George Bayer

For the founder of Hermann, Missouri, see George Bayer (pioneer).
George Bayer
 Golfer 
Personal information
Full name George Bayer
Born (1925-09-15)September 15, 1925
Bremerton, Washington
Died March 16, 2003(2003-03-16) (aged 77)
Palm Springs, California
Height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight 230 lb (100 kg; 16 st)
Nationality  United States
Career
College Washington
Turned professional 1954
Former tour(s) PGA Tour
Champions Tour
Professional wins 6
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour 4
Other 1 (regular)
1 (senior)
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament T15: 1965
U.S. Open T11: 1964
The Open Championship DNP
PGA Championship T3: 1962

George Bayer (September 15, 1925 March 16, 2003) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour.

Bayer was born in Bremerton, Washington.[1] He attended the University of Washington and was a member of the football team from 19461949; he played in the 1949 East-West Shrine Game.[2][3] After college, he was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 20th round (253rd overall). He was released by the Redskins and played for the Brooklyn Brooks and Richmond Arrows of the minor league American Football League in 1950.[4] Bayer did not begin playing golf professionally until he was 29 years old; he started in golf as a caddie at Kitsap Golf and Country Club, which is located between Silverdale, Washington and his hometown of Bremerton.[1][2]

At 6-foot-5-inches tall and 230 pounds, the power that Bayer could generate was astonishing. He was known for booming 300-yard drives.[4] Bayer won four times on the PGA Tour in a four-year period made remarkable by the fact that he played in an era of inconsistently wound balls; and laminated maple or persimmon clubs that were made for players of average height (5'9" tall) and build (160 pounds). His achievements came in an era when golf equipment was simply not available for extremely tall or extremely short people.[5] He also won the par-3 contest at The Masters in 1963.

Bayer also played on the Senior PGA Tour. His best year on that circuit was 1984, when he finished 21st on the money list with $64,491 in earnings. His last appearance in competitive golf was at the 2002 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. Bayer suffered a fatal heart attack at home in Palm Springs, California while dining with his wife, golfer Bob Goalby and Goalby's wife.[2]

Professional wins (6)

PGA Tour wins (4)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of victory Runner-up
1 Jul 13, 1957 Canadian Open –13 (70-68-64-69=271) 2 strokes United States Bo Wininger
2 Nov 16, 1958 Havana Invitational +6 (75-64-74-73=286) Playoff United States Sam Snead
3 Apr 17, 1958 Mayfair Inn Open –12 (68-67-69-68=272) 1 stroke United States Chick Harbert
4 Mar 21, 1960 St. Petersburg Open Invitational –6 (66-69-75-72=282) Playoff United States Jack Fleck

PGA Tour playoff record (2–2)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
1 1957 Western Open United States Doug Ford, United States Gene Littler, United States Billy Maxwell Ford won with par on third extra hole
Littler and Maxwell eliminated with par on first hole
2 1958 Havana Invitational United States Sam Snead Won with par on first extra hole
3 1960 St. Petersburg Open Invitational United States Jack Fleck Won with birdie on first extra hole
4 1961 Ontario Open United States Eric Monti, United States Bobby Nichols Monti won with birdie on second extra hole

Other wins (1)

Senior wins (1)

References

  1. 1 2 "George Bayer obituary from findagrave.com". Retrieved 2007-11-03.
  2. 1 2 3 "Bayer, also ex-Redskins lineman, dies of heart attack". espn.com. March 19, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
  3. "notes from Bayer findagrave.com obituary". Retrieved 2007-11-03.
  4. 1 2 "George Bayer passes away". March 22, 2003. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
  5. Penner, Andrew. "The tall and short of it". Golf Instruction. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
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