William C. Campbell
Encyclopedia
William Cammack Campbell (born May 5, 1923), often known as Bill Campbell or William C. Campbell, is an American
amateur golf
er and two-time President of the United States Golf Association
(USGA). He was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame
in 1990.
Campbell was born in Huntington, West Virginia
. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II
, and graduated from Princeton University
in 1947 with a degree in history
.
In his amateur golfing career, Campbell played in 37 U.S. Amateurs, including 33 consecutively from 1941–77, and won the event in 1964. He played on eight Walker Cup
teams from 1951 to 1975, captaining the 1955 team, and finished with an overall record of 11-4-3 (7-0-1 in singles matches). He was runner-up in the 1954 British Amateur. He was three times runner-up in the Canadian Amateur Championship
, in 1952, 1954, and 1965. He won three West Virginia Opens, four North and South Amateurs, and fifteen West Virginia Amateur
titles. He won the U.S. Senior Amateur in 1979 and 1980 (medalist in 1979, 1980, and 1984), and finished 2nd overall in the 1980 U.S. Senior Open.
Campbell served on the Executive Committee of the USGA from 1962–1965, and again from 1977-1984. He was the treasurer in 1978-1979, vice-president in 1980-1981, then served as president in 1982 and 1983. In 1987, he was named Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
, just the third American to hold that post, becoming the first person to head both of golf's main governing bodies.
In 1956, Campbell was awarded the Bob Jones Award
, the USGA's highest honor. He also received the 1991 Old Tom Morris Award
from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
, GCSAA's highest honor. He was inducted into the West Virginia Golf Hall of Fame in 2009 with Sam Snead
.
Campbell is also the stepfather of actor Brad Dourif
.
Note: Campbell never played in the British Open
nor the PGA Championship
(for which he was never eligible being an amateur).
LA = Low Amateur
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Source for The Masters: www.masters.com
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
Source for 1949 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 26, 1949, pg. 8.
Source for 1950 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 26, 1950, pg. 7.
Source for 1951 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 25, 1951, pg. 7.
Source for 1953 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 29, 1953, pg. 4.
Source for 1955 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, June 1, 1955, pg. 4.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
amateur 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....
er and two-time President of the United States Golf Association
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
(USGA). He was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame
World Golf Hall of Fame
The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
in 1990.
Campbell was born in Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and graduated from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1947 with a degree in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
.
In his amateur golfing career, Campbell played in 37 U.S. Amateurs, including 33 consecutively from 1941–77, and won the event in 1964. He played on eight Walker Cup
Walker Cup
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
teams from 1951 to 1975, captaining the 1955 team, and finished with an overall record of 11-4-3 (7-0-1 in singles matches). He was runner-up in the 1954 British Amateur. He was three times runner-up in the Canadian Amateur Championship
Canadian Amateur Championship
The Canadian Amateur Championship, begun in 1895, is the men's amateur golf championship of Canada. It is staged annually by the Royal Canadian Golf Association. It was played at match play until 1968, went to stroke play beginning in 1969, and reverted to match play in 1995...
, in 1952, 1954, and 1965. He won three West Virginia Opens, four North and South Amateurs, and fifteen West Virginia Amateur
West Virginia Amateur Championship
The West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
titles. He won the U.S. Senior Amateur in 1979 and 1980 (medalist in 1979, 1980, and 1984), and finished 2nd overall in the 1980 U.S. Senior Open.
Campbell served on the Executive Committee of the USGA from 1962–1965, and again from 1977-1984. He was the treasurer in 1978-1979, vice-president in 1980-1981, then served as president in 1982 and 1983. In 1987, he was named Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is one of the oldest and most prestigious golf clubs in the world . It is based in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, and is regarded as the worldwide "Home of Golf"...
, just the third American to hold that post, becoming the first person to head both of golf's main governing bodies.
In 1956, Campbell was awarded the Bob Jones Award
Bob Jones Award
The Bob Jones Award is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. It is named in honor of Bobby Jones.-Winners:*1955 Francis Ouimet*1956 William C. Campbell*1957 Babe Zaharias...
