Charles Owens (golfer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Charles "Charlie" Owens |
|
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 22, 1932 Winter Haven, Florida |
| Died | September 7, 2017 (aged 85) Winter Haven, Florida |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Residence | Tampa, Florida Winter Haven, Florida |
| Career | |
| College | Florida A&M University |
| Turned professional | 1967 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 4 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| Champions Tour | 2 |
| Other | 2 |
Charles Owens (born February 22, 1932 – died September 7, 2017) was an American professional golfer. He was known for his unique playing style and for overcoming challenges to succeed in the sport.
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About Charles Owens
Charles Owens was born in Winter Haven, Florida. He played football at Florida A&M University. After college, he joined the U.S. Army. In 1952, he was injured during a parachute jump. This injury affected his knees and ankle, causing him to have a limp.
Starting His Golf Career
Owens became a professional golfer in 1967. By 1970, he joined the PGA Tour, which is a major golf tour in the United States. He played on the PGA Tour for seven years. During this time, he won the 1971 Kemper Asheville Open. This was a special PGA Tour event.
Charles Owens played golf with a limp because of his injury. He also had a very unique way of hitting the ball. He played all his golf shots using a "cross-handed" grip. This means he placed his hands on the club in a different way than most golfers.
Success on the Senior Tour
His most successful year in golf was 1986. This was when he played on the Senior PGA Tour, which is for older professional golfers. That year, he won two tournaments in a short time. He finished eighth on the money list, earning over $200,000.
Because of his injury, Owens was often allowed to use a golf cart during tournaments. However, at the 1987 U.S. Senior Open, the USGA did not allow carts. Charles Owens spoke up about this rule.
Inventing the Long Putter
Charles Owens is also known for inventing and making popular the "long putter." This is a special kind of putter that is about 52 inches long. He used this putter to help with the "yips." The yips are when a golfer's hands shake or twitch when they are trying to putt, making it hard to hit the ball smoothly. The long putter helped him keep his putting steady.
Owens lived in Tampa, Florida and later in Winter Haven until he passed away in 2017. He received the Ben Hogan Award in 1987. He was also honored by being inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1987 and the African American Golfers Hall of Fame in 2007.
Professional Wins
Charles Owens won a total of four professional golf tournaments.
Regular Career Wins
- 1971 Kemper Asheville Open
- 1974 Florida Open
Senior PGA Tour Wins
He won two tournaments on the Senior PGA Tour in 1986:
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feb 9, 1986 | Treasure Coast Classic | –14 (65-69-68=202) | 3 strokes |  Lee Elder, Don January |
| 2 | Mar 16, 1986 | Del E. Webb Senior PGA Tour Roundup | −14 (71-64-67=202) | Playoff | Dale Douglass |
Senior PGA Tour Playoff Record (1–0) Charles Owens won one playoff on the Senior PGA Tour. A playoff is when two or more golfers have the same score at the end of a tournament, and they play extra holes to decide the winner.
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1986 | Del E. Webb Senior PGA Tour Roundup | Dale Douglass |
Won with par on second extra hole |
See also
- 1970 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
