Bill Johnston (golfer)
Clarence William Johnston (January 2, 1925 – April 23, 2021) was an American golf course architect and professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour.
| Bill Johnston | |
|---|---|
 Johnston, circa 1948 | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Clarence William Thompson[1] |
| Born | January 2, 1925 Donora, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | April 23, 2021 (aged 96) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Career | |
| College | University of Utah[2] |
| Turned professional | 1950 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 15 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 2 |
| Other | 13 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | T28: 1957 |
| PGA Championship | T3: 1956 |
| U.S. Open | T32: 1963 |
| The Open Championship | T26: 1960 |
Johnston was born in Donora, Pennsylvania on January 2, 1925, but moved to Ogden, Utah when he was four years old. Johnston served in the United States Navy.[2] He played college golf at the University of Utah and turned professional in 1950. The biggest win of his playing career was at the 1958 Texas Open Invitational.
Johnston played on the Senior PGA Tour (now PGA Tour Champions) from 1980 to 1990 (full-time) and then a few tournaments a year through the 1990s.
After his days as a touring professional were over, Johnston became a golf course architect. He has designed several well-known courses in Arizona and Texas.[3]
Johnston was inducted into the Utah Golf Hall of Fame in 1994[2] and the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame in 2018.[4][5]
In November 2020, at the age of 95, Johnston was still playing golf three times a week at the Biltmore Links course with his friends. These regular golf partners included amateurs, professionals, and other close acquaintances. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 on December 4, 2020, at the Phoenix Mayo Clinic. He died at his son's house in Idaho, on April 23, 2021, at the age of 96.
Professional wins (15)
PGA Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feb 16, 1958 | Texas Open Invitational | −10 (69-71-66-68=274) | 3 strokes | Bob Rosburg |
| 2 | Sep 12, 1960 | Utah Open Invitational | −22 (66-67-66-63=262) | 2 strokes | Art Wall Jr. |
Other wins (13)
this list may be incomplete
- 1954 Utah Open
- 1958 Sahara Pro-Am
- 1961 Arizona Open
- 1967 Arizona Open
- 1972 Arizona Open, Colorado PGA Championship
- 1973 Colorado Open
- Montana Open - 2 times[6]
- Nevada Open - 4 times[6]
Courses designed
- The Hideout Golf Club, Lake Brownwood, Texas
- The Dominion Country Club, San Antonio, Texas
- The Links at Arizona Biltmore Country Club, Phoenix, Arizona
- Point Hilton Golf Club on Lookout Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona
- Rancho Mañana Golf Club, Cave Creek, Arizona
- Tapatio Springs Resort, Boerne, Texas
- Legacy Ridge Country Club, Bonham, Texas
References
- Clarence William Johnston in the U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947
- "Billy Johnston profile". Utah Golf Association. Archived from the original on July 10, 2010. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
- "Bill Johnston courses built". worldgolf.com. Retrieved December 3, 2007.
- Livsey, Laury (April 26, 2021). "Two-time Tour winner Bill Johnston dies at age 96". PGA Tour.
- Van Sickle, Gary (March 23, 2019). "Bill Johnston: A fading story worth revisiting". Morning Read.
- "This Wasn't The 1st Time For Johnston And Collins". The Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. August 6, 1989. p. D1.
External links
- Bill Johnston at the PGA Tour official site