George Fazio
George Fazio (November 12, 1912 – June 6, 1986) was an American professional golfer and a golf course architect.
| George Fazio | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 12, 1912 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | June 6, 1986 (aged 73) Jupiter, Florida |
| Sporting nationality | United States |
| Career | |
| Status | Professional |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 10 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 2 |
| Other | 8 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | T14: 1952 |
| PGA Championship | T5: 1948 |
| U.S. Open | 3rd: 1950 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
Life and career
Fazio, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a respected player in the mid-twentieth century and competed in seven Masters Tournaments from 1947 to 1954. His best finish was 14th in 1952.
Fazio won two PGA Tour events: the 1946 Canadian Open and the 1947 Bing Crosby Pro-Am (in a tie with Ed Furgol). He had career earnings of more than $50,000. He nearly won the 1950 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club outside Philadelphia, finishing third to Ben Hogan and Lloyd Mangrum in an 18-hole playoff. This event was recently memorialized as one of the 15 most memorable Philadelphia sports moments.[1] Like most golfers of his generation, Fazio earned his living primarily as a club pro during his regular career years. During the 1940s, he was head pro at Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles, where many of Hollywood's celebrities played.[2]
After his playing days were over, Fazio went on to become a well-known golf course architect along with his nephews Tom Fazio, Jim Fazio, and course designer Lou Cappelli. The foursome built many notable courses, and they are particularly noted for the shapes built into their traps - such as clover-leaves and butterflies.
Fazio died in Jupiter, Florida at the age of 73.[3]
Professional wins (10)
PGA Tour wins (2)
- 1946 Canadian Open
- 1947 Bing Crosby Pro-Am (tie with Ed Furgol)
Other wins (7)
this list may be incomplete
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | NT | NT | NT | T39 | T30 | |||||||
| U.S. Open | WD | CUT | WD | NT | NT | NT | NT | T38 | T59 | T25 | T35 | |
| PGA Championship | R64 | R32 | NT | R32 | QF | R32 |
| Tournament | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T21 | T18 | T14 | T51 | T33 | ||||||
| U.S. Open | 3 | CUT | 5 | T4 | T27 | CUT | WD | ||||
| PGA Championship | R32 | R64 | R64 | R64 | R64 | T25 | T56 | CUT |
Note: Fazio never played in The Open Championship.
NT = no tournament
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Summary
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 |
| U.S. Open | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 8 |
| The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 12 |
| Totals | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 34 | 27 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 14 (1941 PGA – 1951 Masters)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (four times)
Notable golf course designs
- PGA National Golf Club - The Haig and The Squires, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
- Jupiter Hills - Hills & Village Courses, Tequesta, Florida
- Butler National Golf Club, Oak Brook, Illinois
- Champions Golf Club - Jackrabbit Course, Houston, Texas
- Atlantis Golf Course, Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey
- Squires Golf Club, Ambler, Pennsylvania
- Waynesborough Country Club, Paoli, Pennsylvania
- Pinehurst Resort #6
- Moss Creek Golf Club - Devil's Elbow South Course, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Ridgefield Golf Course, Ridgefield, Connecticut
- Cariari Golf Country Club, Costa Rica
- George Fazio Golf Course [1], Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Downingtown Country Club, Downingtown, Pennsylvania
- Hershey Country Club, Hershey, Pennsylvania
- The National Golf Club of Canada, Woodbridge, Ontario
- Moselem Springs Golf Club, Fleetwood, Pennsylvania
- Turtle Bay Resort, Kahuku, Hawaii (Oahu)
- Edgewood Tahoe Resort, South Lake Tahoe, Nevada
- Coronado Golf Club, Panama Rep. Panama
- Cariari Country Club, Cariari, San Jose, Costa Rica
- Chester Valley Golf Club, Malvern, Pennsylvania
- Wollaston Golf Club, Milton, Massachusetts
References
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Frank (2009). . Philly Online. Archived from the original on September 5, 2009. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
- ^ Thurber, Jon (February 12, 2009). "Eric Monti dies at 91; former golf pro at Hillcrest Country Club in L.A." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
- ^ "George Fazio, Ex-Pro Golfer And a Designer of Courses". The New York Times. June 8, 1986. Retrieved September 28, 2010.