Jim Nelford

Last updated

Jim Nelford
Personal information
Full nameJames Cameron Nelford
Born (1955-06-28) June 28, 1955 (age 69)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Sporting nationalityFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Career
College Brigham Young University
Turned professional1977
Former tour(s) PGA Tour
Professional wins4
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament DNP
PGA Championship T55: 1983
U.S. Open T41: 1979
The Open Championship DNP
Achievements and awards
Canadian Golf Hall of Fame2013

James Cameron Nelford (born June 28, 1955) is a Canadian professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour. He has also been a golf commentator for ESPN.

Contents

Nelford was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. [1] He won the 1973 B.C. High School golf Championship and the 1973 B.C. Junior Championship. He attended Brigham Young University, where he played on the varsity golf team on scholarship. [2] Nelford won two All-American selections: 1976 and 1977, both Second Team. [3]

Nelford won the 1975 and 1976 Canadian Amateur Championship, and the 1977 Western Amateur. He turned professional in 1977, and played on the PGA Tour from 1978 to 1988, where his best finish was second at the 1983 Sea Pines Heritage Classic and at the 1984 Bing Crosby Pro-Am (playoff loss to Hale Irwin). He won the World Cup with Dan Halldorson in 1980, and he won one Tournament Players' Series event (a PGA Tour satellite event). [2]

Nelford was seriously injured in a waterskiing accident in September 1985, suffering crippling damage to his right arm when it was badly sliced by the propeller blade. [4] Although he recovered, he was never able to regain his top golf form after that, and gradually lost his playing status on the PGA Tour.

Along with Lorne Rubenstein, Nelford co-authored the 1984 book Seasons in a Golfer's Life, a story of his life in golf. Nelford putts left-handed, but plays all of his other shots right-handed. Since turning age 50, Nelford has appeared in a few Champions Tour events, without achieving notable success. [5]

Nelford was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2013. [1]

Amateur wins

Professional wins (4)

Playoff record

PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
1 1984 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am Flag of the United States.svg Hale Irwin Lost to birdie on second extra hole

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "James Nelford". Golf Canada. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Golf in Canada: A History, by James A. Barclay, Toronto, McClelland and Stewart, 1992.
  3. ↑ BYU Men's Golf All-Americans Archived 2008-09-25 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Nelford injured in boating accident
  5. ↑ Results on PGA Tour's official site
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