Bob Goalby

American professional golfer (1929–2022)

Robert George Goalby (March 14, 1929 – January 19, 2022) was an American professional golfer. He won the Masters Tournament in 1968, after Roberto De Vicenzo notably made an error on his scorecard. It was Goalby's lone major championship among 11 Tour wins achieved between 1958 and 1971. There he was raised, and lived for much of his life. He was the son of a coal miner, the family had little money and he would sneak over the fence of nearby St Clair Country Club to indulge his love for golf He excelled in athletics during his time at Belleville Township High School earning 11 varsity letters. Notably, he was a catcher and pitcher on the Illinois High School Association(IHSA) championship Baseball Team his junior year and an All State quarterback during his senior year of High School and attended the University of Illinois, on a football scholarship He served in the United States military during the Korean War.

Goalby turned professional in 1957 with his first Tour win coming in 1958, he earned the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Award in that season. He won and contended steadily until 1971, when he was 42 years old. At the 1968 Masters, Goalby tied Roberto De Vicenzo at the end of 72 holes of regulation play, and would have had to face an 18 hole playoff the next day, had there not been a mistake on DeVicenzo's scorecard. In the final round, DeVicenzo's playing partner Tommy Aaron marked a par 4 on the 17th hole, when DeVicenzo had in fact made a birdie 3. The story received overwhelming attention at the time, and has remained high in public consciousness since. The personal relationship between Goalby and DeVicenzo was unaffected by the difficult situation, and the two players formed a partnership years later, for a team event on the Champions Tour. Goalby played on the Ryder Cup team in 1963 and retired from the PGA Tour after winning 11 tournaments. He joined the Senior PGA Tour (now the Champions Tour) in 1979, winning twice, and contributed key ideas to the formation and structure of that new Tour, before retiring to a home in his native Belleville, where he has designed several nearby golf courses. He also served as a golf commentator for NBC television for 14 years. The football stadium at Belleville High School West was dedicated to him on October 13, 2017.

Goalby had three sons: Kye, Kel and Kevin, the former of whom is a golf course architect. His great nephew, Bill Haas, plays on the PGA Tour, and won the Tour Championship tournament and FedEx Cup in 2011. Goalby died in Belleville on January 19, 2022, at the age of 92.