Billy Casper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Billy Casper |
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Casper in 2008
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | William Earl Casper Jr. |
| Nickname | Buffalo Bill |
| Born | June 24, 1931 San Diego, California |
| Died | February 7, 2015 (aged 83) Springville, Utah |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13.9 st) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Spouse |
Shirley Franklin
(m. 1952) |
| Children | 11 |
| Career | |
| College | University of Notre Dame |
| Turned professional | 1954 |
| Former tour(s) |
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| Professional wins | 72 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 51 (7th all time) |
| European Tour | 1 |
| Champions Tour | 9 |
| Other |
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| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 3) |
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| The Masters Tournament | Won: 1970 |
| U.S. Open | Won: 1959, 1966 |
| The Open Championship | 4th: 1968 |
| PGA Championship | 2nd/T2: 1958, 1965, 1971 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1978 |
| PGA Player of the Year | 1966, 1970 |
| PGA Tour leading money winner |
1966, 1968 |
| Vardon Trophy | 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968 |
Billy Casper (born William Earl Casper Jr.; June 24, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American professional golfer. He was one of the most successful players on the PGA Tour from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s.
Billy Casper started as a caddie when he was young. He grew up in San Diego, California, where people could play golf all year. He became the seventh golfer of all time with 51 career wins on the PGA Tour. These wins happened over 20 years, from 1956 to 1975.
Billy Casper won three major golf championships. He also played for the United States in the Ryder Cup eight times. This was a record at the time. He holds the U.S. record for the most Ryder Cup points won. After he turned 50, Casper played on the Senior PGA Tour. He kept winning tournaments there until 1989. Later in his life, he also designed golf courses and managed golf clubs.
Casper was the Ryder Cup captain in 1979. He was named PGA Player of the Year twice (in 1966 and 1970). He also led the PGA Tour in money earned twice. He won the Vardon Trophy five times. This award is for the golfer with the lowest average score each season.
People respected Billy Casper for his amazing putting and short-game skills. He was a smart player who planned his shots well. He could win even against stronger hitters like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. He used clever strategies and managed the golf course wisely. Casper was not a flashy player, but he was very determined and focused. He relied on his strong technique and never gave up.
He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1966. Billy Casper was added to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978.
Contents
Early Life and Golf Beginnings
Billy Casper was born in San Diego, California. His father taught him how to play golf when he was five years old. To earn money for golf, Casper worked as a caddie at the San Diego Country Club. After high school, he went to the University of Notre Dame on a golf scholarship for one semester.
In 1952, he returned to San Diego and married his wife, Shirley. As an amateur, Casper often played against his friend and rival, Gene Littler, who was also from San Diego. Billy Casper became a professional golfer in 1954.
Professional Golf Career
Billy Casper won 51 PGA Tour events during his career. His first win was in 1956. This number of wins puts him seventh on the all-time list. His victories helped him rank third in the world golf rankings in 1968, 1969, and 1970. These were the first three years that these rankings were published.
He won three major championships:
- The U.S. Open in 1959.
- The U.S. Open in 1966.
- The Masters Tournament in 1970.
Casper was the top money winner on the PGA Tour in 1966 and 1968. He was also named PGA Player of the Year in 1966 and 1970. He won the Vardon Trophy five times for having the lowest scoring average. These years were 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966, and 1968.
Billy Casper was part of the United States team in the Ryder Cup eight times. He played in 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, and 1975. In 1979, he was the team captain, but he did not play. Casper has scored the most points in the Ryder Cup for an American player.
He won at least one PGA Tour event for 16 years in a row, from 1956 to 1971. This is the third-longest streak ever. Only Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus had longer streaks, each winning for 17 straight years.
On the senior golf tour (now called the Champions Tour), Casper won nine times. These wins happened from 1982 to 1989. Two of these wins were senior major championships.
Billy Casper's Legacy in Golf
Many people in golf history say that Billy Casper was one of the most underrated stars. They believe he was the best modern golfer who did not get enough praise. He was not considered one of the "Big Three" golfers. These were Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player. They are famous for making golf popular around the world.
However, between 1964 and 1970, Casper won 27 tournaments on the PGA Tour. This was two more than Nicklaus and six more than Palmer and Player combined during that time. Many people think he was the best putter of his time.
Casper's 20 years of winning on the PGA Tour (1956 to 1975) was a time of big changes in golf. Tournament prize money grew a lot, and more golf was shown on television. Casper played against legends like Palmer, Nicklaus, Sam Snead, Cary Middlecoff, Gary Player, and Lee Trevino. These players were all at their best during this time.
Billy Casper was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978. In 2000, Golf Digest magazine ranked him as the 15th greatest golfer of all time.
Billy Casper's grandson, Mason Casper, played golf for Utah Valley University. Mason qualified for NCAA post-season play in 2012.
Personal Life
Billy Casper was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He joined the church in early 1966 when he was 34 years old. This was when his golf career was at its peak.
Casper passed away at age 83 in 2015. He died from a heart attack at his home in Springville, Utah. He was survived by his wife, Shirley Franklin Casper, whom he had been married to for over 60 years. He also had 11 children, six of whom were adopted. He had 71 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
Other Ventures and Contributions
Golf Course Design and Management
After his professional golf career, Billy Casper designed many golf courses. Some of these include The Highlands, The Palm, and Eagle Crest in Sun City Summerlin, Nevada. He also designed the Hidden Oaks Golf Course in Santa Barbara, California.
As of 2017, Billy Casper Golf (BCG) was one of the biggest golf course management companies in the United States. They owned or managed about 150 courses. Billy Casper Golf also hosts the "World's Largest Golf Outing" every year. This event raises money for military charities.
Acting
Billy Casper had a small role in the movie Now You See Him, Now You Don't.
Billy's Kids Charity
Casper was very active in charity work for children. He hosted fundraisers, including an annual tournament at San Diego Country Club. This event was for his charity called "Billy's Kids."
Books by Billy Casper
- Golf Shotmaking (1966)
- The Good Sense of Golf (1980)
- The Big Three And Me (2012)
Images for kids
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Gene Littler (right) congratulates Casper with winning the 1970 Masters Tournament
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Casper in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Billy Casper para niños
- List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins
- List of men's major championships winning golfers
- List of longest PGA Tour win streaks
