George William Archer (October 1, 1939 – September 25, 2005) was an American professional golfer who won 13 events on the PGA Tour, including one major championship, the Masters in 1969.
Early life Archer was born in San Francisco, California, and raised just south in San Mateo. He grew to tall, and as a boy he dreamed of a basketball career, but took up golf at San Mateo High School after working as a caddy at the Peninsula Golf and Country Club near his home. He was kicked off the high school basketball team because he missed too many practices due to golf.
Professional career In 1964, Archer turned professional and claimed the first of 13 victories on the PGA Tour at the Lucky International Open the following year.
The leading achievement of his career was his win at the Masters in 1969. In the first round, he fired a 67, good for second place behind Billy Casper. His subsequent rounds of 73-69-72 earned him a one-stroke victory over runners-up Casper, Tom Weiskopf, and George Knudson.Historic Leaderboard: 1969 Masters. Augusta.com. Retrieved on 2018-06-09.
Archer's other top-10 finishes in the majors came at the U.S. Open (10th in 1969, fifth in 1971) and the PGA Championship (fourth in 1968).
Archer was hampered by injuries throughout his career and had surgery on his left wrist (1975), back (1979) and left shoulder (1987). In 1996, he had his right hip replaced and two years later became the first man to win on the Senior PGA Tour (now the PGA Tour Champions) after having the surgery. He won 19 times on the Senior Tour between 1989 and 2000, although he did not win a senior major. Archer is also the only player in PGA Tour Champions history to win a tournament in each of the first three decades of its existence.
Archer is considered one of the game's all-time great putters, and at one time held the PGA Tour record for fewest putts over four rounds with 94 putts at the Sea Pines Heritage in 1980 (1.3 per hole). The record stood for nine years, until broken by Kenny Knox in 1989.
Archer was known as the "Golfing Cowboy," tracing to a summer job in his youth at his friend and sponsor, Lucky Lager Brewing Company founder Eugene Selvage's, Lucky Hereford Ranch in Gilroy.
Archer made Masters history in 1983 when he employed its first female caddy, his 19-year-old daughter Elizabeth, in the first year that outside caddies were allowed at Augusta National. He finished tied for 12th, his third-best at Augusta and final top-20 finish in a major. At the time Liz was a sophomore at Stanford University and had caddied for her father at twenty previous events; a member of the Cardinal track team, she threw the javelin and discus. She started caddying for him on tour in the summer of 1980, prior to her senior year at Gilroy High School.
Personal life
Illiteracy Six months after his death, Archer's widow, Donna, revealed in the March/April 2006 issue of Golf For Women magazine that he had suffered his entire life from a severe form of learning impairment. Despite years of effort and the consultation of many experts, he was never able to read more than the simplest sentences and could only write his own name. She reported that they never revealed this truth beyond their family and that Archer lived in constant fear that the secret of his illiteracy would be revealed.
In 2008, Donna created the George Archer Memorial Foundation for Literacy, a 501(c)(3) organization located in Incline Village, Nevada. The Foundation's mission is to raise funds to identify reading deficiencies, diagnose causes and effective treatments for learning disabilities, improve systems for training teachers, tutors and other educators in literacy issues, provide grants, stipends and scholarships for deserving students, and assist in the development of tools and techniques for the effective teaching of reading and writing skills. The Foundation's primary fundraiser is the George Archer Memorial Stroke of Genius Pro-Am golf tournament held every October since 2008 at the Peninsula Golf and Country Club, in San Mateo, California – the club at which Archer began his golf career.
Death
Archer died of Burkitt's lymphoma – a lymphatic system malignancy – in Incline Village, Nevada in 2005, six days before his 66th birthday. He was survived by his wife, Donna, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Marilyn. He played his final round of golf with his wife in nearby Truckee on August 25, a month before his death.
Amateur wins 1963 Trans-Mississippi Amateur, San Francisco City Championship
Professional wins (43) PGA Tour wins (13) LegendMajor championships (1)Other PGA Tour (12) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Jan 31, 1965Lucky International Open68-73-69-68=278−6Playoff Bob Charles2Apr 2, 1967Greater Greensboro Open 67-64-68-68=267−172 strokes Doug Sanders3Mar 25, 1968Pensacola Open Invitational 66-68-69-65=268−201 stroke Tony Jacklin, Dave Marr4May 12, 1968Greater New Orleans Open Invitational69-65-70-67=271−172 strokes Bert Yancey5Sep 22, 1968 PGA National Team Championship(with Bobby Nichols)65-66-69-65=265−222 strokes Monty Kaser and Rives McBee6Jan 27, 1969Bing Crosby National Pro-Am 72-68-72-71=283−51 stroke Bob Dickson, Dale Douglass, Howie Johnson7Apr 13, 1969Masters Tournament67-73-69-72=281−71 stroke Billy Casper, George Knudson, Tom Weiskopf8Jan 31, 1971Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational67-72-68-65=272−163 strokes Dave Eichelberger9Sep 6, 1971Greater Hartford Open Invitational68-66-68-66=268−16Playoff Lou Graham, J. C. Snead10Jan 9, 1972Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open66-69-69-66=270−14Playoff Tommy Aaron, Dave Hill 11Apr 2, 1972Greater Greensboro Open (2)70-68-66-68=272−12Playoff Tommy Aaron12Oct 3, 1976Sahara Invitational67-66-69-69=271−132 strokes Dave Hill, Don January13Sep 9, 1984Bank of Boston Classic69-66-70-65=270−146 strokes Frank Conner, Joey Sindelar
