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Don January

Donald Ray January (November 20, 1929 – May 7, 2023) was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1967 PGA Championship.

Don January
Personal information
Full nameDonald Ray January
NicknameBones
Born(1929-11-20)November 20, 1929
Plainview, Texas, U.S.
DiedMay 7, 2023(2023-05-07) (aged 93)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Sporting nationality United States
SpousePatricia
Children3
Career
CollegeNorth Texas State College
Turned professional1956
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Senior PGA Tour
Professional wins45
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour10
PGA Tour Champions22 (Tied-7th all-time)
Other13
Best results in major championships
(wins: 1)
Masters TournamentT4: 1971
PGA ChampionshipWon: 1967
U.S. Open3rd: 1967
The Open ChampionshipDNP
Achievements and awards
Vardon Trophy1976
Senior PGA Tour
money list winner		1980, 1983, 1984
Senior PGA Tour
Byron Nelson Award		1980, 1982, 1983,
1984, 1985

Early life

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Born in Plainview, Texas, January graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas. He was a member of the North Texas State golf team that won four consecutive NCAA Division I titles from 1949 to 1952. January is a member of the Sunset High School Hall of Fame.

While in college as a sophomore, as part of his scholarship, January helped teach a beginning golf class, where he met his future wife, Patricia "Pat" Rushing. They both graduated in 1953 and eloped to Ardmore, Oklahoma. They lived in San Antonio while Don was in the Air Force, and began their family—two boys and a girl.[1]

Professional career

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January won 10 PGA Tour titles, though never more than one in a year, with his most notable at the 1967 PGA Championship, an 18-hole playoff victory over Don Massengale. January had lost the 1961 PGA Championship in a playoff to Jerry Barber when his 68, the lowest losing score ever in an 18-hole playoff for a major championship, was bested by Barber's 67. He won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average in 1976 at the age of 47. He was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in both 1965 and 1977.

January was responsible for a change to the rules of golf. During the 1963 Phoenix Open, January had a putt roll up to the lip of the hole and stop. January claimed that the ball was still moving, and waited for seven minutes for the ball to drop (it never did).[2] Rule 16-2 was revised in 1964 to state that players had to tap the ball in within ten seconds or be penalized.[3]

In the period between his last PGA Tour win and the start of the Senior PGA Tour, January devoted most of his professional efforts to a golf course design business, JanMart Enterprises, which he established with fellow Texan and PGA Tour golfer Billy Martindale.

January is well known for his success on the Senior PGA Tour (now the PGA Tour Champions),[4] winning 22 events including two PGA Seniors' Championships. In 1980, he won the first official event on the Senior PGA Tour—the Atlantic City Senior International.[5]

The Don January Golf Classic is a golf tournament played annually in the spring that was established to honor him in 1990 by his alma mater, now known as the University of North Texas.

January appeared as himself on the March 6, 1961 episode of the game show To Tell the Truth. He received two votes.[6]

Death

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January died at his home in Dallas on May 7, 2023, at the age of 93.[7][8]

Professional wins (45)

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PGA Tour wins (10)

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Legend
Major championships (1)
Other PGA Tour (9)
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory 		Runner(s)-up
1 May 27, 1956 Dallas Centennial Open −12 (64-67-70-67=268) 1 stroke United States  Dow Finsterwald, United States  Doug Ford
2 Feb 21, 1960 Tucson Open Invitational −9 (67-67-68-69=271) 3 strokes United States  Bob Harris
3 Jul 9, 1961 St. Paul Open Invitational −19 (66-71-68-64=269) 1 stroke United States  Buster Cupit
4 Feb 17, 1963 Tucson Open Invitational (2) −22 (65-67-69-65=266) 11 strokes United States  Gene Littler, United States  Phil Rodgers
5 Aug 28, 1966 Philadelphia Golf Classic −10 (69-69-69-71=278) 1 stroke United States  Jack Nicklaus
6 Jul 24, 1967 PGA Championship −7 (71-72-70-68=281) Playoff United States  Don Massengale
7 Apr 21, 1968 Tournament of Champions −8 (70-68-69-69=276) 1 stroke United States  Julius Boros
8 Mar 23, 1970 Greater Jacksonville Open −9 (68-75-70-66=279) Playoff United States  Dale Douglass
9 Oct 19, 1975 San Antonio Texas Open −13 (71-67-71-66=275) Playoff United States  Larry Hinson
10 Apr 18, 1976 MONY Tournament of Champions (2) −11 (71-68-69-69=277) 5 strokes United States  Hubert Green

