U.S. Amateur marks 75th anniversary of Jones' finale
By Jerry Potter, USA TODAY
Bobby Jones takes a swing before the 1929 U.S. Amateur. He defended his title, winning the fourth of his five Amateurs
Memories of Robert Tyre Jones are revived every spring with the playing of The Masters at Augusta National, a tournament Jones created on a course he built. But this year the memories have become a summer-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of Jones' victories in the British Amateur, British Open, U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur, the four biggest tournaments of his time.
Qualifying for the Amateur began Monday at the Philadelphia and Merion golf clubs at Ardmore, Pa. University of New Mexico junior Charlie Beljan led after the first round, shooting a 6-under 64 on the Philadelphia course. Mark Strickland of Woodstock, Ga., and Todd Mitchell of Bloomington, Ill., had the only under-par rounds on the more difficult Merion course, opening with 69s.
Match play begins Wednesday on the Merion course, where Jones won his first and last U.S. Amateurs. His victory against Gene Homans on Sept. 27, 1930, was the final tournament of his brief career.
He was a unique man who reached great heights as an athlete, yet died a cripple. He was schooled in engineering, literature and law, but is best known as a golfer.
He won 13 championships from 1923 through 1930, when his sweep of the four biggest events in the game was called by George Trevor, a leading golf writer of the time, "The Impregnable Quadrilateral."
No one has ever won the modern Grand Slam, although Tiger Woods came close in 2000, winning the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship.
Martin Davis, whose Legend of Bobby Jones is a collection of writings about Jones, credits him for popularizing major championships, first by winning all four in 1930 and second by creating The Masters in 1934.
After completing the Grand Slam, Jones retired from competitive golf at age 28. He turned to business, using his accomplishments and connections to create a comfortable life for himself, his wife and their three children.
His grandson, Robert Jones IV, worked for a time in banking but is now a psychologist in Atlanta. His grandfather's name, image and likeness are controlled through Jonesheirs Inc. The name Bobby Jones is used on apparel and beginning this year a line of golf clubs.
Jones remembers his grandfather as being kind and considerate but brutally honest in his assessment of a golfer's chances.
He did not encourage members of the family to play the game, other than for recreation. "He thought the pressure of carrying the name Bobby Jones would make golf too much to deal with," says Jones, 48.
The second and third generations did play golf, and Bob Jones III competed in the 1959 U.S. Amateur in Colorado. Jones thought his son could make the quarterfinals that year if he didn't have to play Jack Nicklaus, a teenage sensation from Ohio.
Naturally Bob III drew Nicklaus in the first match, and when he called to see if his father was coming out to Colorado, he was told, "Son, I don't think it would be worth my effort to fly to Colorado just to watch you play 12 holes."
Nicklaus beat Bob III in 12 holes, just as Jones had predicted, and went on to win the championship. He won two amateurs, and then 18 professional major championships, including six Masters in his career, but he never matched Jones' Grand Slam. In 1972 he won The Masters and the U.S. Open, but lost to Lee Trevino in the British Open.
Nicklaus considers Jones the "chief stimulus" of his career, and a man he always calls "Mr. Jones." Last spring, Nicklaus, 65, played what he says will be his last Masters, ending one of the last connections of Jones and modern golf.
Furman Bisher, columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is one of the few writers living who actually knew Jones.
Bisher described Jones as "ever the Southern gentleman," adding, "He did not deny himself the pleasures of life." He smoked and he drank and as Bisher recalled, "He liked his bourbon at the proper time of day — near sundown."
By his death at 69 on Dec. 18, 1971, Jones had struggled physically for 23 years. He gradually lost his ability to walk, going first to a cane, a leg brace and finally a wheelchair.
Bisher remembers discussing Jones' spinal disease with him and asking for a clarification on what it was. Jones explained it, and Bisher asked if there was a cure for it.
"Oh, sure," Jones told Bisher.
"My God, man what is it?" Bisher remembers saying, thinking something new had been discovered.
