Phil Rodgers

Phil Rodgers
Phil Rodgers
Personal information
Born	April 3, 1938 (age 86); San Diego, California
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight	175 lb (79 kg; 12.5 st)
Sporting nationality	United States
Career
College	University of Houston
Turned professional	1961
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour; Champions Tour
Professional wins	6
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	5
Other	1
Best results in major championships;
Masters Tournament	T7: 1974
PGA Championship	T7: 1972
U.S. Open	T3: 1962
The Open Championship	2nd: 1963

Phil Rodgers (born April 3, 1938) is an American professional golfer.

Rodgers was born in San Diego, California. He won the 1958 NCAA Division I Championship while playing at the University of Houston. Immediately after, he was placed in the first position on the first team of the 1958 All-American golf team, which included many well known professionals including future winners of the PGA Championship, Al Geiberger and Bobby Nichols and Masters Tournament winner, Tommy Aaron.

While in the Marine Corps, Rodgers won virtually every service tournament (he was even pulled out of Boot Camp to play in the All Services tournament), then turned professional in 1961. He won five times on the PGA Tour in the 1960s. Playing sparingly in 1961, but winning the "unofficial" 54-hole Sahara Pro-Am in Las Vegas, Nevada, Rodgers started his first full year on the PGA Tour in 1962, which began with the Los Angeles Open. Tied for the lead after 54 holes with Fred Hawkins at 206, Rodgers ran away from the field shooting a 9-under-par 62 making 9 birdies and 9 pars to win his first championship by 9 strokes.

Despite some sensational wins, Rodgers seems better known for two losses. He lost to Bob Charles in a 36-hole playoff in the 1963 Open Championship. Lesser known is that he lost the 1962 U.S. Open by two strokes despite going 6-over-par on two holes. In the first round, he took a quadruple bogey 8 on the 17th hole, and 4-putted the 12th hole in the third round. Still, after chipping in for a birdie on the 12th hole in the final round, he stood at 2-under-par with six holes left, needing 6 pars to win. Instead he made 3 bogeys enabling Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus to finish regulation play tied for first at 1-under-par. Nicklaus went on to win the playoff and scored his first victory as a professional.

After a stint on the Senior PGA Tour, Rodgers has become a much sought-after teacher, specializing in the short game. One of his first pupils was Jack Nicklaus, who publicly credited Rodgers with teaching him more precise wedge play which helped him win his 4th U.S. Open championship in 1980 at age 40. For several years, Golf Magazine has ranked Rodgers in their top 100 teachers.

Professional wins

PGA Tour wins (5)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Jan 8, 1962	Los Angeles Open	−16 (67-71-68-62=268)	9 strokes	Bob Goalby, Fred Hawkins
2	Feb 18, 1962	Tucson Open Invitational	−17 (64-68-65-66=263)	3 strokes	Jim Ferrier
3	Apr 28, 1963	Texas Open Invitational	−16 (66-71-66-65=268)	2 strokes	Johnny Pott
4	Mar 13, 1966	Doral Open Invitational	−10 (69-69-70-70=278)	1 stroke	Jay Dolan, Kermit Zarley
5	Jun 12, 1966	Buick Open Invitational	−4 (70-73-71-70=284)	2 strokes	Johnny Pott, Kermit Zarley

PGA Tour playoff record (0–2)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent	Result
1	1963	The Open Championship	Bob Charles	Lost 36-hole playoff (Charles: 69-71=140, Rodgers: 72-76=148)
2	1965	Azalea Open	Dick Hart	Lost to par on eighth extra hole

Other wins

this list may be incomplete

1961 Sahara Pro-Am

Results in major championships

Tournament	1956	1957	1958	1959
Masters Tournament	DNP	DNP	22	CUT
U.S. Open	CUT	DNP	DNP	CUT
The Open Championship	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
PGA Championship	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP

Tournament	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969
Masters Tournament	DNP	DNP	CUT	CUT	T25	DNP	T17	T36	DNP	DNP
U.S. Open	DNP	DNP	T3	T32	DNP	CUT	6	CUT	DNP	T13
The Open Championship	DNP	DNP	T3	2	T19	CUT	T4	T43	DNP	DNP
PGA Championship	DNP	DNP	CUT	CUT	DNP	DNP	CUT	T28	DNP	T48

Tournament	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977
Masters Tournament	CUT	DNP	DNP	23	T7	CUT	DNP	DNP
U.S. Open	CUT	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	CUT	CUT	CUT
The Open Championship	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	CUT	DNP	DNP	DNP
PGA Championship	T48	CUT	T7	T71	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP

DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Yellow background for top-10

Summary

Tournament	2nd	3rd	Top-5	Top-10	Top-25	Events	Cuts made
Masters Tournament	0	0	0	1	5	11	6
U.S. Open	0	1	1	2	3	12	4
The Open Championship	1	1	3	3	3	7	5
PGA Championship	0	0	0	1	1	9	5
Totals	1	2	4	7	12	39	20

Most consecutive cuts made – 4 (twice)
Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (twice)

External links

Phil Rodgers at the PGA Tour official site