Phil Rodgers is an American professional golfer. Rodgers was born in San Diego, California. He won the 1958 NCAA Division I Championship while playing at the University of Houston. Immediately after, he was placed in the first position on the first team of the 1958 All-American golf team, which included many well known professionals including future winners of the PGA Championship, Al Geiberger and Bobby Nichols and Masters Tournament winner, Tommy Aaron. While in the Marine Corps, Rodgers won virtually every service tournament, then turned professional in 1961. He won five times on the PGA Tour in the 1960s. Playing sparingly in 1961, but winning the "unofficial" 54-hole Sahara Pro-Am in Las Vegas, Nevada, Rodgers started his first full year on the PGA Tour in 1962, which began with the Los Angeles Open. Tied for the lead after 54 holes with Fred Hawkins at 206, Rodgers ran away from the field shooting a 9-under-par 62 making 9 birdies and 9 pars to win his first championship by 9 strokes. Despite some sensational wins, Rodgers seems better known for two losses. He lost to Bob Charles in a 36-hole playoff in the 1963 Open Championship. Lesser known is that he lost the 1962 U.S. [More at Wikipedia]

April 3rd, 1938 in San Diego  /  Died:   Jun 26th, 2018 - leukemia