"Death," Jones replied.
He accepted his fate, and when friends showed sadness over his condition, he would remind them that in golf "you play the ball where it lies." He applied the same principle to his life.
By Jerry Potter, USA TODAY
Bobby Jones takes a swing before the 1929 U.S. Amateur. He defended his title, winning the fourth of his five Amateurs
Qualifying for the Amateur began Monday at the Philadelphia and Merion golf clubs at Ardmore, Pa. University of New Mexico junior Charlie Beljan led after the first round, shooting a 6-under 64 on the Philadelphia course. Mark Strickland of Woodstock, Ga., and Todd Mitchell of Bloomington, Ill., had the only under-par rounds on the more difficult Merion course, opening with 69s.
Match play begins Wednesday on the Merion course, where Jones won his first and last U.S. Amateurs. His victory against Gene Homans on Sept. 27, 1930, was the final tournament of his brief career.
He was a unique man who reached great heights as an athlete, yet died a cripple. He was schooled in engineering, literature and law, but is best known as a golfer.
He won 13 championships from 1923 through 1930, when his sweep of the four biggest events in the game was called by George Trevor, a leading golf writer of the time, "The Impregnable Quadrilateral."
No one has ever won the modern Grand Slam, although Tiger Woods came close in 2000, winning the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship.
Martin Davis, whose Legend of Bobby Jones is a collection of writings about Jones, credits him for popularizing major championships, first by winning all four in 1930 and second by creating The Masters in 1934.
After completing the Grand Slam, Jones retired from competitive golf at age 28. He turned to business, using his accomplishments and connections to create a comfortable life for himself, his wife and their three children.
His grandson, Robert Jones IV, worked for a time in banking but is now a psychologist in Atlanta. His grandfather's name, image and likeness are controlled through Jonesheirs Inc. The name Bobby Jones is used on apparel and beginning this year a line of golf clubs.
Jones remembers his grandfather as being kind and considerate but brutally honest in his assessment of a golfer's chances.
He did not encourage members of the family to play the game, other than for recreation. "He thought the pressure of carrying the name Bobby Jones would make golf too much to deal with," says Jones, 48.
The second and third generations did play golf, and Bob Jones III competed in the 1959 U.S. Amateur in Colorado. Jones thought his son could make the quarterfinals that year if he didn't have to play Jack Nicklaus, a teenage sensation from Ohio.
Naturally Bob III drew Nicklaus in the first match, and when he called to see if his father was coming out to Colorado, he was told, "Son, I don't think it would be worth my effort to fly to Colorado just to watch you play 12 holes."
Nicklaus beat Bob III in 12 holes, just as Jones had predicted, and went on to win the championship. He won two amateurs, and then 18 professional major championships, including six Masters in his career, but he never matched Jones' Grand Slam. In 1972 he won The Masters and the U.S. Open, but lost to Lee Trevino in the British Open.
Nicklaus considers Jones the "chief stimulus" of his career, and a man he always calls "Mr. Jones." Last spring, Nicklaus, 65, played what he says will be his last Masters, ending one of the last connections of Jones and modern golf.
Furman Bisher, columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is one of the few writers living who actually knew Jones.
Bisher described Jones as "ever the Southern gentleman," adding, "He did not deny himself the pleasures of life." He smoked and he drank and as Bisher recalled, "He liked his bourbon at the proper time of day — near sundown."
By his death at 69 on Dec. 18, 1971, Jones had struggled physically for 23 years. He gradually lost his ability to walk, going first to a cane, a leg brace and finally a wheelchair.
Bisher remembers discussing Jones' spinal disease with him and asking for a clarification on what it was. Jones explained it, and Bisher asked if there was a cure for it.
"Oh, sure," Jones told Bisher.
"My God, man what is it?" Bisher remembers saying, thinking something new had been discovered.
"Death," Jones replied.
He accepted his fate, and when friends showed sadness over his condition, he would remind them that in golf "you play the ball where it lies." He applied the same principle to his life.
