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Year in Review

1959 in golf

Weeks

Thirteen championships in our record: eight majors (four men’s, four women’s), four amateur championships and one team cup. Betsy Rawls won two of them: LPGA Championship and Women's Western Open.

1959, coloured the way magazines tinted their plates then: by hand.

The year, week by week

Each dot is a championship at the week it finished. Click a dot for its front page, or a week to see it on the world.

This week

    Every championship of 1959 in our record, in full

    The majors

    4 Men’s majors

    1. Men's major

      Masters

      Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Art Wall Jr.

      284Total
      −4To par
      1 strokeMargin

      Runner-up: Cary Middlecoff

      The golfer

      b. 1923-11-25, Honesdale, Pennsylvania, USA; United States; age 35 at the win (year page); 1st major (card's count)

      Art Wall Jr.’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    2. Men's major

      PGA Championship

      Minneapolis Golf Club, St. Louis Park

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Bob Rosburg

      277Total
      −3To par
      1 strokeMargin

      Runner-up: Jerry Barber, Doug Sanders

      The golfer

      b. 1926-10-21, San Francisco, California, USA; United States; age 32 at the win (year page); 1st major (card's count)

      Bob Rosburg’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    3. Men's major

      The Open

      Muirfield, Gullane

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Gary Player

      284Total
      2 strokesMargin

      Runner-up: Fred Bullock, Flory Van Donck

      To par not yet researched.

      The golfer

      b. 1935-11-01, Johannesburg, South Africa; South Africa; age 23 at the win (year page); 1st major (card's count)

      Gary Player’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    4. Men's major

      U.S. Open

      Winged Foot G.C., Mamaroneck

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Billy Casper

      282Total
      +2To par
      1 strokeMargin

      Runner-up: Bob Rosburg

      The golfer

      b. 1931-06-24, San Diego, California, USA; United States; 1st major (card's count)

      Billy Casper’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    4 Women’s majors

    1. Women's major

      LPGA Championship

      Sheraton Hotel Country Club, French Lick

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Betsy Rawls

      288Total
      −8To par
      1 strokeMargin

      Runner-up: Patty Berg

      The golfer

      b. 1928-05-04, Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States; United States; age 31 at the win (year page); 5th major (card's count)

      Betsy Rawls’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    2. Women's major

      Titleholders Championship

      Augusta Country Club, Augusta

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Louise Suggs

      297Total
      +9To par
      1 strokeMargin

      Runner-up: Betsy Rawls

      The golfer

      b. 1923-09-07, Atlanta, Georgia, United States; United States; age 35 at the win (year page); 11th major (card's count)

      Louise Suggs’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    3. Women's major

      U.S. Women's Open

      Churchill Valley Country Club, Pittsburgh

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Mickey Wright

      287Total
      +7To par
      2 strokesMargin

      Runner-up: Louise Suggs

      The golfer

      b. 1935-02-14, San Diego, California, United States; United States; age 24 at the win (year page); 3rd major (card's count)

      Mickey Wright’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    4. Women's major

      Women's Western Open

      Rainier Golf & Country Club, Seattle

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Betsy Rawls

      293Total
      +5To par
      6 strokesMargin

      Runner-up: Patty Berg, JoAnne Carner

      The golfer

      b. 1928-05-04, Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States; United States; age 31 at the win (year page); 6th major (card's count)

      Betsy Rawls’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    The amateurs

    2 Men’s amateur

    1. Men's amateur championship

      The Amateur

      Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Deane Beman

      3 & 2 (36-hole final)Final

      Runner-up: Bill Hyndman

      To par and margin not yet researched.

      The golfer

      b. 1938-04-22, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

      Deane Beman’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    2. Men's amateur championship

      U.S. Amateur

      Broadmoor Golf Club (East Course), Colorado Springs

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Jack Nicklaus

      1 upFinal

      Runner-up: Charles Coe

      To par and margin not yet researched.

      The golfer

      b. 1940-01-21, Columbus, Ohio, USA; United States; age 19 at the win (year page)

      Jack Nicklaus’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    2 Women’s amateur

    1. Women's amateur championship

      The Women's Amateur

      Berkshire, Ascot

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Elizabeth Price

      won on 37th hole (36-hole final)Total

      Runner-up: Belle Robertson

      To par and margin not yet researched.

      The golfer

      b. 1923-01-17; England; age 36 at the win (year page)

      Elizabeth Price’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    2. Women's amateur championship

      U.S. Women's Amateur

      Congressional C.C., Bethesda

      2 of 5 researched

      Winner

      Barbara McIntire

      4 & 3Final

      Runner-up: Joanne Goodwin

      To par and margin not yet researched.

      The golfer

      b. 1935-01-12, Toledo, Ohio, U.S.; United States; age 24 at the win (year page)

      Barbara McIntire’s player card · Source

      Top 10

      Not yet researched

      What’s in the bag

      No bag on file yet

      From the papers

      No clipping yet

    The team cups

    Our team-cup record so far: Ryder Cup.

