Vic Ghezzi
Victor J. Ghezzi (October 19, 1910 – May 30, 1976) was an American professional golfer. (Birth year sometimes listed as 1911 or 1912)
Vic Ghezzi | |
---|---|
Personal information | |
Full name | Victor J. Ghezzi |
Born | Rumson, New Jersey | October 19, 1910
Died | May 30, 1976 65) Miami Beach, Florida | (aged
Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 14 st) |
Sporting nationality | United States |
Career | |
Turned professional | 1932 |
Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
Professional wins | 17 |
Number of wins by tour | |
PGA Tour | 11 |
Best results in major championships (wins: 1) | |
Masters Tournament | T6: 1941 |
PGA Championship | Won: 1941 |
U.S. Open | T2: 1946 |
The Open Championship | T18: 1947 |
Early life
Born in Rumson, New Jersey.[1]
Professional career
Ghezzi won 11 times on the PGA Tour, including one major title, the 1941 PGA Championship, where he defeated Byron Nelson in 38 holes in the finals.[2][3][4] He was selected for three Ryder Cup teams, 1939, 1941, and 1943, but each was canceled due to World War II. During the war, Ghezzi enlisted in the U.S. Army and began his training in early 1942.[5][6]
At the U.S. Open in 1946, he was in an 18-hole Sunday morning playoff with Lloyd Mangrum and Nelson. It ended in a three-way tie, forcing another 18 holes. Mangrum won that afternoon round by a single stroke over both Ghezzi and Nelson.[7]
Ghezzi was elected to the PGA of America's hall of fame in 1965.[8] He died of cancer at age 65 the Miami Heart Institute in Miami Beach, Florida.[9][10]
Professional wins (17)
PGA Tour wins (11)
- 1935 (2) Los Angeles Open,[11] Calvert Open
- 1936 (2) Hollywood Open, New Jersey PGA Championship
- 1937 (1) Lake Placid Open
- 1938 (3) North and South Open,[12] Inverness Invitational Four-Ball (with Sam Snead),[13] Hershey Four-Ball (with Ben Hogan)[14]
- 1941 (1) PGA Championship[2][3]
- 1947 (1) Greater Greensboro Open[15]
- 1948 (1) Dapper Dan-Alcoma Tournament[16]
Major championship is shown on bold.
Other wins (6)
this list may be incomplete
- 1935 Maryland Open
- 1937 New Jersey State Open
- 1939 New Jersey PGA Championship
- 1943 New Jersey State Open
- 1944 New Jersey State Open
- 1949 New Jersey PGA Championship
Major championships
Wins (1)
Year | Championship | Winning score | Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|
1941 | PGA Championship | 38 holes | Byron Nelson |
Note: The PGA Championship was match play until 1958
Results timeline
Tournament | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | NYF | NYF | T25 | 8 | T15 | T8 | T10 | T12 |
U.S. Open | T45 | CUT | 20 | T18 | T20 | T11 | T29 | |
The Open Championship | ||||||||
PGA Championship | R32 | R32 | R16 | R32 | R16 | R16 | R32 |
Tournament | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T39 | T6 | NT | NT | NT | T12 | 21 | T18 | T35 | |
U.S. Open | 15 | 19 | NT | NT | NT | NT | T2 | T6 | T14 | T37 |
The Open Championship | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | T18 | |||
PGA Championship | R32 | 1 | R32 | NT | QF | R32 | SF | R64 |
Tournament | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T14 | WD | T30 | WD | T29 | T53 | T29 | CUT | CUT | CUT |
U.S. Open | CUT | CUT | CUT | T38 | ||||||
The Open Championship | ||||||||||
PGA Championship | R64 | R16 | R16 | R64 | R32 | R128 | R64 | T56 |
Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | CUT | CUT | CUT | |||||||
U.S. Open | CUT | CUT | ||||||||
The Open Championship | ||||||||||
PGA Championship | CUT | CUT | T57 | CUT | WD | T49 | WD |
Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | ||||
U.S. Open | ||||
The Open Championship | ||||
PGA Championship | WD | WD |
NYF = tournament not yet founded
NT = no tournament
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Summary
Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 25 | 17 |
U.S. Open | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 19 | 13 |
The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
PGA Championship | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 31 | 24 |
Totals | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 37 | 76 | 55 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 36 (1934 PGA – 1950 PGA)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (1936 PGA – 1937 PGA)
References
- Van Anda, Robert H. (2015). "Legendary locals of Rumson, New Jersey". Arcadia Publishing. p. 100. ISBN 9781467101769.
- "Vic Ghezzi Wins PGA Title Dethroning Champion Byron Nelson In 38 Holes". The Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. July 14, 1941. p. 6.
- Kelly, Loudon (July 14, 1941). "Vic Ghezzi stages brilliant rally to trim Nelson on 38th hole in P.G.A. final". Youngstown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. p. 9.
- Nelson, Byron (July 16, 1946). "Vic Ghezzi playing most consistent golf of his career". Pittsburgh Press. p. 23.
- "Vic Ghezzi ready, willing to serve". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. December 15, 1941. p. 6, part 2.
- "Vic Ghezzi in Army". Reading Eagle. Pennsylvania. Associated Press. January 20, 1942. p. 14.
- Sixty, Billy (June 17, 1946). "Mangrum wins Open title in a playoff in heavy storm". Milwaukee Journal. p. 4-part 2.
- "Vic Ghezzi picked to golf hall of fame". Reading Eagle. Pennsylvania. Associated Press. October 16, 1965. p. 13.
- "Golf hall-of-famer dies Sunday". Boca Raton News. Florida. June 1, 1976. p. 3.
- "Vic Ghezzi, Golfer, Dead at 65". New York Times. June 1, 1976. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
Mr Ghezzi, who was born in Rumson, N.J., was a professional golfer for 25 years before retiring in 1960 to the Bal Harbour section of Miami Beach...
- "Revolta loses to Vic Ghezzi in golf finals". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. January 16, 1935. p. 4-part 2.
- "Vic Ghezzi scores win at Pinehurst". Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. March 26, 1938. p. 8.
- "Vic Ghezzi blasts jealousy of New Jersey pro golfers". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. May 30, 1938. p. 11.
- "Vic Ghezzi, Hogan win". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. September 5, 1938. p. 13.
- "Vic Ghezzi winner in Greensboro Open". Lewiston (ME) Daily Sun. AP. March 24, 1947. p. 9.
- "Vic Ghezzi wins Dapper Dan golf by six strokes". News and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. Associated Press. July 19, 1948. p. 7.
External links
- New York Historical Society: Vic Ghezzi
- PGA of America: Golf Professional Hall of Fame member profiles
- New Jersey State Golf Association When Deal's Ghezzi beat Nelson in playoff for PGA title
- Vic Ghezzi at Find a Grave