Bill Johnston (golfer) explained

Bill Johnston
Fullname:Clarence William Thompson[1]
Birth Date:2 January 1925
Birth Place:Donora, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Death Place:Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
College:University of Utah
Yearpro:1950
Extour:PGA Tour
Champions Tour
Prowins:15
Pgawins:2
Otherwins:13
Masters:T28: 1957
Usopen:T32: 1963
Open:T26: 1960
Pga:T3: 1956

Clarence William Johnston (January 2, 1925 – April 23, 2021) was an American golf course architect and professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour.

Johnston was born in Donora, Pennsylvania on January 2, 1925, but moved to Ogden, Utah when he was four years old. Johnston served in the United States Navy. He played college golf at the University of Utah and turned professional in 1950. The biggest win of his playing career was at the 1958 Texas Open Invitational.

Johnston played on the Senior PGA Tour (now PGA Tour Champions) from 1980 to 1990 (full-time) and then a few tournaments a year through the 1990s.

After his days as a touring professional were over, Johnston became a golf course architect. He has designed several well-known courses in Arizona and Texas.[2]

Johnston was inducted into the Utah Golf Hall of Fame in 1994[3] and the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame in 2018.[4] [5]

In November 2020, at the age of 95, Johnston was still playing golf three times a week at the Biltmore Links course with his friends. These regular golf partners included amateurs, professionals, and other close acquaintances. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 on December 4, 2020, at the Phoenix Mayo Clinic. He died at his son's house in Idaho, on April 23, 2021, at the age of 96.

Professional wins (15)

PGA Tour wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1Feb 16, 1958Texas Open Invitational−10 (69-71-66-68=274)3 strokes Bob Rosburg
2Sep 12, 1960Utah Open Invitational−22 (66-67-66-63=262)2 strokes Art Wall Jr.

Other wins (13)

this list may be incomplete

Courses designed

Notes and References

  1. https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/10971310:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=c782de3215e6593f57acf09e5e5fdc1e&_phsrc=OzZ14617&_phstart=successSource Clarence William Johnston in the U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947
  2. Web site: Bill Johnston courses built . worldgolf.com . 2007-12-03.
  3. Web site: Billy Johnston profile . https://web.archive.org/web/20100710190723/http://www.uga.org/index.php/About/details/C145/billy_johnston . dead . July 10, 2010 . Utah Golf Association . October 13, 2012 .
  4. Web site: Two-time Tour winner Bill Johnston dies at age 96 . PGA Tour . Laury . Livsey . April 26, 2021.
  5. Web site: Bill Johnston: A fading story worth revisiting . Morning Read . Gary . Van Sickle . March 23, 2019.
  6. News: This Wasn't The 1st Time For Johnston And Collins . . . August 6, 1989 . D1.