Bob Goalby
He won the 1968 Masters Tournament in a cloud of controversy, a victory that forever changed how golf championships are decided.
1929–2022 (age 93)·American professional golfer·Birthday: March 14·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bob Goalby emerged from the small-town courses of Illinois to become a formidable force on the PGA Tour in the 1960s. A powerful, self-taught player, his career was defined by a single Sunday at Augusta National. In 1968, he carded a final-round 66 to seemingly tie Roberto De Vicenzo, only for a scoring error on De Vicenzo's card to hand Goalby the green jacket outright. The uproar over the 'Masters mistake' led directly to the modern rule requiring players to verify their scorecards. While the shadow of that win lingered, Goalby's 11 Tour victories and consistent excellence were hallmarks of a gritty competitor. Later, as a pioneering television golf analyst for two decades, his blunt, Midwestern insight brought the game into living rooms, cementing his role as a bridge between golf's eras.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bob was born in 1929, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1929
#1 Movie
The Broadway Melody
Best Picture
The Broadway Melody
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1929Born
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1934Started school
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1942Became a teenager
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Could drive
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1947Could vote
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Turned 21
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1959Turned 30
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 40
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 50
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 60
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 70
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 80
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2022Died at 93
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Key Achievements
- Won the 1968 Masters Tournament, a victory that precipitated a major rules change in professional golf.
- Secured 11 wins on the PGA Tour between 1958 and 1971.
- Served as a lead analyst for ABC Sports' golf coverage for over 20 years.
- Was a member of the 1963 United States Ryder Cup team.
Did You Know?
He was a standout baseball and basketball player in high school and initially attended the University of Illinois on a basketball scholarship.
He served in the United States Navy before turning professional in golf.
Goalby and De Vicenzo became close friends in the decades following the 1968 Masters.
He was the uncle of former PGA Tour player and fellow Masters participant Jay Haas.
“I didn't beat Roberto De Vicenzo. I beat the golf course. The golf course is the only thing you play against in this game.”
