Bob Williamson New Putting King
A very hot 4th of July weekend found Jacksonville pro, Bob Williamson, maintaining "a cool head" in dominating a field of 201 pro by copping the $5,000 first place purse and the 1964 PPA National Championship title.
Williamson held a personal duel throughout the tournament with handsome Pat Youmans of Savannah, GA. At the end of the first-day's rounds Youmans took the lead with a 115. Williamson finished three strokes back at 118. On the first round of the second day, Williamson fired a 27 to Youmans 30 to even the duel. However, at the end of the day's competition, Williamson found himself two strokes back with an 8-round total of 244 as compared to Youmans' 242.
During the final day's rounds, Williamson began to put pressure on Youmans. Although Pat fired very respectable rounds of 27-33-30-29 for 25-under-par 119, Williamson posted scores of 26-31-28-30 for a 29-under-par 115. This moved Williamson out in front of Youmans with a 12-round total of 361, 71-under par.
With all the excitement displayed by these two champion putters, no one seemed to notice the determined John Connor of Greenville, SC. John, brother of all-time PPA money winner, Neil Connor, ended up just three strokes off the pace with a 70-under-par 362. During the three-day tournament and the week preceding the event only once did the rain hinder play. a very severe but "quite cooling" downpour appeared on the scene at the end of the first day's rounds. Only four remaining contestants caught the full force of the downpour.
In the amateur division Tom Kehl of Cleveland, Ohio, stole the show with a 60-under-par 372 for the three-day's competition. Although after the first day's rounds he was holding a very weak four-stroke lead, he shifted into high gear and was able to maintain a comfortable lead throughout the remainder of the tournament. He ended with a score of 372, 12 strokes over his nearest competitor, Jimmy Davis of Atlanta. Davis claimed second place honors with a 48 under par 384.
Former National Amateur Champion Joe Gehling of Cincinnati, Ohio, found the going somewhat rough on his final day and had to settle for a mediocre 9th place.