Who's who: Jim Turnesa

  • 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: Jim Turnesa

  • Name:

    James R. "Jim" Turnesa
  • Country:

    USA
  • Lived:

    [1912-1971]. Born on Dec 9, 1912 in New York City. Died on Aug 27, 1971 in Elmsford, New York (aged 58).
  • Original/Home Club:

    Elmsford, NY
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    1931

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (1): US PGA Championship (1952). Ryder Cup player (1927, '29, '53).

Did you know?

Jim Turnesa was the sixth of seven Turnesa golfing brothers: Phil (b.1896), Frank (b.1898), Joe (b.1901), Mike (b.1907), Doug (b.1909), JIM (b.1912) and Willie (b.1914). All the brothers, bar one, became professionals and most chalked up several Tour victories. Jim was the only one to achieve major championship success, and Willie the only one to remain an amateur ... recording wins in both the British (1947) and U.S. (1938, '48) Amateur Championships.

Top tournaments won by Jim Turnesa

1960
America
Pinecrest Lakes
139
$1,000
Haig Scotch

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Turnesa, Jim

Venue

Pinecrest Lakes

Score

139

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

Haig Scotch

Played as the inaugural Haig & Haig Scotch Mixed Foursome (two-person team event; one PGA Tr, one LPGA Tr; over 36-holes). Jim Turnesa (USA) & Gloria Armstrong (USA) beat Bob Goalby (USA) & Fay Crocker (Uruguay) at the third hole of a playoff. [Co-hosted by Pinecrest Lakes GC (now Pinecrest GC), Avon Park, FL and Harder Hall GC, Sebring, FL].

1959
America
Woodmere Club
286 (+2)
$1,000
Metropolitan GA

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Turnesa, Jim

Venue

Woodmere Club

Score

286 (+2)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

Metropolitan GA

Played as the Metropolitan Open. (Sept 16-18; Metropolitan Golf Assoc event). Second-placed Shelley Mayfield (USA) finished 1 shot behind 46-year-old Jim Turnesa (USA). [Woodmere Club, Woodmere, Long Island, NY].

1952
Majors
Big Spring CC
1 hole
$3,500
PGA of America

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Turnesa, Jim

Venue

Big Spring CC

Score

1 hole

Prize money

$3,500

Title sponsor

PGA of America

The US PGA Championship (34th) (June 18-25). Turnesa (USA) beat Chick Harbert (USA) 1-up in the 36-hole final. This was the only major championship won by Jim Turnesa and his six golfing brothers, five of whom were also touring professionals. [Big Spring CC, Louisville, Kentucky].

1951
America
Berkleigh GC
280 (-4)
$2,400
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Turnesa, Jim

Venue

Berkleigh GC

Score

280 (-4)

Prize money

$2,400

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Reading Open (Sept 20-23). Second-placed Jack Burke Jr (USA) finished 3 shots behind 38-year-old Jim Turnesa (USA), who recorded his first PGA Tour win. [Berkleigh GC, Kutztown, Pennsylvania; at the time Berkleigh CC].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Turnesa, Jim

Score

284 (-4)

Prize money

$1,500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the North & South Open (Nov 4-6). Second-placed George Schoux (USA) finished 6 shots behind Jim Turnesa (USA). [No.2 Course, Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina].

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

Who's Who

Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.

Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

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.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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