Claude Harmon
Eugene Claude Harmon Sr. (July 14, 1916 – July 23, 1989) was an American professional golfer and golf instructor.
| Claude Harmon | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Eugene Claude Harmon Sr. |
| Born | July 14, 1916 Savannah, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | July 23, 1989 (aged 73) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Sporting nationality | United States |
| Spouse | Alice Cullen McKee Harmon Anne Keane Harmon |
| Children | 6 (including Butch) |
| Career | |
| Status | Professional |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 15 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 2 |
| Other | 13 |
| Best results in major championships (wins: 1) | |
| Masters Tournament | Won: 1948 |
| PGA Championship | T3: 1945, 1948, 1953 |
| U.S. Open | T3: 1959 |
| The Open Championship | 27th: 1948 |
Born in Savannah, Georgia, Harmon spent much of his boyhood in Florida, in the Orlando area. A youthful prodigy, he qualified for the U.S. Amateur at age 15 in 1931. Harmon was a club professional when he won the 1948 Masters Tournament by five shots to earn $2,500. He was a semi-finalist three times in the PGA Championship (1945, 1948, and 1953), competing as a club pro against full-time tour players. Claude Harmon also finished in third place at the 1959 U.S. Open, which was held at his home course at Winged Foot.
From 1945 to 1978, Harmon was the head professional at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, and also served as the winter professional for many years at the Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida. In 1959, he was hired as the head professional at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, where he served for over a decade, and finally took a club job in Texas in the Houston area. In 1959, Harmon played in the U.S. Open at Winged Foot and placed third. He was one of the few close friends of legendary star Ben Hogan, and the two played together frequently and worked together on their games.