The 1962 PGA Tour season was played from January 5 to December 9. The season consisted of 50 official money events. Arnold Palmer won the most tournaments, eight, and there were seven first-time winners. Palmer was the leading money winner with earnings of $81,448. Palmer was voted the PGA Player of the Year [ 1] and also won the Vardon Trophy for the lowest scoring average.
Schedule
The following table lists official events during the 1962 season.[ 2] [ 3] [ 4] [ 5] [ 6] [ 7] [ 8]
Date
Tournament
Location
Purse (US$ )
Winner[ a]
Notes
Jan 8
Los Angeles Open
California
45,000
Phil Rodgers (1)
Jan 14
San Diego Open Invitational
California
25,000
Tommy Jacobs (2)
Jan 22
Bing Crosby National Pro-Am
California
50,000
Doug Ford (17)
Pro-Am
Jan 28
Lucky International Open
California
50,000
Gene Littler (18)
Feb 4
Palm Springs Golf Classic
California
35,000
Arnold Palmer (28)
Pro-Am
Feb 11
Phoenix Open Invitational
Arizona
35,000
Arnold Palmer (29)
Feb 18
Tucson Open Invitational
Arizona
20,000
Phil Rodgers (2)
Feb 25
Greater New Orleans Open Invitational
Louisiana
30,000
Bo Wininger (4)
Mar 4
Baton Rouge Open Invitational
Louisiana
20,000
Joe Campbell (2)
Mar 11
Pensacola Open Invitational
Florida
20,000
Doug Sanders (9)
Mar 19
St. Petersburg Open Invitational
Florida
20,000
Bobby Nichols (1)
Mar 26
Doral C.C. Open Invitational
Florida
50,000
Billy Casper (15)
New tournament
Apr 1
Azalea Open
North Carolina
20,000
Dave Marr (2)
Apr 9
Masters Tournament
Georgia
110,000
Arnold Palmer (30)
Major championship
Apr 15
Greater Greensboro Open
North Carolina
35,000
Billy Casper (16)
Apr 23
Houston Classic
Texas
50,000
Bobby Nichols (2)
Apr 29
Texas Open Invitational
Texas
30,000
Arnold Palmer (31)
May 6
Tournament of Champions
Nevada
50,000
Arnold Palmer (32)
Winners-only event
May 6
Waco Turner Open
Oklahoma
20,000
Johnny Pott (3)
Alternate event
May 14
Colonial National Invitation
Texas
40,000
Arnold Palmer (33)
Invitational
May 20
Hot Springs Open Invitational
Arkansas
20,000
Al Johnston (1)
May 27
500 Festival Open Invitation
Indiana
50,000
Billy Casper (17)
Jun 3
Memphis Open Invitational
Tennessee
40,000
Lionel Hebert (4)
Jun 10
Thunderbird Classic Invitational
New Jersey
100,000
Gene Littler (19)
New tournament
Jun 17
U.S. Open
Pennsylvania
75,000
Jack Nicklaus (1)
Major championship
Jun 24
Eastern Open Invitational
Maryland
35,000
Doug Ford (18)
Jul 1
Western Open
Illinois
55,000
Jacky Cupit (2)
Jul 8
Buick Open Invitational
Michigan
50,000
Bill Collins (4)
Jul 13
The Open Championship
Scotland
£8,500
Arnold Palmer (34)
Major championship
Jul 15
Motor City Open
Michigan
35,000
Bruce Crampton (2)
Jul 22
PGA Championship
Pennsylvania
70,000
Gary Player (6)
Major championship
Jul 29
Canadian Open
Canada
30,000
Ted Kroll (8)
Aug 5
Insurance City Open Invitational
Connecticut
35,000
Bob Goalby (5)
Aug 12
American Golf Classic
Ohio
50,000
Arnold Palmer (35)
Aug 19
St. Paul Open Invitational
Minnesota
30,000
Doug Sanders (10)
Aug 26
Oklahoma City Open Invitational
Oklahoma
35,000
Doug Sanders (11)
Sep 3
Dallas Open Invitational
Texas
35,000
Billy Maxwell (7)
Sep 9
Denver Open Invitational
Colorado
30,000
Bob Goalby (6)
Sep 16
Seattle World's Fair Open Invitational
Washington
30,000
Jack Nicklaus (2)
Sep 23
Portland Open Invitational
Oregon
25,000
Jack Nicklaus (3)
Sep 30
Sahara Invitational
Nevada
20,000
Tony Lema (1)
Oct 14
Bakersfield Open Invitational
California
40,000
Billy Casper (18)
Oct 21
Ontario Open Invitational
California
25,000
Al Geiberger (1)
Oct 28
Orange County Open Invitational
California
20,000
Tony Lema (2)
Nov 4
Beaumont Open Invitational
Texas
20,000
Dave Ragan (2)
Nov 11
Cajun Classic Open Invitational
Louisiana
17,500
John Barnum (1)
Nov 18
Mobile Sertoma Open Invitational
Alabama
11,500
Tony Lema (3)
Nov 25
Carling Open Invitational
Florida
35,000
Bo Wininger (5)
Dec 2
West Palm Beach Open Invitational
Florida
20,000
Dave Ragan (3)
Dec 9
Coral Gables Open Invitational
Florida
20,000
Gardner Dickinson (3)
Money leaders
The money list was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in U.S. dollars.[ 9]
Awards
Notes
^ The number in brackets after each winner's name is the number of PGA Tour events he had won up to and including that tournament. This information is only shown for PGA Tour members.
References
^ "Palmer Tops PGA Ranks Second Time". The Daily Courier . Connellsville, Pennsylvania . UPI. October 4, 1962. p. 6. For the first time, the award was open to PGA members only, so Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, both approved tournament players, were not eligible.
^ "An Old (39) Ford Beats Young Joe" . St. Petersburg Times . Florida. AP. January 23, 1962. p. 1-C.
^ "Nichols' Iron Shots Aid St. Pete Victory" . The Pittsburgh Press . Pennsylvania. UPI. March 20, 1962. p. 31.
^ "Casper Wins Doral Open Golf" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pennsylvania. AP. March 27, 1962. p. 19.
^ "Nichols' Eagle Wins At Houston" . Milwaukee Sentinel . Wisconsin. UPI. April 24, 1962. p. 4:2.
^ "Palmer Takes Colonial Gold From Pott In Playoffs" . Prescott Evening Courier . Arizona. UPI. May 15, 1962. p. 5.
^ "1962 winners sorted by age" . PGA Tour. July 9, 2008. Retrieved March 19, 2013 .
^ Johnson, Sal; Seanor, Dave, eds. (2009). The USA Today Golfers Encyclopedia . New York, New York : Skyhorse Publishing . pp. 630–7. ISBN 978-1-60239-302-8 .
^ "Arnie Again Pro Golf's Top Winner" . Beaver County Times . Beaver, Pennsylvania . UPI. December 11, 1962. p. 14. Retrieved March 19, 2013 .
External links