Joe Conrad Explained

Joe Conrad
Fullname:Joseph William Conrad
Birth Date:14 March 1930
Birth Place:San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Death Place:San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
College:North Texas State
Yearpro:1956
Extour:PGA Tour
Masters:T18: 1955
Usopen:CUT: 1952, 1953, 1954, 1959,1964
Open:T22: 1955
Pga:T44: 1964

Joseph William Conrad (March 14, 1930 – December 12, 2018) was an American professional golfer. He had a successful amateur career, playing in the 1955 Walker Cup and winning the 1955 Amateur Championship. He turned professional at the end of 1956 but had limited success as a tournament professional.

Amateur career

Conrad had early successes as an amateur winning the Mexican Amateur in 1950 and the Texas Amateur in 1951.[1] He attended North Texas State, playing in the team that won the NCAA Men's Golf Championship in 1950, 1951 and 1952.[2] He had further successes, winning the Southern Amateur and Trans-Mississippi Amateur in 1953 and the Southern Amateur for a second time in 1954. He was selected for the Americas Cup team in 1954.[3] [4]

In January 1955, Conrad was selected for the Walker Cup team on the Old Course at St Andrews.[5] He won his foursomes match but lost in the singles to David Blair by 1 hole, although the United States still won the match by 10 matches to 2. The Amateur Championship was played at Royal Lytham soon after the Walker Cup. Conrad met Alan Slater in the final. Conrad led by 4 holes after the first round but Slater reduced the deficit to 1 hole with 9 to play before Conrad won two holes to win 3 & 2.[6] The following week he lost in the semi-final of the French Amateur championship to Henri de Lamaze.[7] Conrad stayed on to play in the 1955 Open Championship on the Old Course. He qualified well, tying for 4th place, but in the Open itself he only just made the cut after a second round 76, one of three amateurs to make the cut. Rounds of 74 and 71 on the final day lifted him into a tie for 22nd place and he won the Silver Medal as the leading amateur.[8]

In 1956 Conrad travelled to Troon, Scotland to defend his Amateur Championship title. He reached the quarter-finals before losing to Reid Jack by 1 hole.[9] Later in the year he also made his second appearance in the Americas Cup.[10]

Professional career

Conrad turned professional at the end of 1956 and played on the PGA tour for two seasons.[2] He had a top-20 finish in the 1957 Colonial National Invitation and played in the 1957 Masters Tournament.[11] [2] Conrad received an invitation for the 1957 Masters as an Amateur Championship winner but from 1958 winners of the U.S. Amateur and Amateur Championships no longer received invitations if they turned professional, unless they qualified in a different category.

Amateur wins

Results in major championships

Tournament1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968
Masters TournamentT18T61CUT
U.S. OpenCUTCUTCUTCUTCUT
The Open ChampionshipT22LA
PGA ChampionshipT4464CUT
LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

1955 (winners)

1954 (winners), 1956 (winners)

Notes and References

  1. The Development of Mexican Golf . USGA Journal and Turf Management . November 1953 . 17.
  2. Web site: Joe Conrad . Texas Golf Hall of Fame . May 14, 2019.
  3. The Americas Cup Team . USGA Journal and Turf Management . July 1954 . 9.
  4. Hands Across the Tee . USGA Journal and Turf Management . September 1954 . 11 . Joseph C. . Dey Jr..
  5. News: American Walker Cup selection . . January 31, 1955 . 4.
  6. News: Unavailing rally by Englishman . . June 6, 1955 . 9.
  7. News: French Finalists . . June 11, 1956 . 4.
  8. News: P.W. Thomson's second victory . The Glasgow Herald . July 9, 1955 . 5.
  9. News: Defeat of Amateur Holder by Scottish Champion . . June 1, 1956 . 4.
  10. Good Feelings Fill the Americas Cup . USGA Journal and Turf Management . November 1956 . 5.
  11. News: Vicenzo Wins Colonial Golf . . . . May 6, 1957 . 14A . May 22, 2010 .