Gay Robert Brewer Jr. (March 19, 1932 – August 31, 2007) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and won the 1967 Masters Tournament.
Career Brewer turned professional in 1956 and made his first cut, at the Agua Caliente Open, tying for 12th. His first top-10 as a pro came at the Philadelphia Daily News Open (tied for eighth), and his first top-five performance was at the Miller High Life Open in Milwaukee (tied for fifth). Playing on the PGA Tour in 1965, he won the Hawaiian Open. At the 1966 Masters Tournament, he bogeyed the final hole to finish in a three-way tie for the lead after regulation play but ended up finishing third to Jack Nicklaus following an 18-hole playoff. He came back to win the prestigious event the next year, scoring a one stroke victory over lifelong friend Bobby Nichols in the first live television broadcast of a golf tournament from the United States to Europe. Brewer called winning the 1967 Masters "the biggest thrill I've had in golf".
Overall, Brewer was victorious in 10 tour events during his career. He was known for his jovial personality and his unusual golf swing. Brewer joined the Senior PGA Tour and won the 1984 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament with Billy Casper and at age sixty-three he won the 1995 MasterCard Champions Championship. His final competitive round was at the 2001 Masters Tournament.
Brewer died at his home in Lexington, Kentucky from lung cancer. At the time of his death, he was engaged to Alma Jo McGuire.
Amateur wins
This list may be incomplete. 1949 Kentucky State Boys, U.S. Junior Amateur 1950 Kentucky State Boys 1951 Kentucky State Boys 1952 Southern Amateur
Professional wins (17) PGA Tour wins (10) LegendMajor championships (1)Other PGA Tour (9) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Aug 20, 1961Carling Open Invitational−3 (72-72-66-67=277)1 stroke Billy Maxwell2Nov 26, 1961Mobile Sertoma Open Invitational−13 (69-66-74-66=275)1 stroke Johnny Pott3Dec 3, 1961West Palm Beach Open Invitational−14 (69-64-70-71=274)4 strokes Arnold Palmer4May 5, 1963Waco Turner Open−12 (72-70-71-67=280)1 stroke Ted Ball5Sep 26, 1965Greater Seattle Open Invitational−9 (69-72-66-72=279)Playoff Doug Sanders6Nov 7, 1965Hawaiian Open−7 (74-72-67-68=281)Playoff Bob Goalby7Mar 7, 1966Pensacola Open Invitational−16 (65-69-67-71=272)3 strokes Bruce Devlin8Mar 26, 1967Pensacola Open Invitational (2)−26 (66-64-61-71=262)6 strokes Bob Keller9Apr 9, 1967Masters Tournament−8 (73-68-72-67=280)1 stroke Bobby Nichols10Jul 9, 1972Canadian Open−9 (67-70-68-70=275)1 stroke Sam Adams, Dave Hill
PGA Tour playoff record (2–6) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11959West Palm Beach Open Invitational Pete Cooper, Arnold PalmerPalmer won with par on fourth extra hole21965Greater Seattle Open Invitational Doug SandersWon with par on first extra hole31965Hawaiian Open Bob GoalbyWon with birdie on first extra hole41966Masters Tournament Tommy Jacobs, Jack NicklausLost 18-hole playoff;Nicklaus: −2 (70),Jacobs: E (72),Brewer: +6 (78) 51966Tournament of Champions Arnold PalmerLost 18-hole playoff;Palmer: −3 (69),Brewer: +1 (73)61969IVB-Philadelphia Golf Classic Dave Hill, Tommy Jacobs, R. H. SikesHill won with birdie on first extra hole71974 American Golf Classic Jim Colbert, Forrest Fezler, Raymond FloydColbert won with par on second extra holeBrewer and Fezler eliminated by par on first hole81976Walt Disney World National Team Championship(with Bobby Nichols) Woody Blackburn and Billy KratzertLost to birdie on third extra hole
Other wins (5) This list is probably incomplete. 1951 Kentucky Open (as an amateur) 1965 PGA National Four-ball Championship (with Butch Baird) 1967 Alcan Golfer of the Year Championship 1968 Alcan Golfer of the Year Championship 1972 Taiheiyo Club Masters
Senior PGA Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunners-up1Sep 3, 1984Citizens Union Senior Golf Classic−9 (68-69-67=204)2 strokes Billy Casper, Rod Funseth
Other senior wins (1) This list is probably incomplete. 1984 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Billy Casper)
Source:
Major championships Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 1967 Masters Tournament 2 shot deficit −8 (73-68-72-67=280) 1 stroke Bobby Nichols
Results timeline Tournament1956195719581959Masters TournamentU.S. OpenCUTCUTCUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipPGA Championship
Tournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969Masters TournamentT11CUTT25CUT31T35CUTU.S. OpenCUT5CUTT516T36T38T9CUTThe Open ChampionshipCUTT615PGA ChampionshipCUTT498T2827T28T20T25
Tournament1970197119721973197419751976197719781979Masters TournamentT31CUTT10CUTCUTT23CUTT29CUTU.S. Open7T9T2526The Open ChampionshipT32T10T37PGA ChampionshipCUTT7T64T17T33
Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989Masters TournamentCUTT154547CUTCUTCUTCUTCUTWDU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipPGA Championship
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999Masters TournamentCUTCUTCUTCUTCUTCUTCUTCUTCUTWDU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipPGA Championship
Tournament20002001Masters TournamentCUTWDU.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 1 2 3 7 39 12U.S. Open 0 0 0 2 5 7 17 10The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 2 3 6 5PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 2 5 13 11Totals 1 0 1 4 12 22 75 38 Most consecutive cuts made – 7 (1965 U.S. Open – 1967 U.S. Open) Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (1972 PGA – 1973 Open Championship)
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References
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