Bob Murphy (golfer)
Robert Joseph Murphy, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was formerly a member of the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour. Murphy has won 21 tournaments as a professional.
Early years
Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was a standout pitcher in his youth, and as a teen led his high school baseball team to the state championship in 1960. After suffering a football injury, Murphy got started in golf.College career
Murphy attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. While he was an undergraduate, he played for coach Buster Bishop's Florida Gators men's golf team in National Collegiate Athletic Association competition from 1964 to 1966. While he was a college student, he won the 1965 U.S. Amateur and the 1966 individual NCAA championship, and was recognized as an All-American in 1966. He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in health and human performance in 1966, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1971.Professional career
Murphy turned professional in 1967, and won five tournaments on the PGA Tour. He was a member of the victorious U.S. team in the 1975 Ryder Cup competition. His best finish in a major tournament was a second-place tie at the 1970 PGA Championship. Murphy won 11 times on the Senior PGA Tour.Murphy first got into broadcasting while still playing. He joined CBS Sports as a tower announcer in 1984, working for CBS through 1991. He then joined ESPN as a color commentator, where he stayed through 1994. After a break from TV to play on the Senior PGA Tour, he joined NBC Sports in November 1999, and was a tower announcer for the PGA Tour on NBC through 2009, at which point he retired.
He was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Personal life
Murphy lives in Delray Beach, Florida with his wife, Gail.Amateur wins (2)
- 1965 U.S. Amateur
- 1966 NCAA championship
Professional wins (23)
PGA Tour wins (5)
PGA Tour playoff recordNo. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
1 | 1968 | Philadelphia Golf Classic | Labron Harris, Jr. | Won with birdie on third extra hole |
2 | 1970 | Tucson Open | Lee Trevino | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
3 | 1972 | Hawaiian Open | Grier Jones | Lost to par on first extra hole |
4 | 1973 | Westchester Classic | Bobby Nichols | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
5 | 1974 | World Open Golf Championship | Frank Beard, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller | Miller won with birdie on second extra hole Murphy eliminated with par on first hole |
6 | 1981 | Tallahassee Open | Dave Eichelberger, Mark O'Meara | Eichelberger won with birdie on first extra hole |
Australian wins (1)
- 1972 Wills Masters
Other wins (3)
- 1967 Florida Open
- 1979 Jerry Ford Invitational
- 1980 South Florida PGA Championship
Senior PGA Tour wins (11)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
1 | 1994 | Raley's Senior Gold Rush | Dave Eichelberger | Won with bogey on fifth extra hole |
2 | 1997 | Toshiba Senior Classic | Jay Sigel | Won with birdie on ninth extra hole |
Other senior wins (3)
- 1995 Diners Club Matches
- 1996 Diners Club Matches
- 2013 Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf - Demaret Division
Results in major championships
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Summary
- Most consecutive cuts made – 11
- Longest streak of top-10s – 1
Results in The Players Championship
"T" indicates a tie for a place
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur- Walker Cup: 1967
- Eisenhower Trophy: 1966
- Ryder Cup: 1975