Joe Conrad

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.

For other uses, see Joseph Conrad (disambiguation).
Joe Conrad
Personal information
Full nameJoseph William Conrad
Born(1930-03-14)March 14, 1930
San Antonio, Texas
DiedDecember 12, 2018(2018-12-12) (aged 88)
San Antonio, Texas
Nationality United States
Career
CollegeNorth Texas State
Turned professional1956
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentT18: 1955
PGA ChampionshipT44: 1964
U.S. OpenCUT: 1952, 1953, 1954, 1959
The Open ChampionshipT22: 1955

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 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
Tournament 19521953195419551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968
Masters Tournament T18 T61 CUT
U.S. Open CUT CUT CUT CUT
The Open Championship T22LA
PGA Championship T44 64 CUT
  Did not play

LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

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