    1 Team cups

    Year in Review

    1959 in golf: the year in review

    Thirteen championships in our record: eight majors (four men’s, four women’s), four amateur championships and one team cup. Betsy Rawls won two of them: LPGA Championship and Women's Western Open.

    To be written The synopsis of 1959: 150 to 250 words on the season’s story, its turning points and why it mattered, written from sourced research.

    The men’s majors

    • Masters: Art Wall Jr., Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
    • PGA Championship: Bob Rosburg, Minneapolis Golf Club, St. Louis Park
    • The Open: Gary Player, Muirfield, Gullane
    • U.S. Open: Billy Casper, Winged Foot G.C., Mamaroneck

    To be written How each was won: the leader after 54 holes, the decisive shot, the runner-up, the weather.

    The women’s majors

    • LPGA Championship: Betsy Rawls, Sheraton Hotel Country Club, French Lick
    • Titleholders Championship: Louise Suggs, Augusta Country Club, Augusta
    • U.S. Women's Open: Mickey Wright, Churchill Valley Country Club, Pittsburgh
    • Women's Western Open: Betsy Rawls, Rainier Golf & Country Club, Seattle

    To be written How each was won, and where the women’s game stood in 1959.

    The amateur championships

    • The Amateur: Deane Beman, Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich
    • The Women's Amateur: Elizabeth Price, Berkshire, Ascot
    • U.S. Amateur: Jack Nicklaus, Broadmoor Golf Club (East Course), Colorado Springs
    • U.S. Women's Amateur: Barbara McIntire, Congressional C.C., Bethesda

    To be written The amateur season: champions, finals, and who went on to turn professional.

    Team golf

    • Ryder Cup: USA, Eldorado Country Club, Eldorado

    To be written The match: the captains, the score, the deciding points.

    Around the tours

    12 tour events are laid out week by week for 1959.

    To be written Money lists, players of the year, rookies and the shape of each tour’s season, from the tours’ own records.

    Players of the year

    Betsy Rawls won two championships in our record (LPGA Championship and Women's Western Open).

    To be written Who defined 1959: their wins, their near misses, and what the year meant for their career.

    Firsts, records and farewells

    To be written First-time major winners, scoring records, youngest and oldest champions, last appearances, events played for the first or last time.

    The game in 1959

    To be written Equipment, rules and course changes, prize money, television and the business of golf that year.

    Questions about 1959 in golf

    Who won the 1959 LPGA Championship?
    Betsy Rawls won the 1959 LPGA Championship at Sheraton Hotel Country Club, French Lick.
    Who won the 1959 Masters?
    Art Wall Jr. won the 1959 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia.
    Who won the 1959 PGA Championship?
    Bob Rosburg won the 1959 PGA Championship at Minneapolis Golf Club, St. Louis Park.
    Who won the 1959 Ryder Cup?
    USA won the 1959 Ryder Cup at Eldorado Country Club, Eldorado.
    Who won the 1959 Amateur?
    Deane Beman won the 1959 Amateur at Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich.
    Who won the 1959 Open?
    Gary Player won the 1959 Open at Muirfield, Gullane.
    Who won the 1959 Women's Amateur?
    Elizabeth Price won the 1959 Women's Amateur at Berkshire, Ascot.
    Who won the 1959 Titleholders Championship?
    Louise Suggs won the 1959 Titleholders Championship at Augusta Country Club, Augusta.
    Who won the 1959 U.S. Amateur?
    Jack Nicklaus won the 1959 U.S. Amateur at Broadmoor Golf Club (East Course), Colorado Springs.
    Who won the 1959 U.S. Open?
    Billy Casper won the 1959 U.S. Open at Winged Foot G.C., Mamaroneck.
    Who won the 1959 U.S. Women's Amateur?
    Barbara McIntire won the 1959 U.S. Women's Amateur at Congressional C.C., Bethesda.
    Who won the 1959 U.S. Women's Open?
    Mickey Wright won the 1959 U.S. Women's Open at Churchill Valley Country Club, Pittsburgh.
    Who won the 1959 Women's Western Open?
    Betsy Rawls won the 1959 Women's Western Open at Rainier Golf & Country Club, Seattle.
    Who won the most championships in 1959?
    In Golf Network News’s record, Betsy Rawls won two (LPGA Championship and Women's Western Open).
    How many majors were played in 1959?
    Eight in our record: four men’s and four women’s.

    Every count above is from Golf Network News’s record; the parts marked “To be written” are filled only from sourced research.

    How this page works

    Every championship here comes from Golf Network News's own record: the rooms for the majors, the women's majors, the amateur championships and the team cups. A part that says it is not yet researched is exactly that. We fill it from sourced material, never with a guess.

    The picture at the top is drawn in code for each year. It is printed the way golf was printed that year: wood engravings before 1900, newsprint halftones to 1945, hand-tinted plates to 1969, colour film to 1999, and digital light since. The names engraved in the numerals are that year's champions.

    Every view has its own address: the year, the tours, the event and a traced champion are kept in the link, so you can share exactly what you see.