Don January

Education

Born in Plainview, Texas, January graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas. They both graduated in 1953 and eloped to Ardmore, Oklahoma.

Career

They lived in San Antonio while Don was in the Air Force, and began their family — two boys and a girl. January had lost the 1961 Professional Golf Association Championship in a playoff to Jerry Barber when his 68, the lowest losing score ever in an 18-hole playoff for a major championship, was bested by Barber"s 67. January was responsible for a change to the Rules of Golf.

During the 1963 Phoenix Open, January had a putt roll up to the lip of the hole and stop.

January claimed that the ball was still moving, and waited for seven minutes for the ball to drop (it never did). Rule 16-2 was revised in 1964 to state that players had to tap the ball in within ten seconds or be penalized.

January is well known for his success on the Senior Professional Golf Association Tour (now the Champions Tour), winning 22 events including two Professional Golf Association Seniors" Championships. The Don January Golf Classic is a golf tournament played annually in the spring that was established to honor him in 1980 by his alma mater, now known as the University of North Texas.

Professional Golf Association Tour wins (10) Other wins Senior Professional Golf Association Tour wins (22) Other senior wins (11) Wins (1) 1Defeated Massengale in an 18-hole playoff, 69 to 71.

Results timeline.

Achievements

• Professional Golf Association Tour playoff record (3–5) Major championship is shown in bold. This list may be incomplete 1959 Carabobo Open Invitational (Venezuela) Senior Professional Golf Association Tour playoff record (4–1) Senior major championship is shown in bold. 1979 Professional Golf Association Seniors" Championship 1982 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Sam Snead) 1984 Shootout at Jeremy Ranch (with Mike Sullivan) 1985 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Gene Littler), Mazda Champions (with Alice Miller) 1986 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Gene Littler) 1993 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf - Legendary Division 1994 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf - Legendary Division (with Gene Littler) 1997 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf - Legendary Division (with Gene Littler) 2001 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf - Demaret Division (with Gene Littler) 2004 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf - Demaret Division (with Gene Littler).

Membership

He was a member of the United States. Ryder Cup team in both 1965 and 1977.