, the USGA's highest honor. He also received the 1991 Old Tom Morris Award
Old Tom Morris Award
The Old Tom Morris Award is the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America's most prestigious honor. It is presented each year to an individual who "through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by...
from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America was originally founded in 1926 when 60 superintendents met at the Sylvania Country Club in Toledo, Ohio to form the National Association of Greenkeepers of America ....
, GCSAA's highest honor. He was inducted into the West Virginia Golf Hall of Fame in 2009 with Sam Snead
Sam Snead
Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
.
Campbell is also the stepfather of actor Brad Dourif
Brad Dourif
Bradford Claude "Brad" Dourif is an American film and television actor who gained early fame for his portrayal of Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and has since appeared in a number of memorable roles, including the voice of Chucky in the Child's Play franchise, Younger Brother in...
.
Tournament wins (32)
- 1941 Eastern Interscholastic Champion
- 1943 Eastern Intercollegiate Champion
- 1946 Eastern Intercollegiate Champion
- 1948 Tam O'Shanter World Amateur
- 1949 Tam O'Shanter World Amateur, West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1950 West Virginia OpenWest Virginia OpenThe West Virginia Open is a golf tournament that is administered by the West Virginia PGA . It has been played annually since 1933 except in 1959...
, North and South Amateur, West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock... - 1951 West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1953 West Virginia OpenWest Virginia OpenThe West Virginia Open is a golf tournament that is administered by the West Virginia PGA . It has been played annually since 1933 except in 1959...
, North and South Amateur - 1955 West Virginia OpenWest Virginia OpenThe West Virginia Open is a golf tournament that is administered by the West Virginia PGA . It has been played annually since 1933 except in 1959...
, West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock... - 1956 Mexican Amateur
- 1957 North and South Amateur, West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1959 West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1962 West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1964 U.S. Amateur
- 1965 West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1967 Ontario Amateur, North and South Amateur, West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1968 West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1970 West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1972 West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1973 West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1974 West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1975 West Virginia AmateurWest Virginia Amateur ChampionshipThe West Virginia Amateur Championship or West Virginia Amateur is a golf championship held in West Virginia for the states top amateur golfers. The tournament is run by the West Virginia Golf Association. The first event was held in 1913 at the Fairmont Country Club and was won by Julius Pollock...
- 1979 U.S. Senior Amateur
- 1980 U.S. Senior Amateur
Amateur wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | U.S. Amateur | 1 up |  Edgar M. Tutwiler |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | NT | NT | NT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 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... |
DNP | NT | NT | NT | NT | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| U.S. Amateur | DNQ | NT | NT | NT | NT | DNP | R128 | R128 | SF |
| British Amateur | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | DNP | DNP | DNP | R64 |
| Tournament | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T46 | 59 | DNP | T45 | T51 | T36 | T43 | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| 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... |
CUT | DNP | CUT | CUT | T23 | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Amateur | R256 | R256 | R16 | R16 | R16 | R64 | R16 | R64 | R128 | R128 |
| British Amateur | R16 | R16 | DNP | R32 | 2 | R256 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | T36 | DNP | T48 | DNP |
| 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... |
DNP | DNP | CUT | CUT | T34 | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP |
| U.S. Amateur | R64 | R256 | R128 | R16 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| British Amateur | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | CUT | WD | DNP | CUT | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 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... |
CUT | DNP | DNP | CUT | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP |
| 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... |
DNP | DNP |
Note: Campbell never played in the British Open
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
nor the PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
(for which he was never eligible being an amateur).
LA = Low Amateur
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Source for The Masters: www.masters.com
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
Source for 1949 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 26, 1949, pg. 8.
Source for 1950 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 26, 1950, pg. 7.
Source for 1951 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 25, 1951, pg. 7.
Source for 1953 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 29, 1953, pg. 4.
Source for 1955 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, June 1, 1955, pg. 4.