Julius Nicolas Boros (March 3, 1920 – May 28, 1994) was an American professional golfer noted for his effortless-looking swing and strong record on difficult golf courses, particularly at the U.S. Open.[1][2]

Julius Boros
Boros in a 1949 ad
Personal information
Full nameJulius Nicolas Boros
NicknameMoose[1]
Born(1920-03-03)March 3, 1920
Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedMay 28, 1994(1994-05-28) (aged 74)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight215 lb (98 kg; 15.4 st)
Sporting nationality United States
Children7, including Guy
Career
CollegeJunior College of Connecticut
Turned professional1949
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Professional wins25
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour18
Other4 (regular)
3 (senior)
Best results in major championships
(wins: 3)
Masters TournamentT3: 1963
PGA ChampionshipWon: 1968
U.S. OpenWon: 1952, 1963
The Open Championship15th: 1966
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame1982 (member page)
PGA Tour
money list winner
1952, 1955
PGA Player of the Year1952, 1963

Early life and amateur career

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Born in Fairfield, Connecticut, Boros was of Hungarian descent, and played varsity baseball in college.[3] He then worked as an accountant while playing high-standard amateur golf.[1][2]

Professional career

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Boros turned professional in 1949 at age 29.[1][2] He won 18 PGA Tour events, including three major championships: the 1952 and 1963 U.S. Opens and the 1968 PGA Championship. He won his first by four strokes in the heat at the Northwood Club in Dallas, also his first PGA Tour victory, which interrupted the U.S. Open streak of 36-hole leader Ben Hogan for a year. In the windy 1963 U.S. Open near Boston, Boros defeated Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit in a playoff, after all had finished the 72 holes at a post-war record nine over par.

For over a half century, Boros was the oldest player to win a modern major, taking the 1968 PGA Championship in San Antonio by a stroke at age 48. One of the runners-up was Palmer, who never won the PGA Championship to complete his career grand slam. The previous oldest winner of a major was Old Tom Morris, age 46 in the 1867 Open Championship. Boros' mark was surpassed by Phil Mickelson, who won the PGA Championship in 2021 at age fifty.

Boros' best results among the majors were at the U.S. Open, with nine top-five finishes; he contended in that championship as late as 1973 at age 53, and tied for seventh.[1][2]

Boros was a member of the Ryder Cup team in 1959, 1963, 1965, and 1967. He was PGA Player of the Year in 1952 and 1963, and his total career PGA Tour earnings were $1,004,861. Boros was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982.[1][2]

While other players often walked around a hole and studied the green for several minutes before putting – sometimes from their knees, Boros is remembered for not wasting any time on either the greens or the fairways. He would walk up to the ball and "just do it". Noted for his relaxed, nonchalant-looking swing and manner, he is remembered for his catchphrase "swing easy, hit hard." Boros had an exceptional short game.[1]

Boros was also instrumental in starting the Senior PGA Tour in the late 1970s. The exciting televised playoff victory of Boros and partner Roberto De Vicenzo over Tommy Bolt and Art Wall Jr. at the Legends of Golf tournament in 1979 raised the profile of professional senior golf competition.[1]

Personal life

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Boros' first wife, Buttons Cosgrove, died in childbirth in 1951. Boros and his second wife, Armen, had seven children: four sons and three daughters. His son Guy Boros won on the PGA Tour in 1996, at the Greater Vancouver Open in late August.[1][2][4]

Boros suffered a fatal heart attack in 1994 on the golf course at the Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was found sitting in a golf cart under a willow tree by two club members near the 16th hole, his favorite spot on the course.[1][2]

Professional wins (25)

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PGA Tour wins (18)

