Doug Ford

Height: 5 ft 11 in

Birthday: August 6, 1922

Year Turned Pro: 1949

Birthplace: West Haven, Connecticut

Doug Ford won 19 PGA tour events and two Major championships during his time on the PGA Tour. Ford turned professional in 1949 and his first win came three years later at the Jacksonville Open. Ford contends he made as much money as tour players while playing private matches for big wages in Florida following World War II and therefore saw no hurry to turn pro.

Until 1958, the year’s last Major – the PGA Championship –was a Match Play event. In 1955, Ford secured his first Major title by defeating heavily favored Cary Middlecoff in the finals by a score of 4 & 3. Middlecoff won 40 PGA titles during his storied career. In an interesting side note, due to Middlecoff’s notorious slow play, Ford had a relative carry a chair along the course that Ford would rest in between shots, saving his legs during the 36-hole match.

Two years later, Ford would win his second Major title at Augusta National. Entering the final round, he found himself 3 shots behind Sam Snead. Ford holed a bunker shot on 18 from a buried lie in a greenside bunker to defeat Snead by 3 shots.

Ford won his last PGA tournament in 1963. He was a member of 4 consecutive winning Ryder Cup teams from 1955 through 1961.

In all, Ford recorded 13 top ten performances in golf’s 4 Major tournaments. He won 3 3 events as a member of the Senior Tour (Champions) after turning 50 years old.

Ford was also a crack pool player, learning the game of billiards from his uncle in Manhattan who was a New York state pool champion. Ford credited billiards with teaching him angles and a soft touch that crossed over and helped his golf game.