Billy Casper
William Earl Casper Jr. (June 24, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American professional golfer. He was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s.
| Billy Casper | |||||||||
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Casper in 2008 | |||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Full name | William Earl Casper Jr. | ||||||||
| Nickname | Buffalo Bill | ||||||||
| Born | June 24, 1931 San Diego, California | ||||||||
| Died | February 7, 2015 (aged 83) Springville, Utah | ||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13.9 st) | ||||||||
| Sporting nationality | United States | ||||||||
| Spouse |
Shirley Franklin (m. 1952) | ||||||||
| Children | 11 | ||||||||
| Career | |||||||||
| College | University of Notre Dame | ||||||||
| Turned professional | 1954 | ||||||||
| Former tour(s) |
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| Professional wins | 72 | ||||||||
| Number of wins by tour | |||||||||
| PGA Tour | 51 (7th all time) | ||||||||
| European Tour | 1 | ||||||||
| PGA Tour Champions | 9 | ||||||||
| Other |
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| Best results in major championships (wins: 3) | |||||||||
| Masters Tournament | Won: 1970 | ||||||||
| PGA Championship | 2nd/T2: 1958, 1965, 1971 | ||||||||
| U.S. Open | Won: 1959, 1966 | ||||||||
| The Open Championship | 4th: 1968 | ||||||||
| Achievements and awards | |||||||||
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In his youth, Casper started as a caddie and emerged from the junior golf hotbed of San Diego, where golf could be played year-round, to rank seventh all-time in career Tour wins with 51, across a 20-year period between 1956 and 1975. Fellow San Diegan great Gene Littler was a friend and rival from teenager to senior. Casper won three major championships, represented the United States on a then-record eight Ryder Cup teams, and holds the U.S. record for career Ryder Cup points won. After reaching age 50, Casper regularly played the Senior PGA Tour and was a winner there until 1989. In his later years, Casper successfully developed businesses in golf course design and management of golf facilities.
Casper served as Ryder Cup captain in 1979, was twice PGA Player of the Year (1966 and 1970), was twice leading money winner, and won five Vardon Trophy awards for the lowest seasonal scoring average on the Tour.
Respected for his extraordinary putting and short-game skills, Casper was a superior strategist who overcame his distance disadvantages against longer-hitting competitors such as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus with moxie, creative shot-making, and clever golf-course management abilities. Never a flashy gallery favorite, Casper developed his own self-contained style, relying on solid technique, determination, concentration, and perseverance.
He converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1966. Casper was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978.