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Legend
Major championships (3)
Other PGA Tour (15)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1Jun 14, 1952U.S. Open71-71-68-71=281+14 strokes Ed Oliver
2Aug 11, 1952World Championship of Golf68-71-70-67=276−12Playoff Cary Middlecoff
3May 9, 1954Ardmore Open68-69-72-70=279−11 stroke Jerry Barber
4Jul 18, 1954Carling Open71-70-68-71=280−8Playoff George Fazio
5Aug 14, 1955World Championship of Golf (2)70-72-69-70=281−72 strokes Fred Haas
6May 11, 1958Arlington Hotel Open70-64-68-71=273−151 stroke Cary Middlecoff
7Nov 9, 1958Carling Open Invitational (2)74-66-70-74=284−42 strokes Billy Casper
8Sep 14, 1959Dallas Open Invitational68-66-70-70=274−101 stroke Dow Finsterwald, Earl Stewart,
Bo Wininger
9May 15, 1960Colonial National Invitation70-71-69-70=280E1 stroke Gene Littler, Kel Nagle
10May 12, 1963Colonial National Invitation (2)71-66-71-71=279−14 strokes Gary Player
11Jun 9, 1963Buick Open Invitational66-71-68-69=274−145 strokes Dow Finsterwald
12Jun 23, 1963U.S. Open (2)71-74-76-72=293+9Playoff Jacky Cupit, Arnold Palmer
13Apr 5, 1964Greater Greensboro Open68-70-73-66=277−7Playoff Doug Sanders
14Feb 12, 1967Phoenix Open Invitational69-67-69-67=272−121 stroke Ken Still
15Mar 12, 1967Florida Citrus Open Invitational70-67-67-70=274−101 stroke George Knudson, Arnold Palmer
16Jun 11, 1967Buick Open Invitational (2)72-72-70-69=283−53 strokes Bob Goalby, R. H. Sikes,
Bert Yancey
17Jul 21, 1968PGA Championship71-71-70-69=281+11 stroke Bob Charles, Arnold Palmer
18Aug 18, 1968Westchester Classic70-65-69-68=272−161 stroke Bob Murphy, Jack Nicklaus,
Dan Sikes

PGA Tour playoff record (4–6)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
11952World Championship of Golf Cary MiddlecoffWon 18-hole playoff;
Boros: −4 (68),
Middlecoff: −2 (70)
21954Miami Beach International Four-Ball
(with Dutch Harrison)
Tommy Bolt and Dick MayerLost to birdie on first extra hole
31954Carling Open George FazioWon with par on first extra hole
41958Dallas Open Invitational John McMullin, Gary Player,
Sam Snead
Snead won with birdie on first extra hole
51959Houston Classic Jack Burke Jr.Lost 18-hole playoff;
Burke: −8 (64),
Boros: −3 (69)
61963U.S. Open Jacky Cupit, Arnold PalmerWon 18-hole playoff;
Boros: −1 (70),
Cupit: + 2 (73),
Palmer: +5 (76)
71963Western Open Jack Nicklaus, Arnold PalmerPalmer won 18-hole playoff;
Palmer: −1 (70),
Boros: E (71),
Nicklaus: +2 (73)
81964Greater Greensboro Open Doug SandersWon with par on first extra hole
91969Greater Greensboro Open Gene Littler, Orville Moody,
Tom Weiskopf
Littler won with birdie on fifth extra hole
Weiskopf eliminated by par on first hole
101975Westchester Classic Gene LittlerLost to par on first extra hole

Other wins (4)

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This list may be incomplete

Senior wins (3)

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Major championships

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Wins (3)

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YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner(s)-up
1952U.S. Open2 shot lead+1 (71-71-68-71=281)4 strokes Ed Oliver
1963U.S. Open (2)3 shot deficit+9 (71-74-76-72=293)Playoff1 Jacky Cupit, Arnold Palmer
1968PGA Championship2 shot deficit+1 (71-71-70-69=281)1 stroke Bob Charles, Arnold Palmer

1Defeated Jacky Cupit and Arnold Palmer in an 18-hole playoff - Boros 70 (-1), Cupit 73 (+2), Palmer 76 (+5).

Results timeline

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Tournament1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
Masters TournamentT3517T7T10T16T4T24CUTT39T8
U.S. Open9T41T17T23T5T2T43T28
The Open Championship
PGA ChampionshipT5T44
Tournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
Masters Tournament5CUTT11T3CUTCUTT285T16T33
U.S. OpenT3CUT1CUTT4T17WDT16T13
The Open Championship15
PGA ChampionshipT24CUTT11T13T21T17T6T51T25
Tournament19701971197219731974197519761977197819791980
Masters TournamentT23CUTCUTCUTT26
U.S. OpenT12T42T29T7WDT38CUT
The Open Championship
PGA ChampionshipT26T34WDCUTT40CUTT58CUTCUTCUT
  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" = tied

Summary

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TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament00147132518
U.S. Open212911172621
The Open Championship00000111
PGA Championship10034102215
Totals3131622417455
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 14 (1950 Masters – 1956 U.S. Open)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 4 (1951 U.S. Open – 1953 Masters)

U.S. national team appearances

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Professional

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Julius Boros – member bio". World Golf Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Dorman, Larry (May 30, 1994). "Julius Boros, 74, a Pro Golfer Known for His Masterly Touch". The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  3. ^ Sidorsky, Robert (2009). Golf 365 Days: A History. Abrams. ISBN 978-0810972810.
  4. ^ "Revival wins World Series for Mickelson". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 25, 1996. p. C4.
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