PGA Tour playoff record (3–5)

No. Year Tournament Opponent(s) Result
1 1956 Western Open United States  Mike Fetchick, United States  Doug Ford,
United States  Jay Hebert 		Fetchick won 18-hole playoff;
Fetchick: −6 (66),
Hebert: −1 (71),
Ford: E (72),
January: +3 (75)
2 1961 PGA Championship United States  Jerry Barber Lost 18-hole playoff;
Barber: −3 (67),
January: −2 (68)
3 1964 Lucky International Open United States  Chi-Chi Rodríguez Lost 18-hole playoff;
Rodríguez: −1 (70),
January: E (71)
4 1967 PGA Championship United States  Don Massengale Won 18-hole playoff;
January: −3 (69),
Massengale: −1 (71)
5 1969 Kaiser International Open Invitational United States  George Archer, United States  Billy Casper,
United States  Jack Nicklaus 		Nicklaus won with birdie on second extra hole
January eliminated by birdie on first hole
6 1970 Greater Jacksonville Open United States  Dale Douglass Won 18-hole playoff;
January: −3 (69),
Douglass: E (72)
7 1971 Houston Champions International United States  Hubert Green Lost to birdie on first extra hole
8 1975 San Antonio Texas Open United States  Larry Hinson Won with birdie on second extra hole

Other wins (2)

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This list may be incomplete

Senior PGA Tour wins (22)

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Legend
Senior major championships (1)
Other Senior PGA Tour (21)
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory 		Runner(s)-up
1 Jun 22, 1980 Atlantic City Senior International −5 (68-71-69=208) 2 strokes United States  Mike Souchak
2 Apr 5, 1981 Michelob-Egypt Temple Senior Classic −8 (71-70-72-67=280) Playoff United States  Doug Ford
3 Jun 7, 1981 Eureka Federal Savings Classic −5 (71-69-68=208) 2 strokes United States  Bob Goalby
4 Apr 4, 1982 Michelob Senior Classic (2) −10 (73-69-67-69=278) 3 strokes United States  Dow Finsterwald
5 Dec 5, 1982 PGA Seniors' Championship E (74-75-69-70=288) 1 stroke United States  Julius Boros
6 Jun 5, 1983 Gatlin Brothers Seniors Golf Classic −8 (71-67-68=208) Playoff United States  Billy Casper
7 Jun 26, 1983 Peter Jackson Champions −10 (68-67-71-68=274) 2 strokes United States  Miller Barber
8 Jul 3, 1983 Marlboro Classic −11 (69-72-68-64=273) 3 strokes United States  Miller Barber, United States  Gay Brewer
9 Aug 21, 1983 Denver Post Champions of Golf −17 (70-65-67-69=271) 4 strokes United States  Billy Casper, United States  Doug Sanders
10 Sep 4, 1983 Citizens Union Senior Golf Classic −19 (67-67-65-70=269) 3 strokes United States  Bob Stone
11 Oct 16, 1983 Suntree Classic −14 (69-66-68-71=274) 3 strokes United States  Arnold Palmer
12 Mar 25, 1984 Vintage Invitational −8 (70-72-72-66=280) 4 strokes United States  Miller Barber
13 Aug 12, 1984 du Maurier Champions (2) −19 (65-63-66=194) 5 strokes United States  Miller Barber, United States  Lee Elder
14 Sep 23, 1984 Digital Middlesex Classic (2) −7 (70-70-69=209) 4 strokes United States  Orville Moody
15 Mar 24, 1985 Senior PGA Tour Roundup −18 (65-69-64=198) 3 strokes United States  Gene Littler
16 May 12, 1985 Dominion Seniors −10 (69-70-67=206) 2 strokes United States  Gay Brewer
17 May 19, 1985 United Hospitals Senior Golf Championship −5 (69-66=135)* 5 strokes Canada  Al Balding
18 Jul 7, 1985 The Greenbrier American Express Championship −16 (70-64-66=200) 2 strokes United States  Lee Elder
19 Jun 8, 1986 Senior Players Reunion Pro-Am −13 (66-68-69=203) 2 strokes United States  Chi-Chi Rodríguez
20 Jul 13, 1986 The Greenbrier American Express Championship (2) −9 (70-66-71-207) Playoff United States  Jim Ferree
21 Nov 2, 1986 Seiko-Tucson Senior Match Play Championship E (70) 1 stroke New Zealand  Bob Charles
22 Jan 10, 1987 MONY Senior Tournament of Champions −1 (67-72-73-75=287) Playoff United States  Butch Baird

