Julius Boros - Professional Career

Professional Career

Boros won 18 PGA Tour events, including three major championships: the 1952 and 1963 U.S. Opens and the 1968 PGA Championship. He defeated Ed (Porky) Oliver by four strokes at the Northwood Country Club in Dallas at the 1952 U.S. Open for his first PGA Tour victory. In the 1963 U.S. Open, he defeated Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit in a playoff. Boros was the oldest player ever to win one of the four modern major championships with his 1968 PGA Championship victory at the age of 48. His record at the U.S. Open included seven other top five finishes, and he contended in that championship as late as 1973, when he was 53.

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

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. He would walk up to ball and "just do it". Noted for his relaxed, nonchalant looking swing and manner, he is remembered for his catch phrase "swing easy, hit hard". Boros had an exceptional short game.

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.