Rex Baxter
Encyclopedia
Rex Bernice Baxter, Jr. (born February 28, 1936) is an American
professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
and the Senior PGA Tour.
A native of Amarillo, Texas
, Baxter won the U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship
at Tulsa's
Southern Hills Country Club
in 1953. He attended the University of Houston
, where he was an All American member of the golf
team.
He won the Cajun Classic Open Invitational
in 1963 and the PGA Professional National Championship
in 1970. His best finish in a major
is T-33 at the 1960 U.S. Open
.
Baxter was the first golfer inducted into the University of Houston Athletics Hall of Honor. He works as an instructor for Golf Digest Schools at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who played on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
and the Senior PGA Tour.
A native of Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
, Baxter won the U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship
U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship
The United States Junior Amateur Championship is one of the thirteen U.S. national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association. It is open to amateur boys who are under 18 on the last day of the competition and have a USGA Handicap Index of 6.4 or less. The competition was...
at Tulsa's
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
Southern Hills Country Club
Southern Hills Country Club
Southern Hills Country Club is a private golf and country club in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the United States. It was established in 1936 from land donated by multimillionaire oilman Waite Phillips. The construction costs were raised by the founding members....
in 1953. He attended the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
, where he was an All American member of the golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
team.
He won the Cajun Classic Open Invitational
Cajun Classic Open Invitational
The Cajun Classic Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour usually played in late November in the late 1950s and 1960s. It was played at the Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette, Louisiana. It was first played as the Lafayette Open Invitational in 1958...
in 1963 and the PGA Professional National Championship
PGA Professional National Championship
The PGA Professional National Championship is a golf tournament for golf club professionals and teachers who are members of the Professional Golfers' Association of America...
in 1970. His best finish in a major
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
is T-33 at the 1960 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
.
Baxter was the first golfer inducted into the University of Houston Athletics Hall of Honor. He works as an instructor for Golf Digest Schools at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida. The city is in the center of a rapidly-developing area north of West Palm Beach in the northern part of the county and the South Florida metropolitan area. , the population was 48,452...
.
Amateur wins (5)
- 1953 U.S. Junior Amateur Golf ChampionshipU.S. Junior Amateur Golf ChampionshipThe United States Junior Amateur Championship is one of the thirteen U.S. national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association. It is open to amateur boys who are under 18 on the last day of the competition and have a USGA Handicap Index of 6.4 or less. The competition was...
- 1956 Missouri Valley Conference tournament (individual medalist)
- 1957 Missouri Valley Conference tournament (individual medalist), NCAA ChampionshipNCAA Division I Men's Golf ChampionshipsThe NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
, Trans-Mississippi AmateurTrans-Mississippi AmateurThe Trans-Mississippi Amateur or Trans-Miss Amateur is an annual golf tournament. It is organized by the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association and was first played in 1901. It is played at a different course each year that are located near or west of the Mississippi River. From 1987 to 2009, the field...
PGA Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 24, 1963 | Cajun Classic Open Invitational Cajun Classic Open Invitational The Cajun Classic Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour usually played in late November in the late 1950s and 1960s. It was played at the Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette, Louisiana. It was first played as the Lafayette Open Invitational in 1958... |
2 strokes |  Bob Shave, Jr. |
Other wins (3)
- 1965 Waterloo Open Golf ClassicWaterloo Open Golf ClassicThe Waterloo Jaycees Greater Waterloo Open Golf Classic is a the oldest and largest golf tournament in the state of Iowa. It has been played annually since 1934, and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2008...
- 1966 Brazil OpenBrazil Open (golf)The Brazil Open or Aberto do Brasil is an annual golf tournament held in Brazil. It was founded in 1945, and has been an event on the Tour de las Americas on several occasions, most recently in 2005....
- 1970 PGA Professional National ChampionshipPGA Professional National ChampionshipThe PGA Professional National Championship is a golf tournament for golf club professionals and teachers who are members of the Professional Golfers' Association of America...