Joseph Franklin Beard (born May 1, 1939) is an American former professional golfer who was a member of the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. Beard won eleven PGA Tour events.

Early life Beard was born in Dallas, Texas. He attended Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky, and won the Kentucky state high school golf championship as a senior in 1957.

Amateur career Beard attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Conrad Rehling's Florida Gators men's golf team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 1958 to 1961. He was recognized as an All-American in 1960 and 1961. He graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree in accounting in 1961.

Professional career Beard turned professional in 1962. He topped the PGA Tour money list in 1969 with earnings of $175,223. He has eleven wins on the tour including victories in the Tournament of Champions in 1967 and 1970. He was a member of the U.S. team in the Ryder Cup in 1969 and 1971 and had a 2–3–3 win–loss–half record. His best finishes in a major tournament were a third-place finish and a tie for third in the 1965 and 1975 U.S. Opens. After turning 50 years old, he played on the Senior PGA Tour (now the Champions Tour), where he won the 1990 Murata Reunion Pro-Am.

Beard has also worked as a golf commentator on ESPN.

Awards and honors

In 1969, Beard was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great." In 1969, Beard won the PGA Tour money list In 1986, Beard was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame.

Professional wins (14) PGA Tour wins (11) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Nov 10, 1963Frank Sinatra Open Invitational−6 (68-72-69-69=278)1 stroke Jerry Steelsmith2Apr 25, 1965Texas Open Invitational−10 (70-67-65-68=270)3 strokes Gardner Dickinson3May 16, 1966Greater New Orleans Open Invitational−12 (68-71-70-67=276)2 strokes Gardner Dickinson4Apr 16, 1967Tournament of Champions−6 (65-68-74-71=278)1 stroke Arnold Palmer5May 7, 1967Houston Champions International−10 (67-70-70-67=274)1 stroke Arnold Palmer6Jul 9, 1967500 Festival Open Invitation−9 (70-71-69-69=279)3 strokes Rod Funseth, Rives McBee7Jul 13, 1969Minnesota Golf Classic−15 (69-67-67-66=269)7 strokes Tommy Aaron, Hugh Inggs8Aug 3, 1969Westchester Classic−13 (69-72-67-67=275)1 stroke Bert Greene9Apr 26, 1970Tournament of Champions (2)−15 (70-64-68-71=273)7 strokes Billy Casper, Tony Jacklin, Gary Player10Aug 9, 1970American Golf Classic−4 (73-65-67-71=276)2 strokes Tommy Aaron, Bruce Crampton, Jack Nicklaus 11May 2, 1971Greater New Orleans Open Invitational−12 (70-71-67-68=276)1 stroke Hubert Green

PGA Tour playoff record (0–3) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11968American Golf Classic Lee Elder, Jack NicklausNicklaus won with birdie on fifth extra holeBeard eliminated by birdie on first hole21969Greater New Orleans Open Larry HinsonLost to par on third extra hole31974World Open Golf Championship Johnny Miller, Bob Murphy, Jack NicklausMiller won with birdie on second extra holeMurphy eliminated by par on first hole

Other wins (2) 1964 Kentucky Open 1967 Waterloo Open Golf Classic

Senior PGA Tour wins (1) No. DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up1Apr 29, 1990Murata Reunion Pro-Am−9 (66-67-74=207)2 strokes Walt Zembriski

Senior PGA Tour playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult11989Northville Long Island Classic Butch Baird, Don Bies, Orville MoodyBaird won with birdie on first extra hole

Results in major championships Tournament1964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976Masters TournamentT8T22T26T5T199T9T41T24T22CUTT43U.S. OpenCUT3T17T54T52T50T22CUTCUTT25T12T3CUTThe Open ChampionshipCUTT19PGA ChampionshipT33T4511T7T610T55T13T53T46T11CUT

CUT = missed the half-way cut "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 1 4 8 12 11U.S. Open 0 0 2 2 2 6 13 9The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 3 6 12 11Totals 0 0 2 3 9 21 39 32 Most consecutive cuts made – 20 (1964 PGA – 1971 Masters) Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (three times)

U.S. national team appearances Professional Ryder Cup: 1969 (tie, cup retained), 1971 (winners)

See also

List of American Ryder Cup golfers List of Florida Gators men's golfers on the PGA Tour List of University of Florida alumni List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members

References

External links