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Wikipedia / Billy Joe Patton

William Joseph Patton (April 19, 1922 January 1, 2011) was an American golfer best known for almost winning the 1954 Masters Tournament.

Early life and amateur career

Patton was born in Morganton, North Carolina in 1922. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 1943.

Professional career

In the 1954 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, Patton came within one stroke of being in a three-man playoff with Ben Hogan and Sam Snead. His final round 71 included a hole-in-one on the par-3 6th hole and a double bogey on the par-5 13th hole, when he tried to reach the green in two and put his ball into Rae's Creek.

Patton won several amateur tournaments including the North and South Amateur three times and the Southern Amateur twice. He also won the Carolinas Open twice.

Patton played on five Walker Cup teams: in 1955, 1957, 1959, 1963, and 1965 and was captain of the 1969 team. He played on the Eisenhower Trophy team in 1958 and 1962.

Tournament wins

Awards and honors

  • In 1967, Patton was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

  • In 1974, he was inducted into the Wake Forest University's Sports Hall of Fame.

  • In 1975, Patton earned entry into the Southern Golf Association Hall of Fame.

  • In 1981, the Carolinas Golf Reporters' Association inducted him into the Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame.

  • In 1982, Patton was awarded the Bob Jones Award by the United States Golf Association.

  • In 2007, he was inducted into the Burke County Sports Hall of Fame.

Results in major championships

LA = low amateur CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" indicates a tie for a place R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play

Sources: Masters, U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, British Amateur: 1955, 1959

U.S. national team appearances

References