*Note: The 1985 United Hospitals Senior Golf Championship was shortened to 36 holes due to rain.

Senior PGA Tour playoff record (4–1)

No. Year Tournament Opponent(s) Result
1 1981 Michelob-Egypt Temple Senior Classic United States  Doug Ford Won with birdie on first extra hole
2 1983 Gatlin Brothers Seniors Golf Classic United States  Billy Casper Won with par on fifth extra hole
3 1985 Digital Seniors Classic United States  Jerry Barber, United States  Lee Elder Elder won with birdie on first extra hole
4 1986 The Greenbrier American Express Championship United States  Jim Ferree Won with par on first extra hole
5 1987 MONY Senior Tournament of Champions United States  Butch Baird Won with birdie on fourth extra hole

Other senior wins (12)

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Major championships

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Wins (1)

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Year Championship 54 holes Winning score Margin Runner-up
1967 PGA Championship 4 shot deficit −7 (71-72-70-68=281) Playoff1 United States  Don Massengale

1Defeated Massengale in an 18-hole playoff, 69 to 71.

Results timeline

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Tournament 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
Masters Tournament 36
U.S. Open CUT CUT T7 T19
PGA Championship T49
Tournament 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
Masters Tournament T20 T4 T20 T9 T18 CUT T6 T26 T14 T5
U.S. Open CUT CUT 11 T11 CUT T17 3 T24 WD
PGA Championship 5 2 T27 T40 CUT T12 1 T51 T15
Tournament 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
Masters Tournament T12 T4 CUT T10 T33 T8 T11 CUT
U.S. Open T27 T11 T29 T14
PGA Championship T12 CUT CUT T10 T2 T6 T19 T7
Tournament 1980 1981 1982
Masters Tournament CUT
U.S. Open
PGA Championship CUT T19 CUT

Note: January never played in The Open Championship.

  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1964 PGA Championship)
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary

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Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts made
Masters Tournament 0 0 0 3 7 13 20 16
U.S. Open 0 0 1 1 2 9 17 11
The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
PGA Championship 1 2 0 4 7 12 21 16
Totals 1 2 1 8 16 34 58 43
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 10 (twice)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (1976 PGA – 1977 PGA)

Champions Tour major championships

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Wins (1)

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Year Championship Winning score Margin Runner-up
1982 Senior PGA Championship E (74-75-69-70=288) 1 stroke United States  Julius Boros

U.S. national team appearances

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Professional

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Hulstrand, Randena. "On par for success". North Texas Mean Green. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  2. ^ "Player cools heels 7 minutes; Misses putt, miffed at January". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. February 15, 1963. p. 4, part 2.
  3. ^ Zullo, Allan (2001). Astonishing but True Golf Facts. Forest Fairview, North Carolina: Andrew McMeels Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-1426-0.
  4. ^ "Golfer profile: Don January". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 21, 1998. Archived from the original on June 25, 2003.
  5. ^ Bingham, Walter (February 16, 1998). "Built To Last". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
  6. ^ "To Tell The Truth". You Tube. CBS Television. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  7. ^ "Don January, Who Won the 1967 P.G.A. Title, Is Dead at 93". The New York Times. May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  8. ^ "Major champion Don January dies at 93". PGA Tour. May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Don January". Chicago Tribune. August 4, 1988. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  10. ^ "Golf: Champions warn opponents". The Canberra Times. June 18, 1981. p. 27. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
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