Henry Picard Explained

Henry Picard
Fullname:Henry Gilford Picard
Nickname:Pick
Birth Date:28 November 1906
Birth Place:Plymouth, Massachusetts, U.S.
Death Place:Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Spouse:Annie Addison Picard
(1905–1983)[1]
Children:3 sons, 1 daughter
College:None
Yearpro:1925
Extour:PGA Tour
Prowins:35
Pgawins:26
Majorwins:2
Masters:Won: 1938
Usopen:T5: 1936
Open:6th: 1935
Pga:Won: 1939
Wghofid:henry-picard
Wghofyear:2006
Award2:PGA Tour
leading money winner
Year2:1939

Henry Gilford Picard (November 28, 1906 – April 30, 1997) was an American professional golfer.[2]

Born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Picard learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Already a talented player by his early 20s, he came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison.[3] A leading player on the PGA Tour in the 1930s and early 1940s, he won two major championships: the Masters in 1938[4] and the PGA Championship in 1939, where he defeated Byron Nelson on the 37th hole of the final.[5] Picard ("Pick" to friends) played on both the 1935 and 1937 Ryder Cup teams, winning both singles matches and one of two pairs matches.

Picard helped a struggling Ben Hogan with his game in the late 1930s, advising him to weaken his grip, and Hogan combined this advice with his own hard work to become one of golf's all-time great players. When he left the sought-after pro's position at Hershey Country Club in early 1941, Picard recommended Hogan as his replacement,[6] and he got the job.[3] [7] Hogan dedicated his first book, "Ben Hogan's Power Golf," to Picard in 1953.[2] [8]

Picard was pro at the Country Club of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, 1925–34; Hershey Country Club, Hershey, Pennsylvania, 1934–41;[9] then moving to Twin Hills G & CC, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,[6] [10] for two years, then returned to his South Carolina farm in early 1943.[11] Other professional positions include CC of Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Canterbury Golf Club, Cleveland, Ohio; and Seminole Golf Club, Palm Beach, Florida. Among his students was Jack Grout, who later taught Jack Nicklaus.[12]

Picard retired from Seminole in 1973 and returned to Charleston and was named to the South Carolina athletic hall of fame in 1977.[13] He was a fixture in the local golf community in his later years, and helped future LPGA hall of famer Beth Daniel in her teens.[2] [14] Picard played regularly into his 80s and died at age 90 in 1997.[2] He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in April 2006 and inducted in that October.[15]

Professional wins

PGA Tour wins (26)

Missing one win.

Major championships are shown in bold.

Other wins (9)

this list may be incomplete

Source:[2]

Major championships

Wins (2)

YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner(s)-up
1 shot lead −3 (71-72-72-70=285) 2 strokes Harry Cooper, Ralph Guldahl
n/a 37 holes Byron Nelson

Results timeline

Tournament19321933193419351936193719381939
Masters TournamentNYFNYFT234T9T3318
U.S. OpenT47T6T5T10T7T12
The Open Championship6T15
PGA ChampionshipR16R16R64R16QFSF1
Tournament1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
Masters TournamentT7T15NTNTNTT25T6T25T21
U.S. OpenT12T26NTNTNTNTT12CUT
The Open ChampionshipNTNTNTNTNTNT
PGA ChampionshipR16R64NT
Tournament1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
Masters TournamentT14T52T38T41T46T35CUTCUT
U.S. OpenT12T24CUT
The Open Championship
PGA ChampionshipSFR32
Tournament19601961196219631964196519661967196819691970
Masters TournamentCUTT39WDCUTCUTCUTWDCUTWD
U.S. Open
The Open Championship
PGA ChampionshipT32CUT
NYF = tournament not yet founded
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
1 0 0 2 6 12 29 19
0 0 0 1 4 9 13 11
0 0 0 0 1 2 2 2
PGA Championship 1 0 2 4 8 9 13 12
Totals 2 0 2 7 19 32 57 44

See also

Further reading

Book: McGee, Seamus . Henry Picard: The Hershey Hurricane . 2011 .

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Mrs. Henry G. Picard, wife of golfer, dies . News and Courier . Charleston, South Carolina . July 15, 1983 . 19A.
  2. News: Former Masters winner Picard dies at 90 . News and Courier . Charleston, South Carolina . Braswell . Tommy . May 1, 1997 . 1D.
  3. Book: Barkow, Al . Gettin' to the Dance Floor: An Oral History of American Golf . Al Barkow . 1986 . Atheneum . 978-0689115172.
  4. News: Sore thumb helps Henry Picard win. Milwaukee Journal . Rice . Grantland . April 5, 1938 . 6, part 2.
  5. News: Picard wins P.G.A. golf crown. Eugene Register-Guard . United Press . McLemore . Henry . July 16, 1939 . 6.
  6. News: Picard recommends Hogan for Hershey job . Reading Eagle . Associated Press . February 20, 1941 . 25.
  7. News: Ben Hogan named new Hershey pro . Reading Eagle . United Press . February 25, 1941 . 1.
  8. News: Picard helped Hogan get start . News and Courier . Charleston, South Carolina . Campbell . Ed . March 27, 1959 . 3B.
  9. News: Henry Picard new pro at Hershey club . Reading Eagle . October 17, 1934 . 15.
  10. News: Picard drops out of golf tournaments . The Day . New London, Connecticut . Associated Press . Bealmear . Austin . April 1941 . 13.
  11. News: Picard quits golf to run his farm . Spokane Daily Chronicle . Associated Press . December 24, 1942. 10 . July 12, 2016.
  12. News: Country club honors 1938 Masters champ on 'Henry Picard Day' . News and Courier . Charleston, South Carolina . April 17, 1983 . 14B.
  13. News: Golfer Henry Picard named to athletic hall of fame . Spartanburg Herald . Spartanburg, South Carolina . Associated Press . April 27, 1977 . D1.
  14. News: Legendary Picard touched Lowcountry golf . News and Courier . Charleston, South Carolina . Braswell . Tommy . May 4, 1997 . 7C.
  15. News: For Picard, induction at last . News and Courier . Charleston, South Carolina . Braswell . Tommy . October 29, 2006 . 1C.