Donald Ray January (November 20, 1929 – May 7, 2023) was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1967 PGA Championship.
Early life Born in Plainview, Texas, January graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas. He was a member of the North Texas State golf team that won four consecutive NCAA Division I titles from 1949 to 1952. January is a member of the Sunset High School Hall of Fame.
While in college as a sophomore, as part of his scholarship, January helped teach a beginning golf class, where he met his future wife, Patricia "Pat" Rushing. They both graduated in 1953 and eloped to Ardmore, Oklahoma. They lived in San Antonio while Don was in the Air Force, and began their family—two boys and a girl.
Professional career January won 10 PGA Tour titles, though never more than one in a year, with his most notable at the 1967 PGA Championship, an 18-hole playoff victory over Don Massengale. January had lost the 1961 PGA Championship in a playoff to Jerry Barber when his 68, the lowest losing score ever in an 18-hole playoff for a major championship, was bested by Barber's 67. He won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average in 1976 at the age of 47. He was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in both 1965 and 1977.
January was responsible for a change to the rules of golf. During the 1963 Phoenix Open, January had a putt roll up to the lip of the hole and stop. January claimed that the ball was still moving, and waited for seven minutes for the ball to drop (it never did). Rule 16-2 was revised in 1964 to state that players had to tap the ball in within ten seconds or be penalized.
In the period between his last PGA Tour win and the start of the Senior PGA Tour, January devoted most of his professional efforts to a golf course design business, JanMart Enterprises, which he established with fellow Texan and PGA Tour golfer Billy Martindale.
January is well known for his success on the Senior PGA Tour (now the PGA Tour Champions), winning 22 events including two PGA Seniors' Championships. In 1980, he won the first official event on the Senior PGA Tour—the Atlantic City Senior International.
The Don January Golf Classic is a golf tournament played annually in the spring that was established to honor him in 1990 by his alma mater, now known as the University of North Texas.
January appeared as himself on the March 6, 1961 episode of the game show To Tell the Truth. He received two votes.
Death January died at his home in Dallas on May 7, 2023, at the age of 93.
Professional wins (45) PGA Tour wins (10) LegendMajor championships (1)Other PGA Tour (9) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1May 27, 1956Dallas Centennial Open−12 (64-67-70-67=268)1 stroke Dow Finsterwald, Doug Ford2Feb 21, 1960Tucson Open Invitational−9 (67-67-68-69=271)3 strokes Bob Harris3Jul 9, 1961St. Paul Open Invitational −19 (66-71-68-64=269)1 stroke Buster Cupit4Feb 17, 1963Tucson Open Invitational (2)−22 (65-67-69-65=266)11 strokes Gene Littler, Phil Rodgers5Aug 28, 1966Philadelphia Golf Classic −10 (69-69-69-71=278)1 stroke Jack Nicklaus6Jul 24, 1967PGA Championship−7 (71-72-70-68=281)Playoff Don Massengale7Apr 21, 1968Tournament of Champions−8 (70-68-69-69=276)1 stroke Julius Boros8Mar 23, 1970Greater Jacksonville Open−9 (68-75-70-66=279)Playoff Dale Douglass9Oct 19, 1975San Antonio Texas Open−13 (71-67-71-66=275)Playoff Larry Hinson 10Apr 18, 1976MONY Tournament of Champions (2)−11 (71-68-69-69=277)5 strokes Hubert Green
PGA Tour playoff record (3–5) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11956Western Open Mike Fetchick, Doug Ford, Jay HebertFetchick won 18-hole playoff;Fetchick: −6 (66),Hebert: −1 (71),Ford: E (72),January: +3 (75) 21961PGA Championship Jerry BarberLost 18-hole playoff;Barber: −3 (67),January: −2 (68)31964Lucky International Open Chi-Chi RodríguezLost 18-hole playoff;Rodríguez: −1 (70),January: E (71) 41967PGA Championship Don MassengaleWon 18-hole playoff;January: −3 (69),Massengale: −1 (71)51969Kaiser International Open Invitational George Archer, Billy Casper, Jack NicklausNicklaus won with birdie on second extra holeJanuary eliminated by birdie on first hole61970Greater Jacksonville Open Dale DouglassWon 18-hole playoff;January: −3 (69),Douglass: E (72)71971Houston Champions International Hubert GreenLost to birdie on first extra hole81975San Antonio Texas Open Larry HinsonWon with birdie on second extra hole
Source:
Other wins (2) This list may be incomplete 1956 Apple Valley Clambake 1959 Valencia Open Invitational
