Tommy Jacobs

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Tommy Jacobs
Tommy Jacobs 1951.jpg
Jacobs, circa 1951
Personal information
Full nameKeith Thomas Jacobs Jr.
Born(1935-02-13)February 13, 1935
DiedJuly 9, 2022(2022-07-09) (aged 87)
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight160 lb (73 kg; 11 st)
Sporting nationalityFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Residence Leland, North Carolina, U.S.
Career
Turned professional1956
Former tours PGA Tour
Champions Tour
Professional wins7
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour4
Other3
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament 2nd: 1966
PGA Championship T8: 1963
U.S. Open 2nd: 1964
The Open Championship DNP
British Amateur R64: 1955

Keith Thomas Jacobs Jr. (February 13, 1935 – July 9, 2022) was an American professional golfer and golf course owner/operator who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He was the older brother of professional golfer John Jacobs. [1]

Contents

Early life

In 1935, Jacobs was born in Denver, Colorado. He was raised in southern California where he started in junior golf. In 1951, Jacobs won the U.S. Junior Amateur. At sixteen, he advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur, which earned him an invitation to the Masters Tournament at age 17. For 58 years, Jacobs had the distinction of being the youngest golfer to ever play in the Masters (in 1952). [1] The record was broken by Matteo Manassero in 2010.

Professional career

In 1956, Jacobs turned professional. Jacobs won four PGA Tour events. His first win came in 1958 at the newly revamped Denver Open, and his last was at the 1964 Palm Springs Golf Classic. During his career, Jacobs had sole 2nd-place finishes in two major championships. He lost the 1964 U.S. Open to Ken Venturi by four strokes, and was runner-up in a playoff at the Masters Tournament in 1966 that he (72) and Gay Brewer (78) lost to Jack Nicklaus (70). [2] Jacobs was a member of the 1965 Ryder Cup team, and finished with a record of 3-1-1.

Jacobs joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1985 and continued to play in selected events into the 2000s; his last appearance was at the 2003 Senior PGA Championship. [1]

Jacobs and his brother John teamed up with Roger Fredericks, to form Champions Corporate Golf Outings, which provides custom tailored golf events for small to medium size groups and corporations. [1]

Personal life

Jacobs died on July 9, 2022, at the age of 87. [3]

Professional wins (7)

PGA Tour wins (4)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1Sep 14, 1958 Denver Open −14 (65-67-67-67=266)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Ernie Vossler
2Jan 14, 1962 San Diego Open Invitational −7 (72-70-70-65=277)Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Pott
3Sep 8, 1963 Utah Open −12 (68-72-62-70=272)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Don January
4Feb 2, 1964 Palm Springs Golf Classic −7 (66-74-74-69-70=353)Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Demaret

PGA Tour playoff record (2–2)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
1 1962 San Diego Open Invitational Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Pott Won with birdie on first extra hole
2 1964 Palm Springs Golf Classic Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Demaret Won with par on second extra hole
3 1966 Masters Tournament Flag of the United States.svg Gay Brewer, Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus Nicklaus won 18-hole playoff;
Nicklaus: −2 (70),
Jacobs: E (72),
Brewer: +6 (78)
4 1969 IVB-Philadelphia Golf Classic Flag of the United States.svg Gay Brewer, Flag of the United States.svg Dave Hill,
Flag of the United States.svg R. H. Sikes
Hill won with birdie on first extra hole

Source: [4]

Other wins (3)

Results in major championships

Amateur

Tournament1952195319541955
Masters Tournament 60
U.S. Open
British Amateur R64

Professional

Tournament1956195719581959
Masters Tournament CUT
U.S. Open CUTT10T59
PGA Championship T14
Tournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
Masters Tournament T28CUTT152CUTCUT
U.S. Open CUTT6T322T28CUTCUTCUT
PGA Championship CUTT23T8CUTCUTCUTT67
Tournament1970197119721973197419751976
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
PGA Championship T61CUTCUTCUT
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1960 and 1964 PGA Championships)
R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Source for Masters, [5] U.S. Open, [6] Open Championship, [7] British Amateur, [8] PGA Championship [9]

Note: Jacobs never played in The Open Championship

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament 01011284
U.S. Open 010133116
The Open Championship 00000000
PGA Championship 000013125
Totals0202583115

Team appearances

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Tommy Jacobs bio". Champions Corporate Golf Outings. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  2. "Tommy Jacobs". Golf Major Championships.
  3. Livsey, Laury (July 11, 2022). "Tommy Jacobs passes away at age 87". PGA Tour.
  4. "Tommy Jacobs". PGA Tour. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  5. www.masters.com Archived 2010-03-26 at the Wayback Machine
  6. USGA Championship Database Archived 2010-12-21 at the Wayback Machine
  7. www.opengolf.com
  8. The Glasgow Herald, June 2, 1955, pg. 4.
  9. PGA Championship Media Guide