind Doug Ford (USA). [GC Islesmere, Sainte-Dorothée Laval, Québec].

1958
America
Pensacola CC
278 (-10)
$2,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Pensacola CC

Score

278 (-10)

Prize money

$2,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Pensacola Open (March 13-16). Second-placed Ken Venturi (USA) and defending champion Art Wall Jr (USA) finished 2 shots behind Ford (USA). [Pensacola CC, Pensacola, FL].

1957
Majors
283 (-5)
$8,750
x

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Score

283 (-5)

Prize money

$8,750

Title sponsor

x

The Masters Tournament (21st) (April 4-7). Second-placed Sam Snead (USA) finished 3 shots behind Ford (USA), who recorded his second major championship victory. Ford holed-out from a greenside bunker to cement his win with a birdie-three at the 72nd hole. [Augusta National GC, Augusta, GA].

1957
America
Panama GC
277 (-11)
$2,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Panama GC

Score

277 (-11)

Prize money

$2,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Panama Open. Won by Ford (USA). [GC de Panama, Panama City, Panama].

1957
America
280 (-4)
$7,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Score

280 (-4)

Prize money

$7,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Los Angeles Open (Jan 4-7; PGA Tour season opener). Second-placed Jay Hebert (USA) finished 1 shot behind Ford (USA). [Rancho Park GC, Los Angeles, CA].

1957
America
Plum Hollow
279 (-5)
$5,000
WGA

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Plum Hollow

Score

279 (-5)

Prize money

$5,000

Title sponsor

WGA

Played as the Western Open (Jun 27-30). Doug Ford (USA) beat George Bayer (USA) with a par at the third playoff hole. Gene Littler (USA) and Billy Maxwell (USA) were eliminated at the first playoff hole. [Plum Hollow CC, Southfield, nr Detroit, Mich.].

1956
America
Inwood CC
288 (-4)
$1,000
Metropolitan GA

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Inwood CC

Score

288 (-4)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

Metropolitan GA

Played as the Metropolitan Open. (Sept 18-20; Metropolitan Golf Assoc event). Second-placed Mike Turnesa (USA) finished 3 shots behind Doug Ford (USA), who shot a course record 7-under-par 66 in the final round to clinch the win. [Inwood CC, Inwood, Long Island, NY].

1955
America
Tam O'Shanter
277 (-11)
$3,420
George S. May

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Tam O'Shanter

Score

277 (-11)

Prize money

$3,420

Title sponsor

George S. May

Played as the All American Open (Aug 4-7; aka the Tam O'Shanter). Second-placed Leo Biagetti (USA) finished 3 shots behind Doug Ford (USA). [Tam O'Shanter CC, Niles, nr Chicago, IL; now the municipal Tam O'Shanter Golf Course].

1955
Awards
x
n/a
PGA of America

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Score

x

Prize money

n/a

Title sponsor

PGA of America

Ford (USA) won the PGA of America Player of the Year Award (based on points allocated for PGA Tour wins, money-list position and scoring average).

1955
Majors
Meadowbrook, Mich.
4 & 3
$5,000
PGA of America

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Meadowbrook, Mich.

Score

4 & 3

Prize money

$5,000

Title sponsor

PGA of America

The US PGA Championship (37th) (July 20-26). Ford (USA) beat Dr Cary Middlecoff (USA) 4 and 3 in the 36-hole final. Ford was competing in his first PGA Championship. [Meadowbrook CC, Northville, nr Detroit, Mich.].

1954
America
Starmount Forest
283 (-1)
$2,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Starmount Forest

Score

283 (-1)

Prize money

$2,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Greater Greensboro Open (April 1-5). Ford (USA) beat Marty Furgol (USA) by 3 shots in an 18-hole playoff (Ford 72, Furgol 75). [Starmount Forest CC, Greensboro, NC].

1953
America
Summerlea G&CC
265 (-15)
$5,000
Labatt Brewing

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Summerlea G&CC

Score

265 (-15)

Prize money

$5,000

Title sponsor

Labatt Brewing

Played as the inaugural Labatt Open (Aug 20-23). Second-placed Walter Burkemo (USA) finished 5 shots behind Doug Ford (USA). [Summerlea G&CC, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Québec].

1953
America
Cavalier Y&CC
262 (-14)
$2,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Cavalier Y&CC

Score

262 (-14)

Prize money

$2,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the inaugural Virginia Beach Open (April 16-19). Second-placed Ansel Snow (USA) finished 2 shots behind Ford (USA), who claimed his second PGA Tour win. [Cavalier Y&CC, Virginia Beach, Virginia; now called Cavalier G&YC].

1953
America
Miami Springs G&CC
272 (-8)
$2,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Venue

Miami Springs G&CC

Score

272 (-8)

Prize money

$2,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Miami Open (Dec 10-13). Second-placed Sam Snead (USA) finished 4 shots behind Doug Ford (USA). [Miami Springs G&CC, Miami, FL; at the time known as Miami Springs Municipal Course].

1952
America
280 (-8)
$2,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Ford, Doug

Score

280 (-8)

Prize money

$2,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Jacksonville Open (March 21-24). Following a tie at the end of regulation play, Sam Snead (USA) forfeited an 18-hole playoff to 28-year-old Ford (USA), who recorded his first PGA Tour win. Snead's forfeit was based on him not wanting fans to think he won unfairly, following a favourable ruling he received during a penalty incident in the second round. [Hyde Park GC, Jacksonville, FL].

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