Julius Boros

Julius Nicholas Boros (March 3, 1920 – May 28, 1994) was an American professional golfer noted for his effortless-looking swing and strong record on difficult golf courses, particularly at the U.S. Open.

Early life and amateur career Born in Fairfield, Connecticut, Boros was of Hungarian descent, and played varsity baseball in college. He then worked as an accountant while playing high-standard amateur golf.

Professional career Boros turned professional in 1949 at age 29. He won 18 PGA Tour events, including three major championships: the 1952 and 1963 U.S. Opens and the 1968 PGA Championship. He won his first by four strokes in the heat at the Northwood Club in Dallas, also his first PGA Tour victory, which interrupted the U.S. Open streak of 36-hole leader Ben Hogan for a year. In the windy 1963 U.S. Open near Boston, Boros defeated Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit in a playoff, after all had finished the 72 holes at a post-war record nine over par.

For over a half century, Boros was the oldest player to win a modern major, taking the 1968 PGA Championship in San Antonio by a stroke at age 48. One of the runners-up was Palmer, who never won the PGA Championship to complete his career grand slam. The previous oldest winner of a major was Old Tom Morris, age 46 in the 1867 Open Championship. Boros' mark was surpassed by Phil Mickelson, who won the PGA Championship in 2021 at age fifty.

Boros' best results among the majors were at the U.S. Open, with nine top-five finishes; he contended in that championship as late as 1973 at age 53, and tied for seventh.

Boros was a member of the Ryder Cup team in 1959, 1963, 1965, and 1967. He was PGA Player of the Year in 1952 and 1963, and his total career PGA Tour earnings were $1,004,861. Boros was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982.

While other players often walked around a hole and studied the green for several minutes before putting – sometimes from their knees, Boros is remembered for not wasting any time on either the greens or the fairways. He would walk up to the ball and "just do it". Noted for his relaxed, nonchalant-looking swing and manner, he is remembered for his catchphrase "swing easy, hit hard." Boros had an exceptional short game.

Boros was also instrumental in starting the Senior PGA Tour in the late 1970s. The exciting televised playoff victory of Boros and partner Roberto De Vicenzo over Tommy Bolt and Art Wall Jr. at the Legends of Golf tournament in 1979 raised the profile of professional senior golf competition.

Personal life Boros' first wife, Buttons Cosgrove, died in childbirth in 1951. Boros and his second wife, Armen, had seven children: four sons and three daughters. His son Guy Boros won on the PGA Tour in 1996, at the Greater Vancouver Open in late August.

Boros suffered a fatal heart attack in 1994 on the golf course at the Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was found sitting in a golf cart under a willow tree by two club members near the 16th hole, his favorite spot on the course.

Professional wins (25) PGA Tour wins (18) LegendMajor championships (3)Other PGA Tour (15) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Jun 14, 1952U.S. Open 71-71-68-71=281+1 4 strokes Ed Oliver2Aug 11, 1952World Championship of Golf68-71-70-67=276−12 Playoff Cary Middlecoff3May 9, 1954Ardmore Open68-69-72-70=279−1 1 stroke Jerry Barber4Jul 18, 1954Carling Open71-70-68-71=280−8 Playoff George Fazio5Aug 14, 1955World Championship of Golf (2)70-72-69-70=281−7 2 strokes Fred Haas6May 11, 1958Arlington Hotel Open70-64-68-71=273−15 1 stroke Cary Middlecoff7Nov 9, 1958Carling Open Invitational (2)74-66-70-74=284−4 2 strokes Billy Casper8Sep 14, 1959Dallas Open Invitational68-66-70-70=274−10 1 stroke Dow Finsterwald, Earl Stewart, Bo Wininger9May 15, 1960Colonial National Invitation70-71-69-70=280E1 stroke Gene Littler, Kel Nagle10May 12, 1963Colonial National Invitation (2)71-66-71-71=279−1 4 strokes Gary Player11Jun 9, 1963Buick Open Invitational66-71-68-69=274−14 5 strokes Dow Finsterwald12Jun 23, 1963U.S. Open (2)71-74-76-72=293+9Playoff Jacky Cupit, Arnold Palmer13Apr 5, 1964Greater Greensboro Open68-70-73-66=277−7Playoff Doug Sanders14Feb 12, 1967Phoenix Open Invitational69-67-69-67=272−12 1 stroke Ken Still15Mar 12, 1967Florida Citrus Open Invitational70-67-67-70=274−101 stroke George Knudson, Arnold Palmer16Jun 11, 1967Buick Open Invitational (2)72-72-70-69=283−5 3 strokes Bob Goalby, R. H. Sikes, Bert Yancey17Jul 21, 1968PGA Championship71-71-70-69=281+11 stroke Bob Charles, Arnold Palmer18Aug 18, 1968Westchester Classic70-65-69-68=272−161 stroke Bob Murphy, Jack Nicklaus, Dan Sikes