PGA Tour playoff record (4–3) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11965Lucky International Open Bob CharlesWon with birdie on second extra hole21969Kaiser International Open Invitational Billy Casper, Don January, Jack NicklausNicklaus won with birdie on second extra holeJanuary eliminated by birdie on first hole31970Robinson Open Golf Classic George KnudsonLost to par on fourth extra hole41971Greater Hartford Open Invitational Lou Graham, J. C. SneadWon with birdie on first extra hole51972Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open Tommy Aaron, Dave HillWon 18-hole playoff;Archer: −5 (66),Aaron: −3 (68),Hill: −3 (68) 61972Dean Martin Tucson Open Miller BarberLost to birdie on third extra hole after 18-hole playoff;Archer: E (72),Barber: E (72)71972Greater Greensboro Open Tommy AaronWon with par on second extra hole
Other wins (7) 1963 Northern California Open, Northern California Medal Play 1964 Northern California Open 1967 Northern California Open 1969 Argentine Masters 1981 Colombian Open 1982 Philippines Invitational
Senior PGA Tour wins (19) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Oct 15, 1989Gatlin Brothers Southwest Senior Classic69-72-68=209−7Playoff Orville Moody, Jimmy Powell2Jan 7, 1990MONY Senior Tournament of Champions 73-69-67-74=283−57 strokes Bruce Crampton3Jul 8, 1990Northville Long Island Classic 69-67-72=208−161 stroke Frank Beard, Charles Coody4Aug 26, 1990GTE Northwest Classic69-66-70=205−152 strokes Bruce Crampton5Oct 28, 1990Rancho Murieta Senior Gold Rush 70-68-66=204−121 stroke Dale Douglass6Aug 4, 1991Northville Long Island Classic (2)68-67-69=204−122 strokes Jim Colbert, Larry Laoretti7Sep 1, 1991GTE North Classic66-66-67=199−171 stroke Dale Douglass8Oct 13, 1991Raley's Senior Gold Rush (2)67-71-68=206−101 stroke Simon Hobday 9May 10, 1992Murata Reunion Pro-Am66-72-73=211−5Playoff Tommy Aaron10Aug 2, 1992Northville Long Island Classic (3)70-67-68=205−92 strokes Jim Albus11Aug 16, 1992Bruno's Memorial Classic66-68-74=208−81 stroke Jack Kiefer, Rocky Thompson12Jul 18, 1993Ameritech Senior Open67-66=133−111 stroke Jim Colbert, Simon Hobday, Dick Rhyan13Jul 25, 1993 First of America Classic67-69-63=199−14Playoff Jim Colbert, Chi-Chi Rodríguez14Oct 17, 1993Raley's Senior Gold Rush (3)68-66-68=202−141 stroke Bob Charles, Chi-Chi Rodríguez15Oct 31, 1993Ping Kaanapali Classic67-69-63=199−14Playoff Dave Stockton, Lee Trevino16Feb 20, 1995Toshiba Senior Classic67-68-64=199−111 stroke Dave Stockton, Tom Wargo17May 14, 1995Cadillac NFL Golf Classic69-66-70=205−111 stroke Raymond Floyd, Bob Murphy18Aug 16, 1998First of America Classic (2)68-67-64=199−17 5 strokes Jim Dent19Jan 23, 2000MasterCard Championship (2)67-71-69=207−92 strokes Hale Irwin, Graham Marsh, Dana Quigley, Lee Trevino
Senior PGA Tour Tour playoff record (4–2) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11989Gatlin Brothers Southwest Senior Classic Orville Moody, Jimmy PowellWon with par on second extra hole21991Security Pacific Senior Classic John Brodie, Chi-Chi RodríguezBrodie won with birdie on first extra hole31992GTE Suncoast Classic Jim ColbertLost to birdie on fourth extra hole41992Murata Reunion Pro-Am Tommy AaronWon with birdie on third extra hole51993First of America Classic Jim Colbert, Chi-Chi RodríguezWon with par on third extra holeRodríguez eliminated by par on first hole61993Ping Kaanapali Classic Dave Stockton, Lee TrevinoWon with birdie on first extra hole
Other senior wins (4) 1990 Sports Shinko Cup, Princeville Classic 1991 Sports Shinko Cup 1994 Chrysler Cup (individual)
Major championships Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreTo parMarginRunners-up 1969 Masters Tournament 1 shot deficit 67-73-69-72=281 −7 1 stroke Billy Casper, George Knudson, Tom Weiskopf
Results timeline Tournament196419651966196719681969Masters TournamentT16T221U.S. OpenT39T17WDT16T10The Open ChampionshipWDPGA ChampionshipT61T55T4T69
Tournament1970197119721973197419751976197719781979Masters TournamentT3135T12T43WDCUTCUTT19WDU.S. OpenT30T5T65T34T27CUTThe Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipT61T34T36T51T1961
Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989Masters TournamentCUTT11T30T12T25T53CUTCUTT43U.S. OpenT58The Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipT17CUTT34T67T47
Tournament199019911992Masters Tournament49WD51U.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipPGA Championship
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 1 0 0 1 1 8 24 16U.S. Open 0 0 0 1 2 4 12 10The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0PGA Championship 0 0 0 1 1 3 15 14Totals 1 0 0 3 4 15 52 40 Most consecutive cuts made – 13 (1969 PGA – 1973 PGA) Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (1968 PGA – 1969 U.S. Open)
See also List of golfers with most Champions Tour wins
Notes
References
External links
An interview from 2003 The Secret They Shared Golf For Women, March/April 2006 Sports Illustrated cover: April 21, 1969 George Archer Memorial Foundation for Literacy