Paul Harney Explained

Paul Harney
Birth Date:11 July 1929
Birth Place:Worcester, Massachusetts
Death Place:Falmouth, Massachusetts
Weight:160lb
College:College of the Holy Cross
Status:Professional
Extour:PGA Tour
Champions Tour
Prowins:11
Pgawins:6
Otherwins:5
Masters:T5: 1964
Usopen:4th: 1963
Open:DNP
Pga:T7: 1962

Paul Harney (July 11, 1929 – August 24, 2011) was an American professional golfer and golf course owner who spent part of his career as a full-time PGA Tour player, but mostly was a club professional, part-time Tour player, and owner-operator of his own course.

Early life

Harney was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts. He attended the College of the Holy Cross, which is located in his hometown; and was captain of the golf team.

Professional career

Harney played full-time on the PGA Tour from 1955 to 1962; and part-time from 1963 to 1973. During that time, he won six PGA Tour events. His first win came at the 1957 Carling Open; he won his second PGA Tour event just two weeks later at the Labatt Open. In 1963 at the prime of his career, he fulfilled a promise made to his wife, Patricia, that when their oldest child started school, he would only play the tour on a part-time basis.[1] He took his first club pro job at Sunset Oaks in northern California, where he stayed a couple years. He then moved his family across the country to Sutton, Massachusetts, where he took the club pro's job at Pleasant Valley Country Club.[1]

Harney had a great deal of success in major championships, placing in the top-10 six times. His best finish in a major was 4th at the 1963 U.S. Open; however, he also finished in the top-8 four times at The Masters in the 1960s.

Personal life

As his competitive playing days were winding down, Harney used his prize money to open his own course in East Falmouth, Massachusetts, which he owned until his death. His daughter Erin is the general manager, and son Mike is the head pro. Harney had six children with his wife Patricia.[2] He died in Falmouth, Massachusetts at the age of 82.[3]

Professional wins (11)

PGA Tour wins (6)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1Jun 23, 1957Carling Open Invitational−9 (70-69-68-68=275)3 strokes Dow Finsterwald
2Jul 7, 1957Labatt Open−10 (69-69-70-70=278)1 stroke George Bayer
3Mar 15, 1959Pensacola Open Invitational−19 (69-65-65-70=269)3 strokes Jay Hebert
4Jan 6, 1964Los Angeles Open−4 (71-72-66-71=280)1 stroke Bobby Nichols
5Jan 11, 1965Los Angeles Open (2)−8 (68-71-68-69=276)3 strokes Dan Sikes
6Jan 30, 1972Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational−13 (68-71-66-70=275)1 stroke Hale Irwin

PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

Other wins (5)

Playoff record

Senior PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

Results in major championships

Tournament 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
Masters TournamentT256T15WDT5T11T8T6T40T22T24CUT
U.S. OpenCUTT37T51T12T55T284T39T18T57T18T46T21
PGA ChampionshipT14T18T11T7T23T33T15T55T40
Note: Harney never played in The Open Championship.
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Summary

Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts made
0 0 0 1 4 9 12 10
0 0 0 1 1 5 13 12
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 1 6 9 9
Totals 0 0 0 2 6 20 34 31

Awards and honors

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Harney recalls successful career . Patriot Ledger . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190425/http://www.patriotledger.com/articles/2006/04/24/sports/sports02.txt%20rel= . dead . March 3, 2016 . August 11, 2006 .
  2. Web site: Give Another Hoya! . College of the Holy Cross . John . Gearan . October 29, 2013.
  3. Web site: Harney, six-time winner on PGA Tour, dies at 82 . PGA Tour . Laury . Livsey . August 25, 2011 . October 29, 2013.