PGA Tour playoff record (4–6) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11952World Championship of Golf Cary MiddlecoffWon 18-hole playoff;Boros: −4 (68),Middlecoff: −2 (70)21954Miami Beach International Four-Ball(with Dutch Harrison) Tommy Bolt and Dick MayerLost to birdie on first extra hole31954Carling Open George FazioWon with par on first extra hole 41958Dallas Open Invitational John McMullin, Gary Player, Sam SneadSnead won with birdie on first extra hole51959Houston Classic Jack Burke Jr.Lost 18-hole playoff;Burke: −8 (64),Boros: −3 (69)61963U.S. Open Jacky Cupit, Arnold PalmerWon 18-hole playoff;Boros: −1 (70),Cupit: + 2 (73),Palmer: +5 (76)71963Western Open Jack Nicklaus, Arnold PalmerPalmer won 18-hole playoff;Palmer: −1 (70),Boros: E (71),Nicklaus: +2 (73)81964Greater Greensboro Open Doug SandersWon with par on first extra hole91969Greater Greensboro Open Gene Littler, Orville Moody, Tom WeiskopfLittler won with birdie on fifth extra holeWeiskopf eliminated by par on first hole101975Westchester Classic Gene LittlerLost to par on first extra hole

Other wins (4) This list may be incomplete 1951 Massachusetts Open 1956 Carolinas PGA Championship 1964 Carolinas PGA Championship 1979 South Florida PGA Championship

Senior wins (3) 1971 PGA Seniors' Championship 1977 PGA Seniors' Championship 1979 Legends of Golf (with Roberto De Vicenzo)

Major championships Wins (3) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner(s)-up 1952 U.S. Open 2 shot lead +1 (71-71-68-71=281) 4 strokes Ed Oliver 1963 U.S. Open (2) 3 shot deficit +9 (71-74-76-72=293) Playoff1 Jacky Cupit, Arnold Palmer 1968 PGA Championship 2 shot deficit +1 (71-71-70-69=281) 1 stroke Bob Charles, Arnold Palmer 1Defeated Jacky Cupit and Arnold Palmer in an 18-hole playoff - Boros 70 (-1), Cupit 73 (+2), Palmer 76 (+5).

Results timeline Tournament1950195119521953195419551956195719581959Masters TournamentT3517T7T10T16T4T24CUTT39T8U.S. Open9T41T17T23T5T2T43T28The Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipT5T44 Tournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969Masters Tournament5CUTT11T3CUTCUTT285T16T33U.S. OpenT3CUT1CUTT4T17WDT16T13The Open Championship15PGA ChampionshipT24CUTT11T13T21T17T6T51T25 Tournament19701971197219731974197519761977197819791980Masters TournamentT23CUTCUTCUTT26U.S. OpenT12T42T29T7WDT38CUTThe Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipT26T34WDCUTT40CUTT58CUTCUTCUT

CUT = missed the half-way cut WD = withdrew "T" = tied

Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 0 1 4 7 13 25 18U.S. Open 2 1 2 9 11 17 26 21The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1PGA Championship 1 0 0 3 4 10 22 15Totals 3 1 3 16 22 41 74 55 Most consecutive cuts made – 14 (1950 Masters – 1956 U.S. Open) Longest streak of top-10s – 4 (1951 U.S. Open – 1953 Masters)

U.S. national team appearances Professional Ryder Cup: 1959 (winners), 1963 (winners), 1965 (winners), 1967 (winners) World Cup: 1953, 1968 Hopkins Trophy: 1952 (winners), 1953 (winners)

Julius Boros

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