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Dave Marr
American professional golfer, sportscaster

Dave Marr

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Quick Facts

Intro
American professional golfer, sportscaster
Work field
Gender
Male
Place of birth
Houston, USA
Age
63 years
Education
Rice University
The details (from wikipedia)

Biography

David Francis Marr, Jr. (December 27, 1933 – October 5, 1997) was an American professional golfer and sportscaster, best known for winning the 1965 PGA Championship.

Early years

Marr was born and raised in Houston, Texas, the son of a professional golfer. He attended St. Thomas High School, and while there was on the honor roll, captain of the golf team and member of the Letterman's Club. Following graduation, he attended Rice Institute and the University of Houston.

Professional career

In 1953 at age 19, Marr left college and turned professional. He began his professional golfing career by accepting a position at Westwood Country Club in Westwood, New Jersey, in 1953. A short time later, Marr took a job as an assistant club pro to Claude Harmon at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, where he began to blossom. He began playing regularly on the PGA tour in 1960, and in that year earned his first professional win at the Sam Snead Festival. A year later, he won the Greater Seattle Open Invitational and then the Azalea Open in 1962. Marr joined the elite in golf world in 1965 when he captured the coveted PGA Championship, was named to the Ryder Cup team and elected PGA Player of the Year.

The 1965 PGA Championship was played at the Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. He defeated golf legends Jack Nicklaus and Billy Casper by two strokes with a four-day total score of 280. Incredibly, this wasn't the biggest news story of the day in the Marr family – a few hours after his victory, his third child, son Tony, was born.

Marr played in the 1965 Ryder Cup, finishing his six matches with a 4-2 record. He was the appointed non-playing captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1981.

Marr was a close friend of golf legend Arnold Palmer. Marr and Palmer were both sons of PGA pros and developed a close bond. Palmer called Marr's 1965 PGA victory "one of the happiest moments of my life," won at Palmer's home course. The two of them used to joke that between them they won a career grand slam. (Palmer won seven majors in his career, but never the PGA Championship, where he was a runner-up three times.)

Later years

Marr served as a golf analyst for ABC from 1972 until 1991, and was usually teamed with host Jim McKay and fellow one-time PGA Championship winner, Bob Rosburg. He later worked for the BBC in Britain and NBC in the U.S.

Marr and long-time golfing partner Jay Riviere established a golf course architectural and design firm in 1981, and designed many Texas courses and one each in Louisiana and Arizona.

After a battle with stomach cancer, Marr died at age 63 at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston on October 5, 1997. He was survived by his wife, Tally, and sons Dave III, Anthony, Wayne Bunch, Tucker Bunch, and daughter Elizabeth Hallas. Marr's oldest son, Dave III, works for Golf Channel covering the Champions Tour.

Marr's children scattered his ashes around the various courses that meant so much to him during his playing days – Royal Birkdale, in England, where he played on the 1965 Ryder Cup team; Walton Heath, also in England, where he captained the 1981 Ryder Cup team; at the 18th hole at Laurel Valley, the site of his 1965 PGA Championship, along with Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston.

Awards and honors

Marr was elected to the National Collegiate Hall of Fame in 1977 and the Texas Golf Hall of Fame in 1978. He was selected for the Gold Tee Award presented by the Met (N.Y.) Golf Writers in 1990.

Shell Oil Company created the Dave Marr Memorial Award the year after his death. It is awarded annually in conjunction with the Shell Houston Open. Marr's last assignment as a broadcaster had been to host Shell's Wonderful World of Golf from 1993–97. Past winners of the award include Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Judy Rankin, Gary Player, Former President George H. W. Bush and Arnold Palmer.

Professional wins (5)

PGA Tour wins (3)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of victoryRunner(s)-up
1Sep 17, 1961Greater Seattle Open Invitational−15 (67-69-66-63=265)Playoff Jacky Cupit, Bob Rosburg
2Apr 1, 1962Azalea Open−7 (73-66-71-71=281)Playoff Jerry Steelsmith
3Aug 15, 1965PGA Championship−4 (70-69-70-71=280)2 strokes Billy Casper, Jack Nicklaus

PGA Tour playoff record (2–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
11961Greater Seattle Open Invitational Jacky Cupit, Bob RosburgWon with birdie on first extra hole
21962Azalea Open Jerry SteelsmithWon with birdie on first extra hole

Other wins (2)

  • 1960 Sam Snead Festival
  • 1962 Metropolitan PGA Championship

Major championships

Wins (1)

YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunners-up
1965PGA ChampionshipTied for lead−4 (70-69-70-71=280)2 strokes Billy Casper, Jack Nicklaus

Results timeline

Tournament19521953195419551956195719581959
Masters Tournament
U.S. OpenCUTCUTCUTT15
The Open Championship
PGA ChampionshipT44
Tournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
Masters TournamentT34CUTT2CUTCUTT16T20CUT
U.S. OpenT17CUTT21CUTT4T9T32T10
The Open ChampionshipT8
PGA ChampionshipT10T22T51CUT651T18T33CUTT48
Tournament1970197119721973
Masters TournamentCUT
U.S. OpenT30CUTCUT
The Open ChampionshipT41T11CUT
PGA ChampionshipT35CUTT46
  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament01011394
U.S. Open000136158
The Open Championship00001243
PGA Championship1001141411
Totals11036154226
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 8 (1966 U.S. Open – 1968 U.S. Open)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (1966 U.S. Open – 1966 Open Championship)
The contents of this page are sourced from Wikipedia article. The contents are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Who is Dave Marr?
David Overton Marr (December 27, 1933 – October 5, 1997) was an American professional golfer and sportscaster. He was one of the leading players of his era, winning the PGA Championship in 1965 and the U.S. Open in 1966. He is also known for his work as a golf analyst for ABC Sports.
What were Dave Marr's major championship victories?
Dave Marr won two major championships during his career. He won the PGA Championship in 1965 and the U.S. Open in 1966. These victories solidified his status as one of the top players of his time.
What other notable accomplishments did Dave Marr have in golf?
In addition to his major championship victories, Dave Marr had several other notable accomplishments in golf. He won a total of seven PGA Tour events, including the prestigious Tournament of Champions in 1965. He also played for the United States in the Ryder Cup six times and served as the captain of the team in 1981.
What was Dave Marr's career in broadcasting?
After retiring from professional golf, Dave Marr had a successful career as a golf broadcaster. He joined ABC Sports as an analyst and commentator, and he covered both PGA Tour events and major championships. His knowledge and expertise made him a respected voice in the world of golf broadcasting.
When did Dave Marr pass away?
Dave Marr passed away on October 5, 1997, at the age of 63. Despite his untimely death, his contributions to the game of golf, both as a player and as a broadcaster, continue to be remembered and celebrated today.
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Dave Marr
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