Joseph Cooper Inman Jr. (born November 29, 1947) is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. Inman was the head men's golf coach at Georgia State University from 2008 to 2019.
Early life
Inman was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1947 to Joseph Cooper Inman Sr. and Donna (née Dewees) Inman. Inman grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina and graduated from Grimsley High School in 1965. He is the eldest of six children. His younger brother, John, was a two-time winner on the PGA Tour and 1984 NCAA Champion.
Amateur career Inman attended Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and was a member of the men's golf team where they won three Atlantic Coast Conference titles from 1967 to 1969. Inman placed third at the 1968 NCAA Division I men’s golf championship and won the Arnold Palmer Award. He was a three-time All-American, earning first-team honors in 1969. Inman was a member of the winning 1969 Walker Cup team and was invited to play in the 1970 Masters Tournament as an amateur. He graduated in 1970.
Professional career In 1972, Inman turned professional. Inman attempted to make the PGA Tour at 1972 PGA Tour Qualifying School. However, he was unsuccessful. The following year, however, he was successful at 1973 PGA Tour Qualifying School.
Inman played on the PGA Tour from 1974 to 1986. He made the top 60 in the money list in his first year, 1974, the barometer to determine full-time exemption. He won one event during this phase of his career, the 1976 Kemper Open. His best finish in a major was T-9 at The Masters in 1978. After he retired from the PGA Tour, he worked as a sales representative for Ping from 1989 to 1997; he became eligible for the Champions Tour upon reaching the age of 50 in November 1997.
Inman spent his regular PGA Tour years largely toiling in relative obscurity, but immediately became one of the stars on the Champions Tour by winning the 1998 Pacific Bell Senior Classic in his first year. He won the event three years in a row (it was called the SBC Classic the third year), and became only the fifth player in Champions Tour history to three-peat an event. He won the 1998 Senior Tour Rookie of the Year award. Inman has over 4.2 million dollars in Champions Tour career earnings.
Inman became the head coach for the Georgia State University men's golf team in 2008.Former PGA Pro Named Golf Coach
Personal life Inman married his wife Nancy Craig in 1972, and they live in Marietta, Georgia. He is a member of Atlanta Country Club. They have three children who all attended Wake Forest University.
Amateur wins 1969 North and South Amateur 1970 North Carolina Amateur
Professional wins (5) PGA Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunners-up1 Jun 13, 1976Kemper Open−11 (70-69-67-71=277)1 stroke Grier Jones, Tom Weiskopf Source:
Other wins (1) 1968 Carolinas Open (as an amateur)
Senior PGA Tour wins (3) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Nov 1, 1998Pacific Bell Senior Classic −14 (66-68-68=202)1 stroke Lee Trevino2Oct 31, 1999Pacific Bell Senior Classic (2)−14 (68-66-65=199)2 strokes Dave Stockton, Bruce Summerhays3Oct 29, 2000SBC Senior Classic (3)−15 (65-68-65=198)3 strokes Larry Nelson
Senior PGA Tour playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11999 Cadillac NFL Golf Classic Allen DoyleLost to birdie on fourth extra hole
Results in major championships Tournament19701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986Masters TournamentCUT36CUTT9T23T33CUTU.S. OpenT14T23T16T12T53T16CUTCUTCUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipCUTPGA ChampionshipCUTT22T1111CUTT17T19CUTT59
CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied
U.S. national team appearances Amateur Walker Cup: 1969 (winners)
See also 1973 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
References
External links