Senior PGA Tour wins (22) LegendSenior major championships (1)Other Senior PGA Tour (21) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Jun 22, 1980Atlantic City Senior International−5 (68-71-69=208)2 strokes Mike Souchak2Apr 5, 1981Michelob-Egypt Temple Senior Classic−8 (71-70-72-67=280)Playoff Doug Ford3Jun 7, 1981Eureka Federal Savings Classic −5 (71-69-68=208)2 strokes Bob Goalby4Apr 4, 1982Michelob Senior Classic (2)−10 (73-69-67-69=278)3 strokes Dow Finsterwald5Dec 5, 1982PGA Seniors' Championship E (74-75-69-70=288)1 stroke Julius Boros6Jun 5, 1983Gatlin Brothers Seniors Golf Classic−8 (71-67-68=208)Playoff Billy Casper7Jun 26, 1983Peter Jackson Champions−10 (68-67-71-68=274)2 strokes Miller Barber8Jul 3, 1983Marlboro Classic−11 (69-72-68-64=273)3 strokes Miller Barber, Gay Brewer9Aug 21, 1983Denver Post Champions of Golf−17 (70-65-67-69=271)4 strokes Billy Casper, Doug Sanders10Sep 4, 1983Citizens Union Senior Golf Classic−19 (67-67-65-70=269)3 strokes Bob Stone11Oct 16, 1983Suntree Classic−14 (69-66-68-71=274)3 strokes Arnold Palmer12Mar 25, 1984Vintage Invitational−8 (70-72-72-66=280)4 strokes Miller Barber 13Aug 12, 1984 du Maurier Champions (2)−19 (65-63-66=194)5 strokes Miller Barber, Lee Elder14Sep 23, 1984Digital Middlesex Classic (2)−7 (70-70-69=209)4 strokes Orville Moody15Mar 24, 1985Senior PGA Tour Roundup−18 (65-69-64=198)3 strokes Gene Littler16May 12, 1985Dominion Seniors−10 (69-70-67=206)2 strokes Gay Brewer17May 19, 1985United Hospitals Senior Golf Championship−5 (69-66=135)5 strokes Al Balding18Jul 7, 1985The Greenbrier American Express Championship−16 (70-64-66=200)2 strokes Lee Elder19Jun 8, 1986Senior Players Reunion Pro-Am−13 (66-68-69=203)2 strokes Chi-Chi Rodríguez20Jul 13, 1986The Greenbrier American Express Championship (2)−9 (70-66-71-207)Playoff Jim Ferree21Nov 2, 1986Seiko-Tucson Senior Match Play ChampionshipE (70)1 stroke Bob Charles22Jan 10, 1987MONY Senior Tournament of Champions−1 (67-72-73-75=287)Playoff Butch Baird
Senior PGA Tour playoff record (4–1) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11981Michelob-Egypt Temple Senior Classic Doug FordWon with birdie on first extra hole21983Gatlin Brothers Seniors Golf Classic Billy CasperWon with par on fifth extra hole31985Digital Seniors Classic Jerry Barber, Lee ElderElder won with birdie on first extra hole41986The Greenbrier American Express Championship Jim FerreeWon with par on first extra hole51987MONY Senior Tournament of Champions Butch BairdWon with birdie on fourth extra hole
Other senior wins (12) 1979 PGA Seniors' Championship 1980 Australian Seniors Championship 1982 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Sam Snead) 1984 Shootout at Jeremy Ranch (with Mike Sullivan) 1985 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Gene Littler), Mazda Champions (with Alice Miller) 1986 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Gene Littler) 1993 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Legendary Division 1994 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Legendary Division (with Gene Littler) 1997 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Legendary Division (with Gene Littler) 2001 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Gene Littler) 2004 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Gene Littler)
Major championships Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 1967 PGA Championship 4 shot deficit −7 (71-72-70-68=281) Playoff1 Don Massengale 1Defeated Massengale in an 18-hole playoff, 69 to 71.
Results timeline Tournament19521953195419551956195719581959Masters Tournament36U.S. OpenCUTCUTT7T19PGA ChampionshipT49
Tournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969Masters TournamentT20T4T20T9T18CUTT6T26T14T5U.S. OpenCUTCUT11T11CUTT173T24WDPGA Championship52T27T40CUTT121T51T15
Tournament1970197119721973197419751976197719781979Masters TournamentT12T4CUTT10T33T8T11CUTU.S. OpenT27T11T29T14PGA ChampionshipT12CUTCUTT10T2T6T19T7
Tournament198019811982Masters TournamentCUTU.S. OpenPGA ChampionshipCUTT19CUT Note: January never played in The Open Championship.
CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1964 PGA Championship) WD = withdrew "T" indicates a tie for a place
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 0 0 3 7 13 20 16U.S. Open 0 0 1 1 2 9 17 11The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0PGA Championship 1 2 0 4 7 12 21 16Totals 1 2 1 8 16 34 58 43 Most consecutive cuts made – 10 (twice) Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (1976 PGA – 1977 PGA)
Champions Tour major championships
Wins (1) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 1982 Senior PGA Championship E (74-75-69-70=288) 1 stroke Julius Boros
U.S. national team appearances Professional Ryder Cup: 1965 (winners), 1977 (winners)
See also List of golfers with most PGA Tour Champions wins List of men's major championships winning golfers
Notes
References
External links